State of the European Union delivers a strong democracy diagnosis but weak prescription

Democracy International recognises the frank assessment of the threats facing European democracy in Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s 2026 State of the European Union address, but calls for greater ambition and concrete action to strengthen citizens' participation and democratic resilience across the EU. 

Addressing the European Parliament, von der Leyen spoke openly about both internal and external threats to European democracy, including disinformation, foreign interference and the rise of anti-democratic and anti-European forces within the Union. She also pointed to stronger links between EU funding and the respect for the rule of law in the next long-term EU budget.

However, the speech was much clearer about the diagnosis of European democracy than about what comes next. With just over two years left of the Commission’s current mandate, the State of the Union was an opportunity to set out concrete democratic reforms and initiatives for the years ahead. Instead, the speech offered little detail on what the EU will concretely do to strengthen democracy and give Europeans a greater say in decisions between elections. 

“Von der Leyen gave a strong diagnosis of the challenges facing European democracy, but the State of the European Union cannot simply be a democracy state of play. It should also tell Europeans what the Commission intends to do about it. We heard a lot about how democracy must be defended, but far less about how citizens will be empowered to participate in it. The next step must be turning that rhetoric into concrete democratic reform,” says Daniela Vancic, European Policy and Advocacy Lead at Democracy International 

Democracy International welcomes the announcement of a new Congress of Europe to reflect on Europe’s future. However, a Congress intended to shape Europe’s democratic future should not leave citizens on the sidelines. Democracy International calls for a strong participatory element in its design, giving citizens from across Europe a meaningful role alongside experts, civil society, and political actors.  

Democracy International also welcomes the Commission’s commitment to adopt a Recommendation on banning conversion practices in 2027, following the European Citizens’ Initiative supported by 1.1 million Europeans. While Democracy International has previously called for a stronger response to the initiative, the renewed public commitment is an important recognition that citizen mobilisation through a European Citizens’ Initiative must lead to meaningful political follow-up. 

As the Commission’s own Letter of Intent states, “the fate of Europe must stay in the hands of Europeans.” Delivering on that promise requires not only protecting democracy from those who seek to undermine it, but giving Europeans meaningful opportunities to participate in shaping its future.