On 21 November 2025, the three Horizon Europe research projects PROTEMO, PLEDGE, and MORES came together for a joint online policy workshop dedicated to exploring the role of emotions in politics and policymaking.

Recognising that emotions shape all stages of the policy process—from agenda setting and problem definition to coalition building and policy implementation—the workshop aimed to bridge academic research and practical policymaking. The event brought together policy-makers, practitioners and researchers from across Europe to exchange insights on how emotional dynamics influence governance and policy design.

Each project presented recent results:

• MORES showcased big-data analyses of emotional patterns in policy discourses across European countries, as well as experimental findings on how emotional framing affects public support for policies.
• PLEDGE shared insights from democratic design workshops examining how citizens’ emotional needs shape democratic participation and how institutions can better respond to them.
• PROTEMO presented first results from its 11-country survey on emotions and protective policies, highlighting how the demand for safety and security shapes citizens’ expectations and political behaviour.

Participants gained early access to new research findings, networked with leading scholars and practitioners, and contributed feedback that will inform a joint policy brief and future in-person workshop in Brussels in 2026.

The event underscored the value of collaboration among sister projects in advancing a deeper understanding of emotional dynamics in policymaking—an essential step toward more responsive and emotionally intelligent governance.