Back to overview

Democratic Resilience and Security: Bridging Communities, Building Futures

04 June 2026

15:30 CEST

International IDEA Headquarters, Stockholm

View our themes

Democracy Assessment

As insecurity grows across Europe and beyond, governments, including Sweden, are placing greater emphasis on defence and resilience, even as democratic institutions face mounting pressures of their own. This event brings these trends into conversation, asking whether sustainable security is possible without strong, resilient democratic governance.

Bringing together policymakers, practitioners, and security experts, the discussion will explore how democratic systems can serve as strategic assets for long-term security, how governments navigate difficult trade-offs under pressure, and what practical steps can be taken to ensure that resilience efforts remain inclusive, accountable, and citizen-centered.

These questions take on a particular urgency as Sweden approaches both its general elections and its National Day on 6 June. The event will also consider how crisis-driven policies—across security, digital governance, and the economy—may reshape the relationship between citizens and the state over the long term.

Agenda

Opening remarks
• Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General, International IDEA

Presentation
• Dr Seema Shah, Head of Democracy Assessment, International IDEA

Panel discussion
•    Michael Malm, Strategist, Defence Staff at the Swedish Armed Forces, Department of Total Defence
•    Fredrik Moberg, Group Sustainability Manager, Business and Human Rights, Saab
•    Member of the Swedish Parliament (TBC)
•    Moderated by Katarzyna Gardapkhadze, Director of Global Programmes, International IDEA

Q&A
For questions, do not hesitate to contact Nazifa Alizada at n.alizada@idea.int.