Romanian Senate President Mircea Abrudean stressed on Thursday that no government can protect democracy and security on its own, calling for coordinated action involving public institutions, civil society, the private sector, the media, academia and citizens.

'While an unprovoked war continues to ravage neighbouring Ukraine, Europe is facing a fundamental shift in the way its security is being challenged. We are learning that defending our continent requires much more than protection against traditional threats such as missiles and conventional weapons. Today, we must defend ourselves against false information that sows division, distorts reality and triggers chain reactions that are dangerous to our societies. Hybrid tactics systematically combine cyberattacks, economic coercion, illicit financing of election campaigns and manipulation to influence public opinion and exert long-term geopolitical leverage,' Abrudean told the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament in Rome, held under the theme 'Resilient Democracies, United Against Hybrid Threats'.

He pointed out that information manipulation and interference have become among the most widespread hybrid threats.

'When malicious actors seek to disrupt energy supplies, launch cyberattacks or weaponise migration and trade, they are testing the resilience of our democratic institutions. Recent experiences demonstrate that anything from the theft of personal data to disruptions in food supplies and trade can be turned into a weapon. Among these modern challenges, information manipulation and interference have become one of the most common and consequential hybrid threats. Coordinated disinformation campaigns, propaganda, bot networks and fake news are deployed with surgical precision to polarise our communities, particularly during election cycles and periods of political unrest. Social media algorithms are exploited to amplify content,' the Senate president explained.

Abrudean also noted that 'research shows that women in public life are disproportionately targeted by gender-based abuse, sexualised content and attacks on their reputations'.

'We must confront the alarming reality of targeted influence operations directed at vulnerable groups and public figures. No government can protect democracy and security on its own. Effective resilience requires a whole-of-society approach - coordinated and synchronised action among public institutions, civil society, the private sector, the media, academia and ordinary citizens. As national parliaments, we stand at the heart of democratic systems. We have a responsibility to adopt, refine and oversee legislative frameworks that protect our democratic processes without compromising people's fundamental rights,' Abrudean added.

The Senate president argued that parliaments 'must lead through legislative action and policy innovation - reviewing laws to address evolving hybrid threats while strictly upholding freedom of expression, freedom of association and the rule of law'.

'Romania remains committed to a united, secure and free Europe. By combining legislative rigour, institutional oversight, public engagement and international cooperation, we can ensure that our democracies remain steadfast. Let us turn our unity into our strongest defence,' Abrudean said. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Livia Popescu; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)