In this episode of the European Dialogue, brought to you by the EU-VALUES Network, we sit down with Sevda Kilicalp and Nils Luyten from PHILEA – the Philanthropy Europe Association to discuss how democracy in Europe is changing, and what role funders can play in defending and developing it.

We explore their latest work with the PHILEA Democracy Network by diving into the newly released '2025 Democracy Briefer for Funders', a timely and practical guide that speaks directly to the challenges and possibilities for philanthropy in today’s polarised political landscape.

Drawing on examples from across the EU, Nils and Sevda talk to:
🔹 How democratic backsliding often takes legal and incremental forms, not always dramatic ones
🔹 Why philanthropy is essential to democratic resilience and independent civic space
🔹 The deeper emotional and socio-economic drivers of polarisation and public disengagement
🔹 How younger generations are losing trust in democratic systems and what can be done about it
🔹 The challenge of building inclusive, shared narratives in a fragmented media environment

For more on PHILEA and its Democracy Network, visit: www.philea.eu
Read the full 2025 Democracy Briefer here: philea.eu/publications/2025-democracy-briefer-for-funders
You can also find out more about the reference to Hannah Arendt’s 1951 foundational insights into totalitarianism (e.g.: the erosion of truth, the exploitation of emotion and the breakdown of common sense) in many articles online, or a nice podcast if that is your favourite medium is: 
https://www.podbean.com/pw/pbblog-xtm92-415961  


🌐 Learn More About Our Work: EU-VALUES Website: www.eu-values.eu/
📲 Follow and subscribe to us for more expert insights on democracy, governance, and European civil society:
Instagram 👉 www.instagram.com/euvalues.eu/
LinkedIn 👉 www.linkedin.com/company/eu-values-network/
Spotify 🎧 👉 open.spotify.com/show/4bmecvWt1As2M4cRBsyW6i
SoundCloud 👉 @euvaluesnetwork

#Democracy #Philanthropy #Europe #CivilSociety #RuleOfLaw #HannahArendt #Polarisation #Youth #Inclusion #Philea #EUVALUES #DemocraticGovernance #SocialTrust #DemocracyNetwork

From Backsliding to Building: Philanthropy’s Role in Europe’s Democratic Crisis – with PHILEA

🇪🇺 EU-VALUES Network Podcast: Expert insights on democracy, human rights, EU policies & global influence. Tune in & stay informed! 🎧 #EUPolitics #Democracy #HumanRights #Geopolitics

From Backsliding to Building: Philanthropy’s Role in Europe’s Democratic Crisis – with PHILEA

The European Dialogue by The EU-VALUES Network