Democratic systems in Europe and Australia are operating in an environment of growing strategic complexity. Foreign interference, disinformation and influence activities have become enduring features of international competition, unfolding below the threshold of armed conflict and often embedded within open political and information systems. These dynamics now represent a structural challenge to democratic governance, institutional trust and social cohesion.
Recent years have underscored how foreign actors exploit the openness of democratic societies to advance strategic objectives. Russia has made extensive use of information manipulation and interference to amplify societal divisions, undermine confidence in democratic institutions and weaken political resolve. China has increasingly integrated information, media and influence activities into a broader statecraft toolkit aimed at shaping narratives, managing reputational risk and constraining political choices abroad. These various challenges ultimately represent broader indicators of the strategic competition unfolding in the Indo-Pacific. This rivalry is anticipated to escalate in the medium term due to China’s initiatives as well as Russia’s efforts to consolidate its geostrategic presence in the region.
Technological change is reinforcing these dynamics. The growing use of AI, synthetic content and networked amplification enables influence activities that are faster, cheaper and harder to attribute. These developments are increasingly discussed under the rubric of cognitive warfare – not as a discrete domain of conflict, but as a shorthand for sustained efforts to shape perceptions, decision-making and political behaviour over time. At the same time, the boundary between foreign interference and domestic political contestation has become increasingly blurred.
Against this backdrop, preparedness and resilience have emerged as central policy challenges. Democratic societies continue to grapple with how to organise effective responses over time. This includes questions of institutional coordination, the role of intelligence and regulatory authorities, engagement with platforms and civil society and the limits of state action in the information space. Importantly, resilience is not only a technical or communications challenge, but a governance issue that touches on trust, political culture and democratic accountability.
This closed-door dialogue hosted by the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy brings together European and Australian perspectives to reflect on shared challenges and comparative lessons. Australia’s experience in dealing with foreign interference, electoral integrity and whole-of-society approaches to resilience offers valuable insights for European debates. Conversely, European efforts to develop regulatory, institutional, and cooperative responses provide a useful point of reference for partners facing similar pressures in the Indo-Pacific. The discussion will focus less on diagnosing threats and more on identifying practical lessons, policy trade-offs, and areas for cooperation.
– How have foreign interference and disinformation evolved as long-term challenges for democratic governance, rather than episodic security threats?
– What lessons can be drawn from recent experiences in Europe and Australia in responding to interference linked to actors such as Russia and China?
– How should policymakers think about preparedness for future technological shifts, including AI-enabled and cognitive-warfare-related influence activities?
– As strategic competition intensifies, how should democracies rethink their approach to tackling foreign interference and disinformation?
The speakers at the event included: Luis Simón, Director, Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy – VUB; Duncan Lewis, Professor in the Practice of National Security, ANU National Security College and former Director-General of Security, leading the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation – ASIO; Rory Medcalf, Professor, Head of ANU National Security College; Caroline Millar, Distinguished Advisor, ANU National Security College and former Australian Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the EU and NATO; and Tom Rogers, Distinguished Advisor, ANU National Security College and former Australian Electoral Commissioner from 2014 to 2024.
