From the mountain top in Davos the discussion is dominated by the symptoms of a new political reality.

But the geopolitical rupture so clearly named is not an accident of history. It is not simply the result of stronger men, weakened institutions, or a sudden loss of restraint. It mirrors something more fundamental: the social soil of our societies. Politics is never autonomous. It grows out of lived experience – out of whether people feel secure, respected, and hopeful about a shared future.

For years, political volatility has been treated as external shocks; a series of crises to be managed. But increasingly, it looks like a reckoning with choices and policies made over decades.

Like for all political shifts, there is a supply and a demand side underlying the societal and geopolitical developments we are living through.

In the conversations about this new order, or dis-order, enormous attention is paid to the supply of new political paradigms, strong leaders and ideas: new doctrines, new blocs, new geopolitical arrangements and the reversal of liberal democracy and a rules-based international order.

Far less attention is paid to the demand that drives these political outcomes. Why are large shares of the population compelled to support these political ideas and leaders? Polling and data tell us that this is not driven by ideological shifts, but by the collapse of institutional trust, by citizens who no longer believe that existing systems work for them, or that liberal democracy still offers a credible path to a good life.

We have allowed inequalities to harden, social mobility to stall, trust to erode and all of that has led to fractures in our social cohesion. This is the soil in which this disruptive new political reality has grown over the last decades.

This is the demand side; the desperation for change that authoritarianism exploits. Not a sudden conversion to extreme ideas, but a slow loss of faith that democratic institutions can meaningfully improve everyday life. When trust erodes, people stop asking whether ideas are good, and start asking whether anyone is listening at all.

This is the deeper danger. When root causes are hidden by symptoms, democratic backsliding, polarization, and authoritarian temptations are treated as isolated pathologies, rather than as expressions of unmet social needs.

From the perspective of the Daniel Sachs Foundation, this is the central challenge of our time; renewing our institutions and the people who populate them to better answer the legitimate demands of citizens, not resorting to extreme politics.

Democratic renewal does not begin in constitutions or conferences. It begins with whether societies generate broad prosperity, real social mobility, and a genuine sense of a shared stake in society. Without this, democracy risks becoming a fragile ritual; repeated but no longer believed.

Democratic renewal is thus not abstract. It is about institutions that deliver. That invite participation rather than distance. That create pathways from voice to influence, from engagement to leadership and pathways to improved chances in life.

We need a serious commitment to confront structural problems without ideological shortcuts. Open societies must be both economically dynamic and socially cohesive; both globally engaged and domestically rooted; both principled and pragmatic (reflecting Finnish President Alexander Stubb’s argument for values-based realism).

This work cannot be outsourced to politics alone. Business shapes opportunity and needs to act as a trustee of an open, democratic, institutionally stable and socially cohesive society. Philanthropy can experiment and invest long-term where markets and states cannot. Civil society builds trust, voice, and agency. Politics must integrate these forces into a credible social contract.

For institutions to be relevant, representative and in service of citizens, we need to address the gap between people and politicians. Democracies do not renew themselves without new people and new methods of deliberation that ensure a broad sense of a stake in the system. Without this, institutions will continue to feel closed, distant, and self-referential.

What gives me cautious optimism in Davos this year is not consensus (there is very little of that…), but honesty and increasing realism. A growing recognition that nostalgia is not a strategy (as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney aptly put it): the tension around Greenland and the relationship between long-term allies, alongside the horrific ICE violence in the US, are making it blatantly clear that pretending the old order will simply return is a form of avoidance. It is also making it clear that legitimacy, once lost, cannot be restored through rhetoric alone.

The work ahead is slower, less theatrical, and more demanding. It requires rebuilding the foundations of open societies: education systems that open real paths to mobility, economic models that foster economic dynamism while ensuring wide-spread prosperity, institutions that treat citizens as participants, not problems; and leadership that tells the truth, even when it is uncomfortable.

This is long-term work by design. It is not about winning the next news cycle or launching the next grand framework. It is about restoring the conditions under which democratic life can breathe. About fixing the broken pipeline between movements and mandates, between civic energy and public authority. Replacing cynicism with agency, and protest with possibility.

At the Daniel Sachs Foundation, our work and focus remains exactly here – where social cohesion, political renewal, and responsible leadership meet. Because democracy becomes fragile when too many people feel it no longer belongs to them.

If there is one lesson this moment offers, it is that open societies are not self-sustaining. They must be cultivated; patiently, collectively, and with humility. The future will not be shaped only by power, but by whether we are willing to tend the soil from which our politics grow.

As important as it is not to externalize the political changes we are experiencing, to realize that we are all integrated in the soil where these ideas have been allowed to take root; as important to now focus on the agency we all have in building something better. We must replace complacency and the time and energy invested in worrying or creating scenarios for the future with investing in taking our own part in building a different reality.

Daniel Sachs, Chair of the Daniel Sachs Foundation

Noura Berrouba joins the Daniel Sachs Foundation as Chief of Staff!

Noura brings a history of impactful leadership, most recently as President of LSU – The National Council of Swedish Children and Youth Organisations, and a deep commitment to democracy, human rights, and inclusion. She serves on the boards of the Global Shapers Community at the World Economic Forum, Civil Rights Defenders, and our own Stiftelsen Höj Rösten, making her a powerful advocate for our mission.

We are at a critical moment for democracy. At DSF, we are committed to rising to the challenge – scaling our efforts through both ongoing initiatives and bold, new high-impact solutions. Noura will play a key role in strengthening our network of partners and help us advance our mission to reimagine democracy.

