Across Europe, illiberal forces—both in and out of government, and operating at national as well as European levels—are increasingly challenging the core principles of liberal democracy. These challenges extend across a wide range of policy areas and frequently target foundational democratic safeguards such as transparency, accountability, media freedom, and equality, as well as the actors that uphold them, including independent media, watchdog institutions, and civil society organizations. Rather than manifesting in a single domain, illiberal pressure is exerted in diverse and often interconnected policy fields, undermining democratic resilience from multiple angles. The AUTHLIB Policy Paper series examines a select set of key policy areas and puts forward concrete recommendations to better protect and strengthen them.
© 2026 Authlib.
