WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 11, 2025) – The McCain Institute at Arizona State University (ASU) today released a report titled, “Fortifying Democracy in Eastern Europe,” following a workshop in Chisinau, Moldova hosted by the McCain Institute, German Marshall Fund, and the Platform for Security and Defense Initiatives (PISA) in November 2025. The workshop prepared civic and media representatives from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Romania to combat anti-democratic influence.
The report, written by McCain Institute Senior Director of Global Democracy Programs Laura Thornton, highlights several successful interventions and learnings from the workshop.
“The focus of the first session of the workshop was on addressing the problem – the threats to democracy, the role of internal and external autocratic actors, and challenges facing civil society. By assessing trends across countries, participants discussed shared tactics used by governments and foreign nations (namely Russia) to subvert democracy and identified common risks,” the report states. “The workshop then shifted to focus on creative, successful civil society and independent media activities – in some cases in the face of shrinking space – with the aim to inspire others and encourage possible replication.”
Click HERE to read the full report.