<p>The Committee on the Constitution will host a conference on the theme "Democracy in Europe". </p>
<p><strong>Date:</strong> 18–19 June<br /><strong>Location:</strong> The Former Second Chamber of the Riksdag, Stockholm</p>
<p>The conference is part of the parliamentary dimension of Sweden''s Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers. The Chair and Deputy Chair of the Committee on the Constitution will host the conference.</p>
<p><a href="https://parleu2023.riksdagen.se/konferenser/demokratin-i-europa/">Conference on Democracy in Europe</a></p>
<h2>Program 19 June</h2>
<h3>9.00 – 9.20 Opening of the conference</h3>
<ul>
<li>Andreas Norlén, Speaker of the Swedish parliament</li>
<li>Michal Šimečka, Vice-President of the European Parliament</li>
</ul>
<h3>9.20 – 10.30 Session 1, part 1: The importance of safeguarding democratic dialogue and the significance of parliaments</h3>
<p><strong>Chaired by</strong> Ida Karkiainen, Chair of the Committee on the Constitution</p>
<p><strong>Panel of researchers</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Johannes Lindvall, Professor in political science at the University of Gothenburg</li>
<li>Sara Hagemann, Professor in political science at the University of Copenhagen</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Reflections from a panel of members/former members</strong></p>
<p><strong>Moderated by</strong> Cecilia Garme</p>
<ul>
<li>Björn von Sydow, Former Speaker and member of the Swedish parliament</li>
<li>Astrid Thors, Vice President of Liberal International and former member of the</li>
<li>Finnish parliament and the European Parliament</li>
<li>Reinhold Lopatka, member of the National Council of Austria and Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe</li>
</ul>
<h3>11.00 – 12.15 Session 1, part 2: Exchange of views</h3>
<p>Moderated by Cecilia Garme</p>
<h3>12.15–12.30 Concluding remarks</h3>
<ul>
<li>Andreas Norlén, Speaker of the Swedish parliament</li>
<li>Ida Karkiainen, Chair of the Committee on the Constitution</li>
</ul>
<h3>14.00–16.15 Session 2: The importance of safeguarding the independence of the courts and trust in social institutions</h3>
<p><strong>Chaired by</strong> Erik Ottoson, Deputy Chair of the Committee on the Constitution</p>
<p><strong>Keynote speeches</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Jessika Roswall, Minister for EU Affairs, Sweden</li>
<li>Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice, the European Commission</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Speakers</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Thomas Bull, Justice of the Supreme Court of Administration in Sweden</li>
<li>Herdis Kjerulf Thorgeirsdottir, Vice-President of the Venice Commission</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Exchange of views</strong></p>
<h3>16.15–16.30 Concluding remarks</h3>
<ul>
<li>Erik Ottoson, Deputy Chair of the Committee on the Constitution</li>
</ul>