Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society 2026

The rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy are foundational values of the EU laid down in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. These values provide the Union with principled orientations to meet the inevitable geopolitical economic, social and demographic changes that could not be foreseen at the time the Treaties were drafted. This includes how the digital transformation would affect how the debate and political processes would be shaped.

Democracy is cultural practice as much as it is a political system. It is a key strength of European societies, helping ensure respect for equality, the rule of law, fundamental rights and liberty. Actors with anti-democratic tendencies attack democracies and their institutions because democracy is a safeguard against them[[The 2025 report of the V-Dem Institute (“25 years of Autocratization-Democracy Trumped?”) confirms the appalling signs, indicators and tendencies captured over previous years of measurement: “The trend of the ‘third wave of autocratization’ is deepening and spreading. That includes weakening of democracy in some established liberal democracies, breakdown of democracy in countries that were democratic for most of the 21st century, as well as deepening of autocracy in already autocratic states […] The global democratic decline deepens, regardless of how we slice the data and whichever measure we use” (pp. 9 and 10)]]. Even traditionally well-functioning democracies face many challenges, which means that they also continuously need to adapt as conditions change. Social sciences and humanities (SSH) research plays a crucial role in understanding current challenges and threats and mapping future pathways for innovative solutions. Building on historical, cultural, social, legal and philosophical perspectives, research will foster the further development of democracy with a view to enhancing citizen participation and inclusive policymaking, promoting equality and inclusiveness, addressing the impact of AI and the digital transformation of democracy. It will also reinforce democratic resilience and civic preparedness, and preserve the role of free, independent and plural media as key tenets of democracy, among other objectives.

Expected impact:

Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to contributing to the following expected impact of the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan:

• Reinvigorating democratic governance by improving the independence, accountability, transparency, effectiveness and trustworthiness of institutions and policies based on rule of law, and through the expansion of active and inclusive citizens’ participation and engagement empowered by the safeguarding of fundamental rights.

The aim of the research investment supporting this impact is to develop a robust evidence base that can inform the establishment of effective, relevant and sensible policies, which bolster the resilience of democratic systems and protect them from threats. At the same time, it seeks to foster critical thinking while also reinforcing citizens’ trust in democracy, its institutions, and the sense of political participation in its widest possible sense.

The destination seeks synergies with other relevant EU programmes, in particular for the uptake of research results and innovative solutions developed under Horizon Europe. Interaction – among others – with the following programmes is encouraged: Digital Europe (DIGITAL), Technical Support Instrument, CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values), Erasmus+, ESF+ and Global Europe: Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument.

Applicants are encouraged to consider, where relevant, the services offered by the current and future EU-funded European Research Infrastructures, particularly those in the social sciences and humanities domain^[1]. Where applicable, proposals should leverage the data and services available through European Research Infrastructures federated under the European Open Science Cloud, as well as data from relevant Data Spaces.

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. Particular efforts should be made to ensure that the data produced in the context of this destination is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable). When applicable, it is encouraged to open up the process, criteria, methodologies and data to civil society in the course of the research.

To maximise the impacts of R&I under this Destination in line with EU priorities, international cooperation is encouraged whenever relevant in the proposed topics.

[1] For a full list see https://ri-portfolio.esfri.eu/ri-portfolio/table. In the social sciences domain, see for example: CESSDA - Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives (https://www.cessda.eu/), ESS – European Social Survey (https://www.europeansocialsurvey.org/), SHARE - Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (https://www.share-eric.eu/) or the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (https://ehri-project.eu/)

Expected Outcome:

Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• EU, national and local policymakers possess the necessary knowledge to inform the development of election regulations, standards and tools that address the use of digital technologies in elections and political campaigns, ensuring their integrity, inclusiveness, accessibility, fairness, transparency, and security.
• Organisations involved in electoral processes develop and implement guidelines for the responsible use of digital technologies in elections and political campaigns, aligned with EU and national regulations.
• Enhanced transparency and accountability in AI-powered political campaigns, achieved through requirements for AI system audits, data disclosure, transparency regarding algorithms and sources of Large Language Models (LLMs), and responsible AI development.