“I’m excited to step into a role where I’m not just joining a team that defends democracy, but one that dares to reimagine it – making it more inclusive, more resilient, and more visionary. At a time when democracy is tested and the world feels increasingly uncertain, the mission and approach of the Daniel Sachs Foundation is all the more important. I’m eager to work with bold, ambitious people, initiatives and partners who are committed to shaping the future of democracy”, says Noura Berrouba.

The conversation around Europe’s business climate is filled with concern – about U.S. productivity, China’s innovation, and Europe’s regulatory landscape. But this is not a time to retreat or react defensively. It’s a time to lead.

In a recent op-ed in Dagens Nyheter, Daniel Sachs makes the case that Swedish and European businesses must stay focused on long-term growth, innovation, and sustainability—without being pulled into short-term political trends or the polarization seen elsewhere. Our strength lies in the institutions and values that have built our prosperity. Now is the time to reinforce them.

Read the full article here.

In the latest episode of the Heja Framtiden podcast, Paul Alarcón Alanes, Executive Director of the Daniel Sachs Foundation, shares his inspiring journey of creating impact and driving social change. In conversation with journalist Christian von Essen, Paul reflects on the foundation’s strategy and vision, the wellsprings of hope that sustain him in challenging times, and his approach to making meaningful, lasting change in the world.

Listen to the full episode here: hejaframtiden.se/heja-framtiden-podcast-569-paul-alarcon

On November 20, our leadership joined public leaders, academics, and investors in London for a landmark occasion—the first-ever Apolitical Day. The event brought together a diverse community for a day of inspiring conversations, thought-provoking keynotes, and engaging simulations, all focused on reimagining political leadership and government for the 21st century.

As co-founders of the Apolitical Foundation and investors in Apolitical, we’ve been privileged to support this journey from the very start. Together, we’ve worked to build a non-partisan movement to revitalize political leadership, and in the case of Apolitical, foster 21st-century governments that serve both people and the planet. None of which would have been possible without the visionary leadership of Lisa Witter, Robyn Scott, and their outstanding teams.

Highlights of the day included discussions on the role of emerging technologies in government, reflections on public leadership, and Apolitical’s signature simulations. We were especially excited to celebrate the winners of the first-ever Political Leadership Impact Award—Elect Her and Recambio—for their exceptional contributions to the renewal of political leadership.

We are already looking forward to the next Apolitical Day and the continued evolution of this vital movement.

In the wake of the US Presidential election, Paul Alarcon and Daniel Sachs published an op-ed in Dagens Nyheter, Sweden’s leading daily newspaper. In the piece, they urge established political parties to address voters’ demands for renewal by reimagining leadership, rebuilding trust between politicians and citizens, and developing policy programs grounded in strong ideological principles.

Read the full article here.

In a recent ed-op for POLITICO Europe, DSF founder Daniel Sachs emphasizes the need for mainstream political parties to embrace radical centrism instead of mimicking populist extremes. He shares three crucial takeaways that every centrist party should heed:

1. Desire for change, not extreme policies, fuels populism

The surge in nationalist populist parties across Europe is a cry for change, driven by widespread disillusionment with traditional politics. New polling reveals that voters are flocking to populist parties not out of conviction for their policies, but due to a deep-seated mistrust in established political parties.

2.Centrist parties must rethink their strategy

In a misguided attempt to reclaim voters, centrist parties risk a race to the bottom by imitating populist extremes. This strategy distracts from their true mission: crafting and promoting bold, ambitious centrist policies that resonate with the electorate’s real needs and aspirations.

3.Radical institutional renewal is crucial

The future of democratic politics depends on a radical centrist approach where parties from the center-left to the center-right earn back voter trust. Mainstream democratic parties must go beyond merely opposing extremist agendas. They need bold, fresh leadership and meaningful citizen dialogue to develop new ideas that address voters’ priorities, such as cost of living, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

 

 

Recently, DSF founder Daniel Sachs was featured in Sweden’s leading business publication, DI Weekend. In this in-depth interview, Daniel opens up about his personal journey in business and his commitment to renewing democracy. Whether in business or philanthropy, Daniel seeks out the overlooked challenges in society—those blank spots where action is needed, but often missing.

“At first glance, the fight for democracy and film production might not seem to align with a financial firm located at Stockholm’s capitalist epicenter, Stureplan. Yet, Daniel Sachs views them all as blank spaces in society, and he considers it his life’s mission to fill them with color.

‘I focus on areas where I perceive significant needs, but see too little engagement’ he says.”

 

Read the article in full here:
https://www.di.se/nyheter/naringslivet-tar-demokratin-for-given/

The graduation of 10 political entrepreneurs from the first Apolitical Foundation Accelerator program, representing Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, marks a significant milestone in the global effort to revitalize political leadership.

The Daniel Sachs Foundation is proud to be a founding partner and supporter of the Apolitical Foundation’s vital work in mobilizing a worldwide movement for 21st-century political leadership. To date, the Apolitical Foundation has facilitated the development of 18 Political Leadership Incubators (PLI’s) reaching more than 40 countries. Additionally, its Political Leadership Entrepreneur Network (PLEN) convenes almost 80 non-partisan organizations worldwide, all dedicated to the renewal of political leadership.

Read more here: https://accelerator.apolitical.foundation

 

The Daniel Sachs Foundation is excited to announce a partnership with Women LEAD, a new Biden-Harris initiative aiming to close the gap in women’s political leadership and tackle barriers in political and public life.

Launched at the recent NATO 75th Anniversary Summit, Women LEAD brings together governments, philanthropy, civil society, and multilateral organizations to advance women’s political and civic participation globally.

The foundation is honored to join forces with philanthropic partners such as the Women’s Political Leadership Fund, Mozilla Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Skoll Foundation, Trawalla Foundation, and Wallace Global Fund.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/10/fact-sheet-advancing-women-peace-and-security-at-the-nato-75th-anniversary-summit/