DemSupPra · Democracy Support Practice After the Third Wave: Adapting to Change?

Democracy Support Practice After the Third Wave: Adapting to Change?

DemSupPra (Democracy Support Practices) examines how international election observation is being reshaped by changes in the global democratic landscape, and whether it remains fit for purpose amid contemporary challenges to electoral integrity. Elections are a cornerstone of democratic governance, yet increasingly sites of contestation, manipulation and democratic backsliding. These trends affect not only emerging and hybrid regimes, but also established democracies, including parts of the European Union. The core problem addressed by DemSupPra is the widening gap between contemporary threats to electoral integrity and the tools used by international observers to assess them. This matters because elections underpin democratic legitimacy, political representation and public trust. When manipulated elections are nonetheless declared credible, democratic erosion can proceed unchecked. The project therefore evaluates whether election observation remains fit for purpose, analyses how observer organisations have adapted to new challenges, and identifies ways to strengthen the credibility and effectiveness of observation and related policy responses. Since the end of the Cold War, international election observation has become a global norm and a key instrument of democracy support. Observer missions assess elections against internationally recognised standards and communicate findings to domestic authorities, international partners and the public. These assessments shape diplomatic engagement and inform election assistance, such as technical support and institutional reform. However, many observation standards and methodologies were developed for political and technological contexts that differ significantly from those of today. The project focuses on three interrelated developments linked to contemporary “crises of democracy”: (1) rapid technological change affecting electoral administration, campaigning, and information environments; (2) the strategic adaptation of authoritarian and hybrid regimes through subtle and formally legal manipulation that preserves democratic appearances; and (3) rising populism, extreme polarisation and hyper-partisanship, which have turned elections into high-stakes contests and, in some cases, tools of democratic erosion. Overall, DemSupPra analyses how these developments affect election observation practices, examines how observer organisations have adapted their mandates and methodologies, and evaluates the credibility and effectiveness of these adaptations. By treating election observation as the core democracy support practice, the project identifies gaps, blind spots, and opportunities for strengthening electoral integrity, and consolidates these findings into policy-relevant conclusions for practitioners and policymakers.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз