On June 13, at the Hilton Prague Hotel, CELSI Scientific Director Martin Kahanec took part in one of the world’s top five security conferences as a panelist at the GLOBSEC side session titled “Demography: the Hidden Strategic Factor for Europe’s Democracy, Competitiveness, and Security.”

Europe is facing a critical turning point as demographic transformations—aging populations, low birth rates, and regional depopulation—reshape its democratic systems, economic sustainability, and geopolitical posture.

These changes disproportionately affect vulnerable regions in Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, where demographic decline intersects with economic stagnation, labour shortages, and political instability—undermining democratic resilience and strategic cohesion.

These dynamics and possible strategic responses were discussed by several distinguished politicians and scholars in a session led by Zuzana Papazoski, Senior Director of the National Democratic Institute.

Besides Kahanec, the discussion featured Danuše Nerudová (Member of the European Parliament), former President of the Republic of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Velina Tchakarova (Founder and Geopolitical Strategist at FACE for a Conscious Experience), Maria Gavouneli (Director General of the Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy), and Chloé Pahud (CEO & Co-Founder of Civocracy).

Martin Kahanec spoke in the discussion on the topic of his contribution to the GLOBSEC publication, in Chapter III on "Economic Competitiveness from the Perspective of Labour Markets."

“Labour markets are not just economic, but foundational institutions. They shape trust in our societies, our ability to manage risks, and our resilience in the face of change. This makes them central to both competitiveness and democracy,” Kahanec argued.

“To sustain both competitiveness and democracy, we must modernize our labour market institutions so they foster adaptability, reward talent, cultivate a sense of belonging, and ensure that people are seen, heard, and treated justly in a rapidly evolving economy,” he stressed.

🔗 GLOBSEC publication “Demography: the Hidden Strategic Factor for Europe’s Democracy, Competitiveness, and Security”: https://www.globsec.org/sites/default/files/2025-06/The%20Hidden%20Strategic%20Factor%20for%20Europe%E2%80%99s%20Democracy%2C%20Competitiveness%2C%20and%20Security.pdf

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