The Tocqueville Conversations
The International Forum for Democracy
Co-founded by the Tocqueville Foundation and Le Figaro, The Tocqueville Conversations is an international conference held at the Château de Tocqueville, gathering 300 participants and speakers from around the world.
It opens debate with global and thought leaders and civil society including students
The Tocqueville Conversations were born in response to the crisis facing Western democracies, the urgency to move beyond elite inertia, and the striking relevance of the thought of Alexis de Tocqueville, the great 19th-century liberal thinker.
A keen observer of democracy in both America and Europe, Tocqueville analyzed with remarkable foresight the strengths and vulnerabilities of democratic systems.
Tocqueville Conversations 2025
Europe's moment! Between the MAGA revolution and Russian Revisionism
The 2025 Tocqueville Conversations were held on June 27th and 28th 2025 at the Chateau de Tocqueville. Watch the conference on our Youtube channel
EXPLORE
Find out about previous Conversations
Tocqueville Conversations 2024
Citizens, wake up! How can we save our democracies?
The 2023 Tocqueville Conversations explored signs of a civic awakening in response to today’s political upheavals. Ukraine was hailed as a model of democratic courage, while the debates reflected growing concerns about populism and the crisis of elites. It was a powerful moment of reflection on the role of the citizen in democracies under strain.
Watch Youtube video here
Tocqueville Conversations 2023
Tomorrow's Europe Rearming Democracy
In 2023, the Tocqueville Conversations tackled the deep transformations reshaping Europe in the wake of war, geopolitical upheaval, and democratic fragility. With Ukraine’s unexpected rise and the return of Russian imperialism, the debates called for a bold rethinking of Europe’s security, identity, and purpose. At stake: a new democratic and strategic consensus for the continent’s future.
Watch Youtube video here
Tocqueville Conversations 2022
The Russian question : the West facing Putin
In 2022, the Tocqueville Conversations confronted the brutal return of war to Europe with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The debates explored the roots of Putin’s imperial ambition, the West’s strategic failures, and the civilizational stakes of the conflict. At the heart of the discussions: how democracies should respond to this existential threat, and whether this crisis could spark a long-overdue awakening.
Watch Youtube video here
Tocqueville Conversations 2021
The future of Democracy in America
The 2021 Tocqueville Conversations explored the deep crisis shaking American democracy, torn between populist revolt and radical identity politics. From the Capitol riots to the erosion of trust in institutions, the debates examined the forces fragmenting American society. In the spirit of Tocqueville, the discussions asked whether a shared democratic future can still be rebuilt in the age of rage, division, and digital disruption.
Watch Youtube video here
Key Figures
Our Impact
People have attended the Tocqueville Conversations over the past six years.
Speakers and moderators have taken part in the debates and discussions.
Views have been recorded for livestreamed and replayed videos on YouTube.
Students have actively participated in the Tocqueville Conversations.
People have attended the Tocqueville Conversations over the past six years.
Speakers and moderators have taken part in the debates and discussions.
Views have been recorded for livestreamed and replayed videos on YouTube.
Students have actively participated in the Tocqueville Conversations.
