Bettina Metze and Anastasiia Zhuravel summarise discussions on trust in European institutions and the role of business as a civic actor.
Eighty years after World War II, European countries face the challenge of protecting democracy amid increasing populism, disinformation and geopolitical instability. Addressing these threats was a key theme at the European Forum Alpbach 2025 (EFA25), an annual interdisciplinary conference held in Alpbach, Tyrol, Austria. The conference aims to promote dialogue and cooperation among leaders and intellectuals from science, politics, business and culture, alongside young talents from around the world.
Two PhD candidates from the Hertie School Doctoral Programme in Governance, Anastasiia Zhuravel and Bettina Metze, contributed to this effort by presenting reports that synthesise discussions from key sessions within the Democracy Track. Zhuravel’s report summarises a debate on the fragility of European democracy and the urgent need to rebuild trust between citizens and institutions. Metze’s report from the event’s Responsible Leadership Lab examines the evolving role of business as a civic actor.