From Japan to India to the United States: at the European Democrats Congress, discussions are underway on how to strengthen cooperation between democracies in an increasingly unstable world.
The second panel of the European Democratic Party Congress, held on 21 November at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre in Bilbao, addressed one of the most pressing issues of our time: how to build stronger international cooperation between democracies in a global context marked by the rise of nationalism, populism and authoritarian regimes.
Moderated by French MEP Laurence Farreng (MoDem / Renew Europe), the panel ‘Defending Democracy: A Global Alliance of Democrats’ brought together three voices from three continents: Italian-American journalist and author Alan Friedman; Manish Tewari, Member of Parliament for the Indian Congress Party; and Yosuke Suzuki, Japanese Member of Parliament for the Constitutional Democratic Party.
Friedman painted a grim picture of the risks threatening liberal democracy: from Trumpian authoritarianism to the rise of the radical right in Europe and Russian interference. His warning was clear: Europe must defend itself by relying first and foremost on its own strengths and forging closer ties between its democratic components.
Tewari offered India’s perspective, recalling the complexity and vitality of the world’s most populous democracy. While acknowledging the tensions associated with nationalism, he stressed that the response must remain political: winning consensus, talking to voters, avoiding the demonisation of opponents and defending constitutional values through democratic participation.
From Japan, Suzuki described a rapidly changing landscape, with the rise of xenophobic parties and the risk of a more marked shift towards the radical right. In a country where politics is perceived as distant, the challenge, he explained, is to reconnect with young people, combat disinformation and defend an inclusive model of society.
The common point that emerged from the panel is clear: democracies today can no longer defend themselves on their own. An international network of cooperation, exchange and mutual support is needed between democratic forces that share the same values. And this is precisely the spirit that animates the EDP: to build bridges, not walls, and to strengthen a global democratic front capable of resisting authoritarian tendencies.
