Connecting the dots for more inclusive and participatory democracies

Twelve like-minded European and global organizations committed to advancing democratic innovation and participation are coming together in the new Horizon project Nets4Dem.  

This is an unprecedented initiative, building the infrastructure needed to strengthen democracy across Europe based on local, national and European-wide networks.

Nets4Dem will establish a European network of academics, practitioners and civil society, creating a hub for advanced research and collaboration in the field of democratic innovation, civic deliberation, participation and citizenship education.

The founding member organisations bring together more than 200 cities, over 50 think tanks and universities, and dozens of democracy-focused NGOs, covering 38 European countries, and linking to democracy-focused work in 130 countries worldwide.

Citizens are not giving up on democracy but seek new and more deliberative and equitable participation in the democratic process. Therefore, our democracies must become more inclusive, effective and participatory so they can rebuild trust with citizens and enable new pathways of political engagement.

In light of this need, Nets4Dem aims to become an enabling force for democratic renewal. This initiative pools a wide range of experience and expertise from global experts and Europe-spanning civic networks to further its mission: strengthening and improving democracy by connecting scattered knowledge, making it easily accessible, and giving policymakers and practitioners the skills and capacity to work better with citizens.

The network will open for new members in the new year. By harnessing the extensive and collective reach of its participating members, Nets4Dem will foster deeper and more effective collaborations between existing actors in the democratic space.