European Democracy Shield aims to combat disinformation and foreign interference

The European Parliament is preparing to discuss the European Democracy Shield, a comprehensive EU plan designed to protect democratic processes and elections from disinformation and foreign interference, including threats from bots and deepfakes. The initiative identifies Russia as the primary external actor behind hybrid threats, while also noting active targeting by Belarus, China, Iran, and North Korea.

Misleading claims have circulated online suggesting the shield could be used to annul unfavorable election results, specifically targeting the 2027 French presidential election. These claims have been promoted by Florian Philippot, leader of the French nationalist party Les Patriotes, via his YouTube channel. However, the European Union lacks the mandate to alter or cancel electoral results.

The program, which began work in 2024, includes measures such as a proposed 5 million euro fund to support a network of European fact-checkers. The discussions are set to continue during the upcoming plenary session in Strasbourg.