Democracy in the 21st Century: Fragility and Resilience
Authored by CCDP Doctoral Researcher Apolline Foedit, this new CCDP–Toda Peace Institute report explores global threats to democracy and outlines practical responses, from resilience strategies to regional case studies. The report draws on the discussions and outcomes of the 2025 annual meeting of the Toda Peace Institute’s Global Challenges to Democracy Working Group, held in Geneva on 5–6 June in collaboration with the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP) at the Geneva Graduate Institute.
The meeting centered on three main themes: the democratic threats posed by Trump’s second presidency, strategies for strengthening democratic resilience, and the Toda Peace Institute’s contributions to this effort —particularly through the Democracy Lighthouse platform. The report captures the group’s shared concerns over democratic backsliding and outlines ongoing initiatives, including a systems map of democratic erosion, research on democratic resilience, and case studies on India and the MENA region.
This timely publication underscores both the fragility of democratic institutions in today’s political climate and the resilience strategies that can help safeguard them.
