European politics in turbulent times: Risk, resilience, reaction

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
• EGPP: European Governance and Politics Programme

This conference marks the conclusion of the REGROUP project and brings together scholars and analysts to reflect on the pandemic’s political legacy and future challenges for European liberal democracies.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a profoundly disruptive event for individuals and societies, leaving a lasting impact on politics at national, European, and global levels. While only time will tell whether the pandemic represented a critical juncture for politics in Europe and beyond, it has undeniably become one of the defining events of the 21st century.

More than five years since its onset, the world has moved beyond emergency mode. However, many of the challenges exposed and intensified by the pandemic—such as polarisation, disinformation, attacks on science, and global fragmentation—persist. These have been further amplified by subsequent developments, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the return of Donald Trump to the White House, and the rise of far-right movements across Europe.

Marking the culmination of three years of collaborative research under the Horizon Europe project REGROUP (Rebuilding governance and resilience out of the pandemic), this final conference convenes scholars and analysts in a series of roundtables. Building on the project’s findings on the politics and governance of the (post-)pandemic era, the event will reflect on lessons learned and explore strategies for European liberal democracies to address the turbulent challenges that lie ahead.