Scope:

The integrity of electoral processes in Europe is facing challenges in the digital age. The digital transformation of democratic processes has created new avenues for citizen engagement, but it also poses significant risks from disinformation to the integrity of electoral and other democratic processes. Concerns about foreign interference, exemplified by Russia's activities, but also other third countries, have underscored the need for robust measures to safeguard the electoral processes, including enhancing cybersecurity and voter verification to prevent perceived electoral manipulation. Social media platforms, in particular, have become increasingly critical battlegrounds in the fight for public opinion, with AI-powered tools being used to artificially amplify and spread disinformation, manipulate public discourse, and influence voter behaviour.

To address these challenges, it is essential to examine the effects of digital technologies on public opinion and governance, and investigate the development of ethical AI, transparent political advertising, and tools to counter misinformation, disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). This includes exploring the potential of digital technologies to transform and improve democratic processes, investigating multi-stakeholder approaches, with particular attention in fostering dialogue with online platforms, media and political parties and movements, as well as strengthening the traditional and new media and securing alternative platforms to enhance electoral resilience.

Proposals should also investigate the risks new technologies pose to democratic integrity, particularly through the manipulation of public opinion and electoral processes, while also exploring ways to leverage these new technologies to better understand and mitigate these threats. Proposals are also encouraged to examine how AI-generated content across media, including entertainment media, influence public opinion, social narratives, gender stereotypes and norms, and civic engagement. Moreover, proposals may consider strategies for the implementation of appropriate cryptographic measures, including the investigation of approaches based on post-quantum cryptography.

The EU institutions have been actively engaged in addressing the key challenges for election integrity, including the artificial amplification of disinformation, online platform accountability, and the protection of democratic processes. Proposals should take into account ongoing political and strategic initiatives, notably the Political Advertising Regulation, the AI Act, the Digital Services Act (DSA) election guidelines^[1] and the Commission’s 2023 Recommendation on inclusive and resilient elections, and Code of Conduct on Disinformation^[2].

The ultimate goal is to understand how to create robust and resilient electoral systems that can meet the challenges of the digital age, ensure the safety and integrity of electoral processes, and promote free, fair, inclusive, accessible and transparent elections. This requires investigating the risks of cyberattacks and foreign interference on electoral processes, developing strategies to enhance voting system security and promote election transparency, developing early warning systems, effective debunking strategies, and accountability measures for platforms.

Research should have an interdisciplinary approach (including SSH disciplines), bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders, including – but not limited to - electoral authorities and other national authorities with responsibilities in electoral matters – notably those represented in the European Cooperation Network on elections – civil society organisations, new and traditional media and digital platforms.

Projects may also focus on how FIMI can influence political discourse via digital platforms, particularly during electoral periods, including in ways that undermine the rights of women, LGBTIQ people, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups. This also involves examining the safety of electoral processes, protecting the integrity of elections, and maintaining public trust in the democratic process, with a particular focus on ensuring the safety and security of political candidates, especially women and LGBTIQ people and other members of minority groups, from violence, intimidation, and harassment. Addressing these concerns requires a comprehensive understanding of how AI shapes political campaigns, media narratives, public engagement, and the spread of (gendered) disinformation.

Proposals are encouraged to identify other EU-funded projects related to electoral integrity under the Horizon Europe programme (including but not limited to those in the fields of cybersecurity and research and development of AI), and complementary funding schemes, such as the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme and the Digital Europe Programme, and to explore potential collaboration opportunities with them.

Applicants may consider the participation of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) to leverage its broad range of scientific and technical capabilities, including its expertise in digital technologies, data science, and cybersecurity, to support the projects’ objectives and enhance their overall impact.

[1] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_1707

[2] https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/code-conduct-disinformation