Council of Europe highlights role of democracy and AI governance in security
The New Democratic Pact for Europe aims to rebuild institutional trust and strengthen democratic security across the continent.
The Council of Europe has called for a legal and democratic framework for European security in its 2026 annual report, warning that the continent cannot separate security from democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
Secretary General Alain Berset presented his 2026 annual report, titled ‘The New Democratic Pact for Europe in times of rupture’, to foreign ministers from the Council of Europe’s 46 member states during the Committee of Ministers session in Chişinău on 15 May.
The report states that Europe is increasing defence spending and argues that military measures alone cannot provide lasting security. Berset said democratic security depends on legal safeguards, resilient institutions, and public trust.
The report links Europe’s security challenges to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, foreign information manipulation, and declining trust in democratic systems. It also stresses that safeguards for human rights and democratic principles must keep pace with rapid technological change, including digital technology and AI.
Berset argues that social rights, health, education, and institutional trust have too often been treated as ‘soft security’. He said security depends on public trust in institutions and resilient democratic systems.
The report presents the state of play of the New Democratic Pact for Europe, launched in 2025 to identify integrated responses to democratic backsliding and renew democratic governance across the continent. Its first consultation phase runs until December 2026.
The annual report is structured around six areas: countering information manipulation and disinformation; promoting social rights; defending equal rights and inclusion; safeguarding elections and democratic processes; supporting civic space and fundamental freedoms; and promoting positive use of digital technology and AI, including action against cyber-enabled threats.
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