The project investigates the relationship between protest politics and democracy in the context of global de-democratization, focusing on the European Union and Eastern Partnership countries. It explores how democratic backsliding shapes protest culture and how these effects vary across countries with different levels of democratic quality. At the same time, the project examines how protest culture influences the state of democracy, by affecting the extent to which citizens' preferences are reflected in political decision-making. 

We will study the roles of: 

• People who organise and take part in protests, focusing on their actions and the ways they communicate their messages. 

• Governments and authorities, examining how they respond to protests — through policies, practices, and legal strategies. 

• News media and online platforms, analysing how activists influence their agendas and how these media shape public understanding of protests. 

• Citizens across different age groups, to explore their motivations, forms of involvement, and broader attitudes towards protest.