Across Europe and beyond, democratic backsliding raises pressing questions not only for governments but also for investors, employers and businesses. Judicial independence, transparent governance and the rule of law provide the certainty that markets and companies rely upon. As these foundations come under pressure, the cost of neutrality is rising: regulatory unpredictability, politicised enforcement and reputational exposure increasingly affect the bottom line.

This panel asks whether business should take a more active role in defending democratic values, where companies should draw the line between commercial interests and civic responsibility, and how the private sector can contribute to democratic resilience while maintaining public trust and political legitimacy.

Europe’s economic success is built on more than innovation and investment. It rests on stable democratic institutions, the rule of law, regulatory certainty and public trust. As geopolitical tensions rise and democracies face growing internal and external pressures, business increasingly recognises that democratic resilience is not only a political concern but an economic imperative. Investors price political risk, and companies factor institutional stability into where they build, hire and commit capital.

This panel will examine how Europe can safeguard the democratic foundations that underpin its competitiveness, and what role business should play in protecting the stability and predictability on which long-term investment depends. It will ask whether democratic quality is becoming a measurable factor in Europe’s economic performance, and how the private sector can make that case publicly and credibly.

Public debate has become a key battleground in Europe’s democratic crisis. From climate to migration, policy debates are increasingly shaped by disinformation, polarisation and narratives that fuel distrust in institutions.

New technologies, including AI and online platforms, can strengthen democratic participation but also amplify deepfakes, disinformation and declining trust in media. This panel will explore how political actors, foreign influence and platforms shape public debate, and how business can help protect democratic dialogue, social trust and a healthy information ecosystem.

Across Europe, the cost of living crisis is becoming a major driver of democratic discontent. Rising housing and energy costs, alongside stagnant incomes, are fuelling insecurity, distrust in institutions and support for anti-system politics.

For business, economic insecurity also creates political volatility, regulatory uncertainty and investment risks. This panel will explore how the affordability crisis is reshaping European democracy and how governments, business and investors can work together to strengthen economic security, fairness and trust.