MEPs vote on plan to strengthen Europe against foreign interference and digital manipulation

in-cyprus artificial intelligenceDemocracyTop News MEPs vote on plan to strengthen Europe against foreign interference and digital manipulation Relevant News MEPs vote on plan to strengthen Europe against foreign interference and digital manipulation 15 September 2026 New details emerge on Stylianos Konstantinou’s relationship with his parents, court hears 15 September 2026 US ambassador hails ‘wonderful meeting’ with Christodoulides as Cyprus ties deepen 15 September 2026 Theodosis Pipis 15 September 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Europe is moving to strengthen its defences against a growing range of threats to democratic life, from foreign interference and disinformation to cyberattacks, deepfakes and attempts to manipulate elections. Today in Strasbourg, the European Parliament took the next political step, as MEPs voted in favour of the initiative report drawn up by the Parliament’s Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield, led by rapporteur Tomas Tobé of the EPP, with 420 votes in favour, 220 against and 26 abstentions. The committee adopted its recommendations on 23 June by 20 votes to 9, with two abstentions, and Parliament has now endorsed its position. The report calls for the European Centre for Democratic Resilience to be established through a binding legal act, with its own budget and participation from all EU member states. It also proposes treating electoral infrastructure as critical infrastructure, strengthening the European Cooperation Network on Elections, requiring faster action by online platforms against election interference and bot-driven campaigns, and tackling malicious deepfakes and fraudulent political advertising. The committee identifies Russia as the primary external hybrid threat, while also pointing to activity by Belarus, China, Iran and North Korea. Beyond foreign interference, the Parliament’s proposals include greater protection for journalists, independent media and civil society, expanded media-literacy programmes, safeguards for female political candidates and reducing European dependence on foreign-controlled technologies. Today’s successful vote is not yet the creation of the Democracy Shield itself, but a vote on Parliament’s recommendations for how the EU should build and strengthen it. Background The European Democracy Shield (EDS), first announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in July 2024, is intended to make European societies more resilient to foreign information manipulation and interference while protecting fundamental rights, including freedom of expression. The European Commission and the EU’s High Representative formally set out the initiative in November 2025, proposing stronger cooperation between governments and institutions, a European network of fact-checkers, tougher action against malicious online campaigns and deepfakes, and the creation of a European Centre for Democratic Resilience. Under Ireland’s current presidency of the Council, establishing and operationalising that centre has become a priority, reflecting a broader focus on security, competitiveness and European values. Furthermore, the European Democracy Shield is part of a wider EU effort to protect elections and democracy from foreign interference, disinformation and new technologies such as AI. FIMI (Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference) describes attempts by foreign actors to manipulate public opinion or elections, including through fake accounts, bots and disinformation. The Digital Services Act (DSA) requires major online platforms to address risks such as election interference, while the AI Act introduces rules around AI-generated and manipulated content, including deepfakes. The Democracy Shield aims to bring these efforts together, creating a more coordinated EU response. In that sense, the Shield is less a single new law than an umbrella for existing tools and new measures designed to make European democracies more resilient. Read more: Social media platforms must take responsibility for the content posted on them, EU media chief says Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News New details emerge on Stylianos Konstantinou’s relationship with his parents, court hears US ambassador hails ‘wonderful meeting’ with Christodoulides as Cyprus ties deepen Cyprus employers’ body demands full costing of pension reform, no higher contributions Man steals car in front of owner, triggers chase that ends in crash Russian frigate fires flares towards Danish military helicopter, Denmark says UN rights chief says uncovered remains in Gaza raise concerns of war crimes Patient advocate calls for coordinated health checks after unauthorised treatment cases Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.