Social Economy Strengthens Its Role as a Cornerstone of European Democracy

The event was the second session of the online series “Democracy at Work: Social Economy actors bringing EU values to citizens” Source: Pexels: Tima Miroshnichenko .

Experts, cooperatives and public institutions discussed how participatory governance can reinforce democratic values across Europe.

Social Economy Europe hosted an online conference exploring the relationship between social economy initiatives and democratic resilience in Europe. Titled “Social Economy as a Pillar of Democracy: European Democracy & the Social Economy”, the session brought together representatives from cooperatives, regional networks, public authorities, civil society organisations and research centres.

Throughout the discussion, speakers highlighted the contribution of the social economy to safeguarding democratic principles through inclusive governance models and active citizen participation. Participants stressed that these organisations help create stronger civic engagement while encouraging collaboration between institutions, communities and economic actors.

The webinar also showcased experiences and initiatives developed at local and regional level, illustrating how cooperatives and social enterprises can foster more participatory and community-oriented democracies.

The event was the second session of the online series “Democracy at Work: Social Economy actors bringing EU values to citizens”, organised under the auspices of the Presidency of Cyprus of the Council of the European Union in 2026.

You can find the recording of the session here.