European Political Consultants present the first ‘Democracy Award’

The speakers of the European Political Consultants Day 2025 hosted by the EAPC

At the Political Consultants Day 2025, organized by the EAPC, Europe’s leading strategists gathered to discuss how to make democracies more resilient.

BERLIN, GERMANY, September 25, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Democracy is under pressure. Fake news, populism, and polarization are undermining trust and cohesion. At the Political Consultants Day 2025, organized by the European Association of Political Consultants (EAPC), Europe’s leading strategists gathered to discuss how to make democracies more resilient.

Under the leadership of EAPC President Dr. Reza Kazemi, the conference offered top-level insights. Speakers – Marina Jovanovic (Austria/Serbia), Alina Kharysava (Belarus), and Radu Georgescu (Romania) – highlighted how fake news, toxic discourse, and the dominance of populist forces on social media erode democratic institutions. The debate was moderated by Hélène Masliah-Gilkarov (France).

Dr. Kazemi highlighted the responsibility of consultants: “Democracy is not secured by ballots, but by trust. And trust must be defended every single day. Elections may choose leaders – but only trust keeps democracy alive.”

Premiere: European Democracy Award
The evening’s highlight was the first-ever presentation of the European Democracy Award. The honor was given to Necati Özkan, Past President of the EAPC and Vice President of the IAPC. Özkan, who has been imprisoned in Turkey since March 2025 together with Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and other opposition politicians, was recognized for his decades-long commitment to strengthening democracy and civil society.

The laudatory speech was delivered by Mehmet Ural, Co-Founder of the EAPC: “Necati is not only a close and trusted friend, he is a pioneer of democracy worldwide. Through countless campaigns and initiatives like the Polaris Award, he has set important milestones for unity and resilience.”

The award will be handed over personally to Özkan’s wife, Pelin Özkan, in the near future.

Dr. Reza Kazemi
European Association of Political Consultants
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Democracy at Risk - European Political Consultants Day 2025

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