When Algorithms Meet the Town Hall: Local Democracy in the Digital Age

As the EU advances initiatives such as the Democracy Shield, Digital Networks Act, and Cybersecurity Act 2, debate grows over whether these frameworks strengthen democratic resilience or reinforce the concentration of digital power. At the local level, governance and civic participation increasingly depend on platforms whose ownership and infrastructure are highly centralised. This raises concerns about who controls public digital space, how decisions are shaped by private actors, and what this means for democratic oversight. How can local democracy remain inclusive and autonomous in an environment where key digital infrastructures are not under their oversight?