TWIN4DEM Launches to Tackle Democratic Erosion in Europe

TWIN4DEM Launches to Combat Democratic Erosion in Europe

Rotterdam, February 2025 – The TWIN4DEM project has launched to address democratic challenges in Europe. Funded by a €3 million Horizon Europe grant, it brings together 11 partners to explore how digital twin technology can analyze and counteract democratic decline.

The TWIN4DEM team
The TWIN4DEM Kickoff Meeting brought together researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss project objectives and methodologies.

Why is This Relevant?

Many European democracies face "executive aggrandizement", where governments consolidate power. Traditional research struggles to capture its complexity. TWIN4DEM applies Computational Social Science (CSS) techniques—natural language processing, data aggregation, and dynamic simulations—to reveal and mitigate these threats.

Research and Impact

TWIN4DEM will develop digital twins of political systems in Czechia, France, Hungary, and the Netherlands. These models simulate scenarios to help researchers and policymakers assess risks and test interventions.

Project leads Dr. Clara Egger and Dr. Asya Zhelyazkova of Erasmus University Rotterdam emphasize an interdisciplinary approach, combining political science, ethics, and computer science to provide practical tools for policymakers.

The TWIN4DEM live-streamed public panel
Live-streamed public panel discussion held at the Education Lab at Erasmus University, organized with the support of Erasmus Studio

Insights from the Kickoff Meeting

Held at Erasmus University, the event gathered experts to discuss digital twin development, detecting executive aggrandizement, and ethical data management. A live-streamed panel at the Erasmus Education Lab explored how digital twins can enhance democratic resilience. Partners also visited the Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics (ECDA) to examine past applications of digital twins in research.

Next Steps

TWIN4DEM’s consortium includes 11 partners from across Europe. The project now moves forward with building digital twins to analyze democratic erosion and test policy solutions.

Stay Connected

Follow TWIN4DEM on LinkedIn and BlueSky, and visit twin4dem.eu.

More information

For updates, follow TWIN4DEM on LinkedIn and BlueSky, and visit our upcoming website.

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Erasmus University’s TWIN4DEM project, receives €3M, uniting 11 European partners to use digital twins and CSS tools to analyze and counter democratic decline.
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