On 23 October, Democracy27 held the second of three Academic Symposia to explore the evolving relationship between citizens and political power, examining challenges to democratic legitimacy, representation and accountability, as well as questions of political influence, institutional integrity and civic engagement.

Against a backdrop of growing scrutiny of political representation and public trust, four members of the Academic Advisory Board explored the roots of democratic discontent and how citizens can play a stronger role in shaping the decisions that affect their lives.

The discussion brought together:

• Cas Mudde, Stanley Wade Shelton Professor of International Affairs, University of Georgia (US)
• Kalypso Nicolaïdis, Chair in Global Affairs, Florence School of Transnational Governance, European University Institute (EUI)
• Alberto Alemanno, Jean Monnet Professor of European Union Law at HEC Paris and founder of The Good Lobby
• Johanna Mair, Director and Professor of Governance, Institutions and Societal Transformation, Florence School of Transnational Governance, European University Institute (EUI)

Three highlights from the discussion

Democracy needs a clearer political vision

For Cas Mudde, democratic dissatisfaction is connected to several interconnected causes: successive crises, declining faith in mainstream political projects, institutions failing to adapt to changing societies, more emancipated citizens challenging authority, and increasingly commercialised traditional media. He argued that addressing this crisis requires restoring politics’ ideological dimension: offering citizens a clearer vision of the future and a convincing explanation of the collective choices and sacrifices being asked of them.

“The main problem of contemporary politics is that it has become non ideological and we have to bring ideology back” — Cas Mudde

Citizens need a stronger voice in decision-making at every level

Kalypso Nicolaïdis  linked democratic discontent to growing precarity and a sense of disconnection from political power. Citizens, particularly younger generations, see democracy failing to address both immediate concerns, such as housing and jobs, and long-term challenges like climate change. She called for a stronger European participatory ecosystem, including a standing, travelling citizens’ assembly and closer connections between civil society initiatives.

“if we are preparing for hybrid wars, if we’re trying to create more and more resilient society, then people who need to feel ownership that if we’re going to have total defense of all of us, like in Ukraine, we need total democracy.” — Kalypso Nicolaïdis

From participation to agenda-setting: democracy must give citizens greater influence and be more accountable. 

Alberto Alemanno argued that the growing use of emergency decision-making is closing channels for citizen participation between elections, leaving people with fewer opportunities to influence EU policies. He pointed to emerging opportunities for transnational mobilisation, stronger accountability through European values and greater access to EU courts. He called for citizens to move beyond expressing dissatisfaction and actively mobilise their rights to hold EU institutions accountable.

“ What I would like to see change is less, citizens and civil society organization complaining about what Europe does or does not do, and more and more citizens action that actually mobilize their rights.” — Alberto Alemanno

Johanna Mair stressed that dissatisfaction with political institutions does not necessarily mean that citizens reject democracy itself. Instead, institutions need to defend democratic principles, create meaningful opportunities for participation and respond to citizens’ concerns.

“Democratic principles need defending, citizens need meaningful opportunities to shape decisions and institutions need obligations to respond.” — Johanna Mair

Ultimately, the discussion highlighted that rebuilding democratic trust requires more than improving existing institutions or opening additional channels for participation. It means giving citizens a meaningful role in shaping political priorities, influencing decisions and holding those in power accountable. As Europe faces increasingly complex challenges, the question is not only how democratic institutions can respond to citizens’ concerns, but also how citizens can have a genuine stake in shaping their future

Watch the full discussion