Network structures and working spaces

The Working Groups serve as the primary pathways for members to engage with and derive value from the Nets4Dem Network, either by joining an existing group or proposing a new one through a collective confirmation process. These groups operate with devolved autonomy, self-determining their focus areas and workflows while adhering to standards set by the Steering Committee to ensure equity, learning, and diversity. Initial standards mandate the inclusion of policymakers, researchers, and practitioners within each group, fostering diverse perspectives and nurturing cross-sector connections. Regular peer-learning sessions facilitated by the Steering Committee promote knowledge-sharing across groups. 

There are two categories of Working Groups: 

• Issue-Based Working Groups, which collaborate on specific societal phenomena without systematic reporting requirements, and  

• Network-Focused Groups, which explore strategic goals or investigate network-wide problems and must report their discussions to the Steering Committee.  

The autonomy of these groups is balanced by the Steering Committee's authority to make decisions impacting the entire network. An annual meeting between the Steering Committee and Working Groups allows for updating standards, enabling ambitious efforts, and ensuring productive peer learning, equity, and diversity. 

• The working groups are the main pathways for members to the value provided to them through the network. Members can join a working group or propose a new one.  

• The creation of a new Working Group will be initiated via an application on Decidem. This application will ask members to review (1) all existing Working Groups and (2) all member networks in order for the proposing member to review whether the working group / a network working on a similar theme already exists. Assuming the member wishes to create a new, non-duplicative working group, the proposal of the new working group will be put up for collective confirmation by Network members via Decidem.  

• All formally created working groups will benefit from devolved autonomy to self-determine how, when, and on which topics they will work together as well as an enhanced opportunity to be resourced in their working groups efforts; however, they must abide by standards set forward by the Steering Committee to ensure equity, learning, and diversity amongst and across the working groups and the Network more generally. The specific standards as set forth by the Steering Committee will evolve as the Network grows and new policies/practices become necessary.  

Initial Standards for Working Groups: 

• Each working group will be required to include a diversity of Network members: Policy Makers, Researchers, and Practitioners. This will ensure that each space benefits from a diversity of perspectives and needs related to the topic of interest. It will also foster a major value of the network - creating and nurturing connections between actors across the fields of Democracy in Europe.  

• In order to ensure all members can learn from each other’s efforts and advancements, each working group will also be required to participate in regular intervals of peer-learning sessions, which will be facilitated by the Steering Committee 

• Initiated by the Advisory Council, the Steering Committee and Working Groups will come together in an annual meeting for peer learning and to review Working Groups ambitions and Standards.       

The autonomy of the working groups is limited by the competence of the Steering Committee to decide on matters that concern the network beyond the Working Group. 

There will be two categories of Working Groups within the Nets4Dem Network: 

Issue-Based Working Groups 

Collaborative efforts amongst members across the Network with particular interest in addressing specific phenomena (e.g., climate change, social disintegration, urbanisation, and immigration) for which no single part of the system holds full responsibility, and which require the collaborative interaction of different parts of a system. 

• Issue-based working groups do not need to systematically report on the results of their discussions 

Network-Focused Working Groups 

Collaborative efforts amongst members across the Network with particular capabilities and/or capacities to: 

1. Explore and advance particular strategic, open-ended framework goals for the Network; and 

2. Investigate and resolve Network problems 

3. Network-focused working groups do have to report to the steering committee on the results of their discussions 

The working groups to be activated in 2025 are the following ones:

Working Group: DEMOCRACY & POLARIZATION
Issue-based working group
Focus: Understand dynamics of extreme polarization and explore potential solutions.
Themes: Information environment, participatory mechanisms, responsible political leadership.
Team Leads: Paul Zoubkov (DRI) & Tara Tepavac (IFDT)

Working Group: EMBEDDING DIs
Issue-based working group
Focus: Advance systemic change by integrating democratic innovation into governance structures and long-term infrastructures.
Themes: Strategic partnerships, capacity building, policy synthesis, standards.
Team Leads: Demos Helsinki & Co-Global

Working Group: DEMOCRACY & TECHNOLOGY
Issue-based working group
Focus:Guidelines for the democratic use of AI, tech for deliberation, and digital participation.
Themes:Democratic oversight, digital institutions, participatory design, tech strategy.
Team Lead:Elizabeth Calderón Lüning (Demsoc)

Find the relevant documentation for 2025-26 here:

• Working groups activation strategy