Scottish First Minister will this week convene a
meeting to examine the resilience of Scotland's
democracy.
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 – now
and in the future.
The First Minister 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.
The First Minister 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.”
Background
The gathering will be held on Wednesday 23 April.
