The Atlantic Council has established a bold and ambitious initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation among the world’s democracies and reenergizing principled American leadership to advance a democratic, rules-based international order. The initiative facilitates meaningful dialogue among officials from the United States and its allies and partners and seeks to develop actionable recommendations for advancing democratic cooperation and addressing the most significant global challenges facing the order today. 

The initiative has four key focus areas:

  • Strengthening habits of democratic cooperation
  • Adapting global rules and institutions for the 21st century
  • Tracking and assessing the core pillars of the democratic world order
  • Reenergizing US leadership and public support for the free world

Key activities

Shaping a New Democratic World Order

The Atlantic Council’s Shaping a New Democratic World Order project will set forth bold and concrete proposals for new institutions aimed at strengthening cooperation among democracies to help the free world succeed in an era of strategic competition.

Fostering a Fourth Democratic Wave

The Fostering a Fourth Democratic Wave project seeks to catalyze support for nonviolent pro-democracy movements fighting against authoritarian rule.

D-10 Strategy Forum

The D-10 Strategy Forum brings together top policy planning officials and strategy experts from ten leading democracies to foster cooperation on global challenges.

Commission on Advancing a Free World

Launched in February 2020, the Free World Commission brings together influential lawmakers from the United States and leading democracies to coordinate legislative action on critical challenges.

Democratic Order Task Force

The Democratic Order Task Force was established by the Atlantic Council to develop a Declaration of Principles for advancing a rules-based democratic order.

State of the Order

State of the Order is a monthly assessment of the most significant events impacting the democratic world order and its core pillars – democracy, security, trade, commons, and alliances.

Public statement

Announcements

Jul 2, 2020

Free World Commission condemns Hong Kong security law

The Free World Commission, composed of influential lawmakers from leading democracies across the globe, condemned China’s recent enactment of a new security law in Hong Kong and called for governments around the world to recalibrate their relations with Beijing.

China Human Rights

Declaration of Principles for Freedom, Prosperity, and Peace

Commentary and analysis

Democratic Order Initiative

Report Jun 13, 2022

Toward a Democratic Technology Alliance: An innovation edge that favors freedom

By Ash Jain, Matthew Kroenig

A Democratic Technology Alliance would facilitate the development of common rules and norms in the technology space, consistent with democratic values, and ensure that the free world prevails in the race for advanced technologies.
China Economy & Business
Democratic Order Initiative

Report Jun 1, 2022

A Democratic Trade Partnership: Ally shoring to counter coercion and secure supply chains

By Ash Jain, Matthew Kroenig

A Democratic Trade and Economic Partnership could provide an integrated framework for leading democracies and other partners to selectively decouple from revisionist autocracies and foster free, fair, and secure trade.
China Economy & Business
Democratic Order Initiative

New Atlanticist Apr 1, 2022

Biden has laid out a new vision for democracies to succeed. Here’s how to implement it.

By Ash Jain

Winning the struggle against autocracy won’t be easy. But unless the world’s leading democracies are strategically aligned and committed to act in the long term, success may prove elusive.
China Conflict
Democratic Order Initiative

Report Dec 7, 2021

An Alliance of Democracies: From concept to reality in an era of strategic competition

By Ash Jain, Matthew Kroenig, and Jonas Parello-Plesner

With the rules-based democratic order under threat, the United States and its allies need new entities that facilitate cooperation not just across the transatlantic, but among larger groups of democracies worldwide.
Australia Economy & Business
Democratic Order Initiative

Report Jun 8, 2021

From the G7 to a D-10: Strengthening democratic cooperation for today’s challenges

By Ash Jain, Matthew Kroenig

With the rules-based democratic order under threat, leading democracies need to develop common strategic approaches that pool their collective influence to confront today’s challenges.
Australia Economy & Business

Former Prime Minister of Sweden Carl Bildt and former US National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley join CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS to discuss the Declaration of Principles for Freedom, Prosperity, and Peace.

In the News Jun 12, 2020

Declaration of Principles profiled by RT

By Atlantic Council

Russia Today covers the launch of the Declaration of Principles at the Munich Security Conference. The Declaration was put together by a bi-partisan task force led by former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former US National Security Adviser Steve Hadley to provide a clear and compelling statement of values around which political leaders […]
English Politics & Diplomacy

In the News Mar 17, 2020

Ash Jain quoted in the Economist on D-10

By Atlantic Council

The Economist covers the work done by the D-10, a group made up of the world’s leading democracies which co-ordinates strategies to advance the liberal world order. Related reading
Politics & Diplomacy

In the News Feb 18, 2019

Declaration of Principles profiled by CBS News

By Atlantic Council

CBS News covers the launch of the Declaration of Principles at the Munich Security Conference. The Declaration was put together by a bi-partisan task force led by former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former US National Security Adviser Steve Hadley to provide a clear and compelling statement of values around which political leaders […]
Politics & Diplomacy

Leadership

Former staff

Ash Jain

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Europe & Eurasia Indo-Pacific

Fellow

Daniel Fried

Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative Eurasia Center

Eastern Europe Democratic Transitions

Experts

Staff

Matthew Kroenig

Vice President and Senior Director, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

China Defense Policy

Fellow

Paul D. Miller

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Pakistan

Fellow

Nicole Bibbins Sedaca

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Human Rights Politics & Diplomacy

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and the world.

Learn more