Renew Europe welcomes the election of Nathalie Loiseau (Horizons, France) as Chair of the new Special Committee on the European Shield for Democracy.
The creation of this special committee marks a decisive step in the fight against foreign interference that threatens our democratic processes.
Facing increasing attacks on our democracies - from hybrid attacks and disinformation campaigns originating in Russia, to Elon Musk's interference in the German elections, to the manipulation of public opinion during the Moldovan referendum on the EU - Renew Europe is taking its responsibilities to protect the integrity of our democratic institutions.
This initiative is part of our group's vision for a more resilient European Union, capable of defending its democratic values in the face of external threats, whether from Russia, China or the United States.
According to Nathalie Loiseau, Europe has entered a new era of interference. The committee will have to conduct a full and rigorous investigation to identify the malicious actors and their new methods of attack, particularly via encrypted messaging and artificial intelligence.
The special committee will have three main objectives :
- Evaluate the effectiveness of existing European mechanisms, in particular the application of the Digital Services Act (DSA) to digital platforms.
- Increasing the transparency of non-governmental organisations operating in the European sphere.
- Develop media literacy among European citizens, drawing on international best practice.
The committee's mandate calls for it to present its final report in early 2026.
Newly elected chair of the EUDS special committee, Renew MEP Nathalie Loiseau (Horizons, France) said: ‘Democracy is our most precious treasure. Today, European democracies are under attack. It is with humility and honour that I have been elected chair of the European Parliament's special committee on the European democratic shield. We will work hard to shine the spotlight on the attackers and propose appropriate responses."
