This report presents a comprehensive foresight study on the future of democracy in the EU, examining the complex interplay between emerging issues concerning the impact of artificial intelligence, citizen engagement in democracy, and quality of democratic processes and institutions. The study's methodology involved participatory workshops with experts, developing "futures wheels" to discuss possible outcomes and key drivers of change as well as four future scenarios: AI-Facilitated Direct Democracy, Citizen Pushback, Technocratic Government Overreach, and Big Tech Power Grab. The scenarios are designed to stimulate critical thinking and informed decision-making, rather than predict specific outcomes for democracy, and reveal key tensions that must be balanced in order to foster a resilient and inclusive democracy in the EU. These include the pursuit of efficiency versus meaningful citizen agency, the concentration of power, use of data in governance systems and other. By exploring the implications of these tensions through scenarios, policymakers can gain insights into how to navigate the complex landscape of democratic governance and make informed decisions for a strong, vibrant democracy in the EU that is responsive to the evolving needs of society.

DUJARDIN Yannick;  GORAN Petra;  MALESINSKA Marta;  PARQUET Caroline; 

2026-05-29

Publications Office of the European Union

JRC145311

978-92-68-39876-0 (online),   

1831-9424 (online),   

EUR 40721,    OP KJ-01-26-217-EN-N (online),   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC145311,   

10.2760/3579303 (online),