Democracy on the Frontlines: How Can Democracies Defend Themselves?

In an era of intensifying political polarization, geopolitical competition, hybrid warfare, and accelerating technological disruption, the survival of open societies is increasingly bound to their ability to defend themselves—strategically, institutionally, and collectively.

Democratic resilience today requires more than moral commitment—it demands strategic foresight and defense-oriented collaboration. The Salzburg Global Democracy Resilience Forum (2026–2027) is a two-year initiative to strengthen the capacities of democracies to defend themselves by building durable, cross-sector alliances. Convened by Salzburg Global at our historic facilities in Salzburg, Austria, the Forum will bring together global leaders and practitioners to develop strategies for safeguarding democratic systems amid rising authoritarian aggression and erosion from within.

The Forum will seek to identify actionable mechanisms for democratic defense. This includes building transnational coalitions, understanding early-warning systems for democratic erosion, and reinforcing alliance networks capable of resisting hybrid and authoritarian tactics.

The first Forum meeting, April 21–24, 2026, titled “Democracy on the Frontlines: How Can Democracies Defend Themselves?” will gather participants from the United States, Europe, and beyond that are confronting the sharpest threats to democratic stability and sovereignty. While individual leaders and institutions often understand their own role, collective strategic coordination across borders and sectors remains uneven.

Founded in 1947 to rebuild the intellectual and moral infrastructure of democracy after World War II, Salzburg Global remains committed to advancing strategic dialogue and coordinated democratic action. By convening diverse actors in Salzburg, a historic crossroads of European diplomacy and security thought, the Democracy Resilience Forum seeks to catalyze a new phase of collective defense for democratic societies under pressure.