The hemicycle of the Council of Europe has just witnessed a remarkable debate – “Is online hate speech Europe’s biggest threat to youth’s involvement in democracy?” – which points to new ideas about how we can approach democracy’s challenges.
An audience of more than 400 – including the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, leading policymakers, prominent civil-society voices, journalists, tech innovators, and academics – attended this unique event. There they witnessed six bold debaters, representing two houses, go head-to-head in a youth debate on the motion.
Biggest threat to democracy? The case for and against
The proposition argued that social media has become essential for youth political engagement, but that it has increasingly become a hostile environment, polarised, and exclusionary. This is especially true for marginalised groups, including women, LGBTI people, Roma and other minorities. They warned that toxic online environments can discourage young people from participating in democracy at all.
Opponents contended that the real barriers are long-standing distrust of political institutions, economic insecurity, and a lack of representation, not just online hate. These structural issues, they argued, are the biggest threats to youth’s involvement in democracy.
Critical thinking is vital to democracy
Rather than identifying a single magic solution, the debate provided a structured space to explore different perspectives, confront arguments, and better understand the complexity of the issue. Young people have shown the value of reasoned discussion, critical thinking and informed judgment; democratic challenges rarely have simple or one-dimensional solutions.
Organised as part of No Hate Speech week 2026, marking the International Day for countering hate speech on 18 June, and supporting the New Democratic Pact for Europe, this debate put young voices, fresh ideas, and the future of democracy in the spotlight.
More highlights from No Hate Speech Week and the Democracy Hackathon
