Strengthening democratic resilience through inclusion: Anniversary meeting of International IDEA’s Member States in Brussels

Hosted by Switzerland, Chair of International IDEA’s Council in 2025, and coinciding with the Institute’s 30th anniversary, the high-level breakfast meeting provided a timely platform for a joint reflection on global democratic challenges.

Against the backdrop of shifting geopolitical dynamics, a new EU leadership taking office and the suspension of US development and humanitarian aid, ambassadors and their delegates engaged in a multilateral dialogue with International IDEA’s management, exploring ways to advance democracy through collective action. They also exchanged on the EU’s external democracy agenda on the future EU political and funding priorities, recalling their shared commitment to democracy as a foundation for sustainable peace and development. 

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Keynote Speaker Olof Skoog, EU Special Representative for Human Rights and nominated Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service, underlined the need to build partnerships among countries that share the same values and stick together instead of being trapped by false narratives undermining trust between North and South. Human rights and democracy should not be an afterthought but are, on the contrary, a vital component of the EU's strategic interest. Now that talks about the next EU budget have started,  it is essential to make democracy central in foreign policy budgeting as well as within the EU. In order to remain strong and credible advocates, Olof Skoog concluded that European countries must protect and strengthen their democratic integrity to strengthen pro-democracy narratives and underpin EU external action.  

Participants underlined the importance of maintaining regular and two-way street conversations, welcoming International IDEA’s convening ability to gather democracies from around the globe. Beyond elections, the rule of law was mentioned on several occasions as an enabler of inclusion and protector of people, therefore requiring special attention.

As democratic values face mounting pressure globally, Kevin Casas Zamora, Secretary-General of International IDEA, welcomed the collective commitment to act in favour of democracy and recalled that the Institute remains a platform to help and support its Member States in stepping up for joint values.  

This event was made possible through the invaluable support of the Swiss Chairship of the Council of Institute in the year of International IDEA’s 30th anniversary. We wish to thank all the people who made that insightful morning possible.