Over the past nearly two decades, the European Union (EU) has faced a series of challenges and polycrises that have led to a decline in democratic participation in Europe, characterised by the emergence of “civic deserts” and “regional development traps” — areas with limited opportunities for civic engagement and a deep sense of being left behind. These phenomena not only challenge the fabric of democracy but also contribute to the support for populist and Eurosceptic movements, revealing deep-seated issues in the current political, socio- economic and civic landscape.  

In response to these challenges, in partnership with the European Policy Centre, a European think tank, we explored the concept of “civic cohesion” as an essential framework to rejuvenate civic engagement across Europe. Within this research project we further developed the concept of "civic cohesion" and the possible ways to strengthen it. The final publication proposes considering civic cohesion as a fundamental European principle, embedded in EU’s Rule of Law and conditionality mechanisms and supported throughout EU’s policies and programmes, notably its Cohesion Policy.  

Activities

1. Desk research on publications and studies on civic and democratic participation, civic and social cohesion, EU challenges, EU policies and initiatives
2. Conducting semi-structured interviews with representatives of EU institutions relevant to the topic: researchers, political and social scientists, representatives of national institutions and authorities
3. Presentation and validation of results and recommendations at the NECE Festival in Madrid, Spain, in December 2023
4. Preparation and distribution of a report with results and recommendations to a wide range of stakeholders

Materials
Paper with results and recommendations for strengthening civic cohesion in the European Union

Funding organization
Civitates Fund


The project is implemented in partnership with the Brussels-based think tank European Policy Centre.