The European Commission is set to unveil its plans for a « European Democratic Shield » to protect democracy from foreign interference and disinformation, but concerns are emerging about its governance, funding and impact on freedom of expression. On November 12, the European Commission is due to present its plans for a « European Democracy Shield » (EDS), one of the political pillars promised by Ursula von der Leyen during her campaign for a second term. The ambition is clear: to protect the Union’s democracy against foreign interference, manipulation of information and new threats to the public sphere. But as the deadline approaches, debates in the European Parliament show that the construction of this shield is already raising several sensitive questions, notably about its financing, governance and impact on freedom of expression. A major political initiative In her State of the Union address on September…
