Local associations and community initiatives should play a bigger part in strengthening democracy in Europe as voter disengagement rises and political polarisation deepens, according to a new opinion from the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).
People across Europe are becoming increasingly distant from democratic life, particularly young people outside urban centres, disadvantaged communities and minorities, the EESC said on Tuesday.
That disengagement is linked to shrinking civic space, structural exclusion and too few opportunities to take part in decision-making, it added.
The EESC set out its recommendations in an exploratory opinion on “inclusive democratic participation” requested by the Irish presidency and adopted at its October plenary session.
It warned that communities excluded from democratic processes may lose trust in public institutions and become more vulnerable to manipulation and disinformation.
‘Democracy is not just about voting’
The opinion was drafted by rapporteur Ionuţ Sibian, who said: “Democracy is not just about voting every year. It’s about ensuring that citizens have a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape their lives.”
The Committee called for closer links between the European Democracy Shield — an EU initiative to protect democratic institutions and processes — and the European Commission’s Civil Society Strategy, saying inclusive participation should be central to efforts to strengthen democratic resilience.
Local associations, cultural centres, libraries, youth centres and other community organisations are often trusted by people who feel disconnected from political institutions and can help bring disadvantaged communities into democratic life, the EESC said.
It welcomed tools such as citizens’ assemblies, participatory panels and public consultations, but said opportunities for participation remain limited in several European countries.
Restrictions on access to information, insufficient dialogue with public authorities and the repression of peaceful assemblies can stop citizens and civil society organisations from being heard, it said.
The Committee also said that even where participation mechanisms exist, they often lack effective follow-up, leaving people unclear about whether their input influenced decisions.
It called for stronger protection of civic space against undue interference by governments, foreign interests and other parties, and warned that some transparency or foreign-interference laws can have an unjustified impact on legitimate civil society activities.
The EESC also called for more stable funding for civil society groups and easier access to resources for smaller local initiatives, including under the EU’s next long-term budget, and cited AgoraEU, Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps among programmes it wants to see supported.
