Title page 1

Contents 4

Project Partners 3

Contributors 5

Foreword 8

Introduction: Democratic Challenges in an Era of Geopolitical Competition and the Digital World 9

(Dis)trust in Political Institutions and Long-term Polarising Trends in the European Environment 16

Hate, Self-Esteem, and Extremism: The Psychological Foundations of Radicalisation 23

A Generation of Extremists? Values and Political Attitudes of European Youth 30

It's the Agency, Stupid. How to Outmanoeuvre Populists 37

Social Media and the Future of European Democracy 46

A Digital Battlefield: How Russian Disinformation Influences Voter Behaviour in Central and Eastern Europe 55

Biotechnology: The Struggle for DNA and Dominance 67

From Promises to Perils: Unpacking China's Interference in the Visegrad Group 87

Figures 32

A Generation of Extremists? Values and Political Attitudes of European Youth 32

Figure 1. Major Concerns of European Citizens 32

Figure 2. Developments in Seven EU Member States and the UK Between 2014 and 2023 33

A Digital Battlefield: How Russian Disinformation Influences Voter Behaviour in Central and Eastern Europe 56

Figure 1. How Much Trust Do You Have in Certain Institutions? 56

Biotechnology: The Struggle for DNA and Dominance 73

Figure 1. NIFTY Test Workflow 73