First Minister to convene gathering on ‘strengthening democratic resilience’

John Swinney

Political, faith and community leaders will be brought together to assess the robustness of Scotland’s democratic system by examining root causes that “might undermine shared values”.

Mr Swinney hopes to find agreement on a set of principles that can strengthen and protect the country’s democratic foundations.

The discussion will be centred on four key themes, each moderated by a civic leader:

• Combating inequality and discrimination.
• Tackling disinformation and ensuring a trusted media environment.
• Enhancing trust in politics and boosting the accountability of political leaders and democratic institutions.
• Strengthening vigilance to electoral interference and encouraging more active democratic participation.

Mr Swinney said: “Government has a clear role to play in protecting the health of our democracy. Across the world, we can see democratic systems under pressure, with fundamental principles being challenged and, in some cases, actively undermined. Scotland is not immune, so we must ensure we are prepared.

“As first minister, I want to bring people together to help shape our response to these threats, and make sure we work together to protect and strengthen the democratic values that underpin who we are as Scots.

“Bringing together political, faith and community leaders will enable a discussion about key issues such as tackling misinformation, strengthening trust in politics, combating electoral interference, and ensuring Scotland’s democracy delivers equality.

“It will provide the initial foundation that will ensure Scotland has united leadership on values and principles that can help guide us in this age of uncertainty.”