REPAIR: Rejuvenating Democracy in the EU

2026-07-22

The Rejuvenating Democracy in the EU (REPAIR) Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence will improve teaching and research in the area of EU Studies and the rule of law by analysing and seeking solutions to a wide range of contemporary challenges to democratic politics and governance in the European Union. This includes citizens’ growing dissatisfaction with the performance of democratic regimes, diminished trust in political institutions, eroding support for democratic principles, low electoral turnout, the rise of populist, extremist and Eurosceptic parties and movements, political polarization and radicalization, party system instability, and growing refusal of various political actors to play by democratic rules and accept the results of democratic elections. Given its geographical location in Tartu, Estonia, the Centre will pay particular attention to developments in the Baltic region and Central and Eastern Europe more broadly; it will also focus on democratic and authoritarian tendencies in the EU’s Eastern Neighborhood. REPAIR will foster dialogue between the academic world, the public sector, civil society and different levels of education and media by modernizing and expanding EU-focused curricula and courses at the UTARTU, generating new policy-relevant knowledge about contemporary threats to democracy as well as viable solutions, and launching a comprehensive training program for civics teachers in Estonian schools.

Estonia

2026-02-01