Democracy is our oldest form of government. Born of struggle, it remains the most “human” mode of organizing society. It is rooted in popular sovereignty, freedom, equality and the defense of human rights.

Although it is considered the ideal form of governance, it seems to be facing serious challenges at present, with citizen participation in decline and vested interests, misinformation, populism and a lack of accountability very much in the ascendancy. All of which poses a threat to transparency and undermines democratic values.

The European Union plays a crucial role in promoting democracy in its Member States. But if democracy is to survive, it needs citizens, and young people in particular, to play an active role in its processes. We live in an era of rapid change in which both society and technology assume new forms at a dizzying pace. In this context, violence, fanaticism and political indifference are a cause for serious concern.

As high school students in Cyprus, it isn’t hard for us to understand that democracy cannot be taken for granted. The proliferation of right-wing imagery, including Nazi symbols, and attacks on institutions remind us just how fragile it actually is, and force us to ask where our society is heading. So, the need for action is imperative.

In the short survey we conducted in the context of the “European Parliament Ambassador School” project, we sought the views of young and adult citizens on democracy and the dangers it now faces. A representative sample of 257 people provided their responses to the questionnaire we drew up: 131 minors and 126 adults, 63.8% of them female and 33.5% male.

Democracy as a form of governance

In response to the question “To what extent do you agree that democracy is the best form of governance?” 51.8% strongly agreed, which shows that the majority of citizens still trust democracy as the fairest and most effective system of government.

However, a significant proportion, 36.6%, said they only agreed “under certain conditions”, which reveals reservations and concerns about how democracy works in practice. Of the respondents, 5.8% opted for “I disagree: things sometimes get out of control in a democracy”, expressing frustration and a feeling of insecurity.

Finally, another 5.8% answered “I am not interested / not concerned”, indicating a lack of interest in the issue.

The responses show that, although democracy remains the majority choice, many people disagree with the view that it is the best form of government, while others have no or little interest in the subject—which should prompt us to reflect and ask ourselves why this is the case.

The threats

In response to the question “To what extent is democracy under threat at present”, 63.8% of the participants believed there are visible dangers that threaten democracy, which reflects considerable concern in Cypriot society. Then, 28.4% said they were uncertain as to whether the institution is actually threatened. A small percentage, 5.4%, declared themselves completely indifferent to the matter, while the remainder saw no indication that a threat exists.

The percentage of those who perceive there to be threats to democracy is particularly high and reveals a crisis of confidence in our institutions. In conclusion, there is a prevailing belief that democracy currently finds itself at a critical crossroads which demands vigilance as well as a bolstering of democratic values.

The risk factors

In response to the question about which factors pose a threat to democracy, the largest percentage of participants (37.7%) pointed to public indifference with regard to elections as the most important threat to democracy today. This was followed by the rise of far-right parties (22.2%) and misinformation through fake news (20.2%), while a smaller percentage (19.8%) cited migration as a key risk.

The findings show that public disengagement from civic participation is adding to the instability of our democracy. In conclusion, the key threat to democracy today are internal factors such as indifference and a weakening of political participation.

Equality and rights

When asked for their views on equality in terms of rights, an overwhelming 74.9% of respondents disagreed with the statement that all EU citizens enjoy equal rights regardless of nationality, gender, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation. Only 16.5% believed there to be full equality in terms of rights, while 4.3% expressed racist views, claiming that not all citizens should enjoy equal rights. The remainder declared themselves to be indifferent to the matter.

The figures reveal major concerns in relation to the implementation of the EU’s fundamental values. The results indicate that equality remains a goal and not a given in European societies—a reality which strikes at the very core of democracy.

Which rights are most important

When asked to rank democratic rights in the European Union in terms of their importance, the respondents’ choices revealed that they consider freedom of speech and freedom of expression to be the most fundamental rights of all. This was followed by the right to vote in European elections, which highlights the importance of democratic participation in shaping the European Union.

Gender equality was ranked third, revealing a growing awareness of social rights. Finally, the respondents considered freedom of movement and residence in EU Member States to be important, but not essential. In conclusion, citizens placed individual and civil liberties before social and practical benefits.

The next question in our survey concerned the respondents’ views on how AI could pose a threat to democracy. The vast majority of participants (56.1%) considered AI to be a threat to democracy, given that it replaces human thought and critical thinking. This was followed by the spread of fake news (29.4%), the threat to privacy (9%), and the widening of social inequalities (5.5%).

The findings show that the respondents were primarily concerned with the loss of critical thinking and with misinformation.

Gender equality

Responding to the question on gender equality and whether it is required for democracy to function properly, 66.7% of our respondents believed that gender equality is indeed critical for a healthy democracy. Of the remainder, 23.5% considered it important but not decisive, while the rest described it as unimportant or irrelevant to democracy. The results show a broad recognition of the importance of equality for the democratic organization of society.

Gender equality is not therefore simply a matter of justice; it is fundamental to the maintenance and further development of a healthy democratic state based on universal participation and respect for rights.

The rise of the Far Right

The penultimate question in our survey concerned the factors underlying the rise of the Far Right in the European Union in recent years.

The main reason, according to 35.9% of participants, is the EU’s mismanagement of the migration issue. In all, 23.1% believe that people have forgotten that the rise of fascism and Nazism in Europe led to World War II, while 22.3% attribute the rise of the Far Right to a decline in living standards. A further 18.3% said that frustration with democracy has led to the search for alternative proposals and philosophies.

In conclusion, the respondents link the rise of the Far Right to social, economic and institutional gaps that intensify uncertainty and distrust of the system.

How can we safeguard our democracy?

Our final question was about what we can do to safeguard democracy. The largest group of respondents (60.5%) believed that democracy is best safeguarded through democratic education. In all, 21.1% considered it equally important to ensure a high standard of living, while 9.8% focused on the need for accurate and reliable information from the media. A small minority (8.6%) declared themselves indifferent to the issue.

The findings highlight the need to strengthen democratic education and cultivate democratic values in our schools. Ultimately, producing citizens who are knowledgeable about democracy and purposefully participate in its processes is the the powerful weapon in our arsenal for preserving and strengthening democracy.

This article was originally published in the insert “The European BHMA” published with “TO BHMA on Sunday” on 11 May 2025.