The future of liberal democracy in Europe
HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Basic Information
- Identifier
- HORIZON-CL2-2021-DEMOCRACY-01-01
- Programme
- Protecting and nurturing democracies
- Programme Period
- 2021 - 2027
- Status
- Closed (31094503)
- Opening Date
- June 22, 2021
- Deadline
- October 7, 2021
- Deadline Model
- single-stage
- Budget
- €9,900,000
- Keywords
- ForesightSocial sciences, interdisciplinaryPublic administrationPolitical systems and institutions, governanceCultural and economic geographyCultural studies, cultural diversityLegal systems, constitutions, foundations of lawSocial topics (Women's and gender studies)Artificial IntelligenceSociologyLawDigital AgendaPhilosophySocial sciences and humanitiesHistorydemocracyrule of lawfundamental rightsliberalismHORIZON-CL2-2021-DEMOCRACY-01european values
Description
Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- Produce theoretically and empirically robust visions for the future of liberal democratic institutions.
- Reflect upon and actualise what liberal democracy means in the 21st century in Europe.
- Develop recommendations, toolkits, narratives and methodologies to reinstate the legitimacy and effectiveness of liberal democracies.
European societies are traversed by a multiplicity of identities, attitudes, cultural backgrounds and constitutional traditions. In the face of increasing complexity, certain political forces have promoted a vision of homogeneity, hierarchical control and order. Some extremist and some populist discourses, while not necessarily overlapping, have promoted strict majoritarian and nativist interpretations of democratic governance. Some have been challenging key tenets of liberal democracy like the protection of the rule of law, the separation of powers, women’s and minorities’ rights, etc. altogether or with some variation, providing visions that often conflict with EU priorities. These narratives figure prominently in public discourse and inform public opinion. They influence public views on pluralism and fundamental rights, but also inspire counter discourses and resistance. In addition, populist rhetoric also tends to crystallise in debates about borders and border control, where a tension emerges between the liberal policies of states and the actions called for. Together with the strengthening of the powers of executives, these developments could potentially undermine the stability of democracies. Furthermore, the liberal democratic model is challenged by non-liberal global players, such as China and Russia, and other external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate crisis. These external challenges paint a poor picture of democracies’ ability to solve collective problems in comparison to other actors, while disconnecting economic and political power from democracy on the global stage. A philosophic, sociological, legal, economic, historical and political reflection is needed on the foundations of liberal democratic governance in order to establish a viable conception of liberal democracy for the future.
Proposals are expected to address some of the following points: To examine the internal (within nation-states) and external challenges to liberal democracy and the discourses, social structures and institutions that underpin them. They should illustrate how such discourses depict social and political subjects as well as the structure of modern societies and institutions. How do these counter basic tenets of liberal democracy? When and why are they successful, or not? Long-term trends in the functioning of key elements of European liberal democracies (fundamental and human rights of individuals – such as freedom of expression, of assembly, of non-discrimination –, the rule of law, pluralism, separation of powers, access to justice, the independence of the judiciary and the media, protection of minorities, right to asylum, etc.) and their public legitimacy should be analysed and compared. Proposals may want to relate these to the impacts of major political and economic challenges of the past decades (e.g. the Great Recession, Cold War, dislocation of empires, “war on terror”, large inflows of mixed migration, the recent pandemic, etc.). The potential tension between liberal, egalitarian and other ideals held by citizens or promoted by political movements can also be examined. Proposals should analyse how institutional and political mechanisms built into European liberal democracies have functioned as limits and as a response to illiberal developments (e.g. checks and balances, enforcement of the rule of law). They should also examine how these mechanisms have evolved in recent years as a response to new threats. Research may provide theoretically rigorous and normatively informed reflections on how political liberalism can be actualised in order to take on the discourses that challenge liberal democracy. Finally, proposals should show the corresponding implications for the institutions of democratic governance.
Cross-cutting Priorities:Destination & Scope
Democracies are more fragile and more vulnerable than in the past. The Freedom in the World Report (2020) shows that democracies across the globe are in crisis[[https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2020/leaderless-struggle-democracy]]. At the same time, various European surveys show declining levels of trust in the political institutions of democracy.[[W. Merkel, Past, Present and Future of Democracy - Policy Review, 2019: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/4bebf83d-60ba-11e9-b6eb-01aa75ed71a1/language-en/format-PDF/source-94807842]] In terms of legitimacy, there are signs of a potential shift from governance based on expertise, multilateralism and consensual policymaking towards majoritarianism, unilateralism, nationalism, populism and polarization. Research on the past and present challenges and tensions in democracy can help to better understand and strengthen democracy, its resilience and stability. It will foster democracy’s further development with a view to enhancing representation, participation, openness, pluralism, tolerance, the effectiveness of public policy, non-discrimination, civic engagement, the protection of fundamental rights and the rule of law. These reflect the European Union’s values as defined in Article 2 of the EU Treaty[[Consolidated version of the Treaty on European Union, Title 1 “Common Provisions”, Article 2: “The Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. These values are common to the Member States in a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail”.]].
Expected impact:
Proposals for topics under this Destination should set out a credible pathway to contributing to the following expected impacts of the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan:
- Democratic governance is reinvigorated by improving the accountability, transparency, effectiveness and trustworthiness of rule-of-law based institutions and policies and through the expansion of active and inclusive citizenship empowered by the safeguarding of fundamental rights.
The implementation of the research activities of the destination will assist in the re-invigoration and modernisation of democratic governance. The aim is to develop evidence-based innovations, policies and policy recommendations, as well as institutional frameworks that expand political participation, social dialogue, civic engagement, gender equality and inclusiveness. Activities will also contribute to enhancing the transparency, effectiveness, accountability and legitimacy of public policy-making. They will help improving trust in democratic institutions, safeguarding liberties and the rule of law and protecting democracy from multidimensional threats. Rich historical, cultural and philosophical perspectives, including a comparative dimension, will set the frame for soundly understanding present developments and help to map future pathways. In the medium to long term, the knowledge, data, scientifically robust recommendations and innovations generated will enhance decision making on all aspects relevant to democratic governance. As the Destination aims directly at citizen engagement and at producing lasting change, it is of particular importance that the research and innovation actions promote the highest standards of transparency and openness. When applicable, it is encouraged to open up the process, criteria, methodologies and data to civil society in the course of the research.
Eligibility & Conditions
General conditions
1. Admissibility conditions: described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System
2. Eligible countries: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
3. Other eligibility conditions: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes
5. Evaluation and award:
- Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes
- Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual
- Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes
Specific conditions
7. Specific conditions: described in the specific topic of the Work Programme
Documents
Call documents:
Standard application form — call-specific application form is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Standard evaluation form — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
MGA
Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2021–2022 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2021–2022 – 5. Culture, creativity and inclusive society
HE Main Work Programme 2021–2022 – 12. Missions
HE Main Work Programme 2021–2022 – 13. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Support & Resources
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Latest Updates
EVALUATION results
Call: HORIZON-CL2-2021-DEMOCRACY-01 (Protecting and nurturing democracies)
Published: 18.06.2021
Deadline: 07.10.2021
Available budget: EUR 49.500.000
The results of the evaluation are as follows:
Number of proposals submitted (including proposals transferred from or to other calls): 68
Number of inadmissible proposals: 1
Number of ineligible proposals: 2
Number of above-threshold proposals: 48
Total budget requested for above-threshold proposals: EUR 143.318.624
We recently informed the applicants about the evaluation results for their proposals.
For questions, please contact the Research Enquiry Service.