Global Democracy Coalition

Trust in democracy is not built through promises alone. It also depends on whether democracy delivers. At the GDC Global Forum 2026, @Pita_MFP challenged participants to think about democratic renewal not only in terms of defending institutions and values, but also through the ability of democrats to govern effectively. Democratic leadership requires ideas, but it also requires competence, strategy and the ability to turn those ideas into tangible results for people. This question of delivery ran throughout the Forum: if citizens do not see democracy responding to their needs and improving their lives, rebuilding trust becomes even harder. Defending democracy means demonstrating that it can work. #GDCGlobalForum #GDCForum2026 #Democracy #DemocraticTrust #DemocraticRenewal #KeepDemocracyAlive

What happens when we move beyond diagnosing democracy’s challenges and start asking what we can do about them together? That was the intention behind the GDC Global Forum 2026 earlier this month. Opening the Forum in Athens, Elisenda Ballesté Buxó, Programme Manager of the Global Democracy Coalition at @Int_IDEA, reflected on the decision to create something different: a space designed not simply for another conversation about the pressures facing democracy, but for deeper listening, exchange and collective thinking about what comes next. Under the theme “Democracy and Trust: From Diagnosis to Collective Action,” the Forum brought together democracy advocates and practitioners from around the world to build on the conversations that began across our four Regional Forums and turn shared challenges into possibilities for collective action. Because understanding the challenges facing democracy matters. But the real test is what we choose to do with that understanding. #GDCGlobalForum #GDCForum2026 #Democracy #DemocraticTrust #CollectiveAction #KeepDemocracyAlive

If governments use AI for the public good, who gets to decide what “good” looks like? At the GDC Global Forum 2026, the Trust and Algocracy working group explored what happens to democratic participation and accountability as algorithms and artificial intelligence become increasingly embedded in governance and public decision-making. During the afternoon recap, Sohini Sarkar, Director for Strategic Growth and Development at PartnersGlobal, brought one of the group’s central questions into the wider Forum conversation: if governments are using AI and algorithms for the public good, how can citizens meaningfully influence the shape and direction of that process? It is a question that goes beyond technology. At its heart are fundamental democratic questions about power, accountability and participation. Innovation can create new possibilities for governance, but democratic governance requires more than efficiency. People need meaningful opportunities to influence how technologies are introduced, how they are used and the purposes they ultimately serve. Because the challenge is not simply building more sophisticated systems. It is ensuring that technological change remains subject to democratic choice. #GDCGlobalForum #GDCForum2026 #TrustAndAlgocracy #AI #Democracy #DigitalDemocracy #DemocraticParticipation #KeepDemocracyAlive

What does meaningful participation actually look like in a democracy? Creating space for more voices is essential. But inclusion alone does not guarantee that those voices will shape the decisions that affect people’s lives. That distinction came through clearly during the GDC Global Forum 2026, where conversations explored not only how democratic processes can become more inclusive, but how participation can translate into real influence. During the afternoon recap, Eric Friedenwald-Fishman, Founder and CEO of @metgroup, who was in the Trust and Participation working group, captured the challenge in a powerful phrase: democracy needs “voice with teeth.” Participation becomes meaningful when people can see that engaging matters, that their perspectives carry weight and that institutions are capable of listening and responding. Otherwise, mechanisms designed to widen participation risk becoming exercises in inclusion without impact. Strengthening democracy therefore means going beyond asking who gets a seat at the table. We also have to ask whether being at that table gives people a genuine opportunity to shape what happens next. #GDCGlobalForum #GDCForum2026 #DemocraticParticipation #InclusiveDemocracy #Democracy #KeepDemocracyAlive

What holds a democracy together when people disagree about where it should go next? At the GDC Global Forum 2026, our Trust and Resilience working group explored what allows democracies not only to withstand pressure, but to adapt, recover and keep moving forward. The conversation built on questions emerging from the GDC Regional Forum in Seoul around democratic transitions, civic space and democratic cooperation. During the afternoon recap, @RahyabMaiwand, Founder and CEO of @ResSocieties, brought another dimension into that conversation: the importance of developing a shared understanding of the past while creating a vision of the future that people can see themselves within. That matters because democratic resilience cannot depend on everyone agreeing on everything. Pluralism means disagreement will always be part of democracy. The deeper challenge is finding enough common ground to move forward together without erasing those differences. And perhaps that is where resilience really begins, not simply in protecting democracy from the next crisis, but in building a democratic future that people feel they belong to. #GDCGlobalForum #GDCForum2026 #TrustAndResilience #DemocraticResilience #DemocraticTrust #KeepDemocracyAlive

The strength of democracy cannot be measured only by whether its processes work. It also matters whether democracy works for people. That was one of the tensions at the heart of the Trust and Delivery working group at the GDC Global Forum 2026: how can democracies preserve the procedures and safeguards essential to democratic governance while ensuring institutions remain capable of responding to people's needs? In the afternoon recap, Tobi Ayeni of the @WFD_Democracy brought this challenge into the wider Forum conversation. The bigger takeaway is not that democratic procedure matters less. It is that procedure and delivery have to work together. When democratic institutions protect rights, ensure accountability and enable meaningful outcomes, they create stronger foundations for public trust. That is where the real challenge of democratic renewal begins. #GDCGlobalForum #GDCForum2026 #TrustAndDelivery #DemocraticTrust #Democracy

We are thrilled to announce the acceptance of 3 new partners into the Global Democracy Coalition! Each of these organizations brings invaluable expertise and commitment to strengthening democracy across the globe.​ @GVAGrad_AHDC: The Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy is an interdisciplinary research centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute dedicated to advancing research and public debate on democracy. It serves as a platform connecting scholars, policymakers, international organisations and civil society to address contemporary democratic challenges through research, education, policy dialogue and public engagement. @DeliberaBrasil: The Delibera Brasil collective is a non-profit, non-partisan organization established with the aim of strengthening and deepening Brazilian democracy by promoting citizen deliberation. Their goal is to integrate deliberation into democratic decision-making and public policy formulation processes in Brazil. @TheExchange_TMU: The Democratic Engagement Exchange works to change the feeling that too many Canadians feel left behind and disconnected from their democracy, leaving communities underrepresented and voices unheard. They strive to foster a vibrant, inclusive, and resilient democracy where everyone living in Canada can participate fully, contribute to creating healthy communities, and tackle their most pressing challenges. We look forward to collaborating with them on our shared goals and strengthening the collective impact of our efforts.