Benelux, Safety

Democratic Resilience: Benelux and European partners to counter hybrid threats

16 Oct. 2025

As part of Luxembourg’s presidency of the Benelux Union, the High Commission for National Protection hosted a workshop focused on defending democracy, the rule of law, and government continuity in the face of hybrid threats and systemic crises.  Michel-Etienne Tilemans, Deputy Secretary-General of the Benelux, took part in the workshop

Strengthened European cooperation
The event was part of a broader cooperation effort and brought together high-level experts from the Hybrid Centre of Excellence in Helsinki, the European Commission, the European External Action Service, and EU INTCEN. National representatives from the Benelux countries also participated, alongside key partners including Finland, Denmark, Norway, Latvia, and Liechtenstein.

Disinformation, cyberattacks, sabotage, foreign interference—democracies are increasingly confronted with sophisticated threats that blend conventional and unconventional tactics. These attacks aim to undermine public trust, disrupt institutions, and weaken the rule of law.

Towards a shared culture of resilience
The workshop examined how democracies can remain resilient when facing hybrid threats such as disinformation, cyberattacks, sabotage, and foreign interference. It also addressed the impact of broader systemic crises like pandemics and climate change on democratic stability. It examined institutional strategies to safeguard democratic values and ensure the continuity of government operations. Participants shared national approaches to promote a common culture of resilience.

Operational staff from the crisis centres of the Benelux and North Rhine-Westphalia held a working visit on 17 October as a follow-up to previous exchanges. This visit, organised at the Luxembourg Crisis Centre and the fire station, provided a valuable opportunity to deepen understanding of national infrastructures, strengthen ties between crisis centres, and share concrete experiences and best practices in crisis management