On Tuesday, 12 November, at the Zeiss-Großplanetarium, the panel discussion “Zero Day Attack – Public Screening & Discussion”, organised by the Deutsch-Taiwanische Gesellschaft e.V., offered an important conversation on how vulnerable democracies can be to foreign interference, disinformation, and efforts to erode public trust – challenges felt in Europe just as much as in East Asia.

“Elections are one of the most fragile pillars of democracy. Foreign interference and manipulation do not start on Election Day – they begin long before, often online, aimed at creating confusion, polarization, and distrust. Building resilience is only possible when legal, digital, institutional, and societal actors work together — and when we learn from each other’s experiences.”

– Daryna Sterina, Team Lead Strategic Partnerships, EPDE

The panel highlighted how, even far apart and facing different actors, Taiwan’s experience mirrors lessons from other democracies that have endured territorial and political pressure – a reminder that the playbook against democracy often looks the same. Combined with insights from Moldova and Ukraine, this underscores the value of broad cooperation between civil society, institutions, and democratic actors in defending elections and safeguarding freedom.

A warm thank-you to the organisers Deutsch-Taiwanische Gesellschaft e.V. and looking forward to continued exchanges!

More information about the event here