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Stars4Media Day XII: Democracy infrastructures, Eastern correspondents & European platforms
Published on January 30, 2026
– Updated on January 30, 2026
Stars4Media Day XII took place on 13 January 2026 in Brussels, bringing together EU policymakers, diplomats, journalists, and media leaders to reflect on the resilience of Europe’s democratic infrastructures. Organised by Europe MédiaLab in partnership with several academic and institutional actors, including the Institute for European Studies (IEE-ULB), the conference addressed the growing challenges facing European democracies in a rapidly evolving information ecosystem.
Discussions focused on media resilience, geopolitics, and the role of trusted European platforms, underlining the strategic importance of European digital sovereignty. High-level debates and keynote interventions, including a contribution from Margaritis Schinas, former Vice-President of the European Commission, highlighted the political and institutional dimensions of these challenges.
As a partner of the event, the Institute for European Studies contributed through Panel 3, organised within the framework of the BoundEUries EU project. The panel examined the role of media as a core infrastructure of democracy, exploring how the politicisation of the EU media sphere shapes the European public sphere. Speakers addressed long-standing issues such as the gap between the “Brussels bubble” and citizens’ everyday political realities, as well as the effects of polarisation, news nationalism, and technological change. Particular attention was given to journalists’ role as key actors in democratic debate and accountability.
Watch on YouTube
Discussions focused on media resilience, geopolitics, and the role of trusted European platforms, underlining the strategic importance of European digital sovereignty. High-level debates and keynote interventions, including a contribution from Margaritis Schinas, former Vice-President of the European Commission, highlighted the political and institutional dimensions of these challenges.
As a partner of the event, the Institute for European Studies contributed through Panel 3, organised within the framework of the BoundEUries EU project. The panel examined the role of media as a core infrastructure of democracy, exploring how the politicisation of the EU media sphere shapes the European public sphere. Speakers addressed long-standing issues such as the gap between the “Brussels bubble” and citizens’ everyday political realities, as well as the effects of polarisation, news nationalism, and technological change. Particular attention was given to journalists’ role as key actors in democratic debate and accountability.
Watch on YouTube
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This event has been produced with the support of the BoundEUries
A Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence at the Institut d’études européennes – Université libre de Bruxelles, EU-funded project ( n°101238647)