Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) September 28, 2026 – European parliamentarians, national lawmakers, institutional representatives, and civil society experts have convened in Brussels for a high-level summit focused on democratic resilience and public trust. The two-day gathering brings together stakeholders to address mounting systemic threats, safeguard democratic institutions, and coordinate legislative responses across the European Union.
Overview of the European Parliamentary Democracy Forum
The assembly marks the convening of the second EU Parliamentary Democracy Forum, hosted within the European Parliament’s hemicycle located in the Paul-Henri Spaak building in Brussels. The scheduled sessions run across two consecutive days, specifically on Tuesday, 29 September, and Wednesday, 30 September 2026.
Organised under the institutional leadership of European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, the forum receives direct support from European Parliament Vice-Presidents Esteban González Pons and Katarina Barley. Both vice-presidents hold specific institutional responsibilities concerning relations with national parliaments across member states, providing a bridge between supranational European policymaking and national legislative bodies.
Core Objectives and Institutional Participation
The primary objective of the multi-day forum is to evaluate and enhance the structural resilience of democratic frameworks throughout Europe. Participants comprise a broad coalition of actors, including Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), members of national parliaments from various EU member states, academic researchers, and representatives from civil society organizations.
Organisers have structured the event to foster comprehensive inter-parliamentary dialogue. By bringing together legislators from both national and European levels alongside specialized experts, the forum aims to establish coordinated strategies against contemporary geopolitical vulnerabilities and internal pressures affecting public governance.
Safeguarding Democratic Processes Against Contemporary Threats
Discussions throughout the two-day summit center heavily on safeguarding democratic processes from increasingly complex external and internal challenges. In recent years, European institutions have placed heightened emphasis on defensive mechanisms against foreign interference, hybrid threats, disinformation campaigns, and erosion of the rule of law within member states.
The forum serves as a platform for legislators to review existing legal protections and debate practical measures designed to secure electoral integrity. Lawmakers are expected to examine how national parliaments and the European Parliament can align their oversight mechanisms to better insulate public administration and democratic infrastructure from destabilising influences.
Rebuilding Public Trust in Democratic Institutions
A central pillar of the agenda involves addressing the ongoing decline of public trust in democratic governance. Participants are tasked with analysing the root causes of civic disengagement and exploring methods to reconnect citizens with institutional decision-making processes.
Discussions regarding public confidence emphasize transparency, accountability, and the active inclusion of civil society in legislative formulation. Speakers and delegates are evaluating how institutional communication and direct democratic participation instruments can be reinforced to ensure governance structures remain responsive to the needs of the electorate.
Access, Logistics, and Media Arrangements
The proceedings within the European Parliament hemicycle are open to accredited media representatives wishing to follow the discussions in person. For a broader public and international audience, the European Parliament has arranged for all sessions to be webstreamed live, with complete recordings archived on the institution’s official Multimedia Centre.
Detailed information concerning the day-by-day session timetable, panel topics, and logistical arrangements remains accessible via the European Parliament’s dedicated event web pages. Further administrative updates and press coordination are managed directly through the Parliament’s press service teams stationed in Brussels.
