Former Commissioner Věra Jourová, now chairing the Democracy27 citizens' initiative, presented the project to the European Parliament's EUDS committee on 2 June 2026 as a privately funded, independent effort to complement the EU's Democracy Shield. The initiative focuses on communication, education, civil society, digital adaptation, and AI transparency, with Jourová arguing that democracy must be 'repairable' and that the project will gather citizen input across 24 languages. However, MEPs diverged sharply on the legitimacy of fact-checkers and the initiative's independence.
S&D's Juan Fernando López Aguilar asked about a proposed European Centre for Democratic Resilience and DSA enforcement; Jourová supported better data analysis and insisted the DSA must be enforced. EPP's Michał Wawrykiewicz praised Jourová's shift from institution to NGO and asked about a rule-of-law cycle. S&D's Sandro Ruotolo raised spyware abuses and algorithm-driven polarization. In contrast, Patriots for Europe MEPs Csaba Domotor and Hermann Tertsch questioned the transparency of fact-checkers and the project's independence, with Domotor alleging Commission pressure on platforms and Tertsch linking the initiative to fears of election outcomes. ECR's Petar Volgin argued threats to democracy come from within EU institutions, citing media bans and the case of Călin Georgescu. PfE's Fabrice Leggeri challenged Jourová's mandate and independence. NI's Christine Anderson accused the Commission and fact-checkers of spreading disinformation on COVID-19 origins. Jourová defended the DSA as a balanced tool and stressed the need for transparent AI use.
Democracy27 will hold country consultations through late 2026, with recommendations due in early 2027. The project is expected to affect EU institutions, national governments, civil society, digital platforms, and young citizens. The debate exposed a cleavage between those supporting stronger EU-level democratic resilience measures and those questioning the legitimacy of fact-checkers and the initiative's independence from EU institutions.