More Perfect Announces Partnership with Tocqueville Foundation to Advance Transatlantic Dialogue on Democracy

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More Perfect, an American alliance dedicated to revitalizing democracy, today announced a major new partnership with the Tocqueville Foundation of Normandy, France to advance a renewed transatlantic dialogue on the future of democracy. This marks the first U.S. partnership for the storied French foundation and signifies an important collaboration for the future of democratic institutions. 

At a time of growing global uncertainty and democratic strain, the partnership brings together leading civic, cultural, and intellectual institutions from the United States, France, and larger Europe to revisit the enduring insights of Alexis de Tocqueville and apply them to today's most pressing challenges. 

"Alexis de Tocqueville foreshadowed both the dangers and opportunities democracy presents," said John Bridgeland, Founder & CEO of More Perfect. "This partnership allows us to bring together leaders from across sectors and continents to confront the challenges in our time and chart a path toward a more resilient and inclusive democracy."

"This partnership reflects a shared commitment to understanding democracy not only as a system of government, but as a way of life," said Jean-Guillaume de Tocqueville, President of the Tocqueville Foundation and a grandnephew of Alexis de Tocqueville. "Tocqueville's insights remain a vital guide, and through this collaboration, we hope to inspire new thinking and meaningful progress on both sides of the Atlantic."

As part of the initiative, More Perfect has commissioned Alexis de Tocqueville: Then and Now, a first-of-its-kind essay collection authored by some of the nation's most respected scholars, historians, and civic leaders. The collection explores themes central to Tocqueville's work, including civil society, the free press, political parties, religion, and the balance between local and central government, and examines their relevance in contemporary democracy. 

Contributors to the collection include Danielle Allen, Donna Brazile, Francis Collins, E. J. Dionne, Jane Kamensky, Harvey Mansfield, Cecilia Munoz, Robert Putnam, Reverend Eugene Rivers, Karl Rove, Colleen Shogan, Jean-Guillaume de Tocqueville, among others, offering perspectives grounded in scholarship and lived experience. The collection is co-edited by University of Pennsylvania Professor John J. DiIulio, Jr., and American Enterprise Institute Scholar Yuval Levin.

The partnership will convene a series of Tocqueville Conversations in 2026, including gatherings in France and the United States, designed to bring together leaders across sectors and perspectives to reflect on democracy's future and catalyze solutions.

On June 26 & 27, 2026, in France, the Tocqueville Foundation and Le Figaro will convene The Tocqueville Conversations in the Normandy chateau of Alexis de Tocqueville to examine the challenges facing European democracies under the theme: "The Future of Our Democracies – What Would Tocqueville Say?" On December 8, 2026, More Perfect and the Tocqueville Foundation, together with George Washington's Mount Vernon and Le Figaro, will co-host the first "U.S. Tocqueville Conversation" at Mount Vernon – a transatlantic dialogue on the future of democracy. Leaders from across sectors and perspectives will gather to reflect on Alexis de Tocqueville's enduring insights and explore the challenges and opportunities facing democracy today.

Doug Bradburn, President and CEO of George Washington's Mount Vernon, noted, "George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette shared a deep bond and had conversations about the potential future of republican government at Mount Vernon. At Mount Vernon, we have the key to the Bastille, sent to President Washington by General Lafayette, which is a trophy to all people who aspire to live in freedom, under a free government. We are honored to convene these important conversations in this 250th year of what George Washington considered a great experiment in self-government.

Laure Mandeville, Editor of Le Figaro and Co-chair of the Tocqueville Conversations, added, "Engaging in robust conversation to overcome disagreements and forge a path forward is the essence of a healthy democracy. We are thrilled to participate in this transatlantic exchange and to help revitalize public debate in America and France."

Additional details about upcoming convenings & the essay collection will be announced in the months ahead.

About More Perfect
More Perfect is an American alliance of 44 Presidential Centers, National Archives Foundation, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia, and more than 100 organizations working together to advance five foundational Democracy Goals: 1) Universal Civic Learning; 2) Expanding National Service & Volunteering; 3) Bridging Divides & Building Trust; 4) Trusted Elections & More Representative and Responsive Governance; and 5) Access to Trusted News & Information.

About The Tocqueville Foundation
The Tocqueville Foundation is a Franco-American initiative founded in 2012 to preserve Alexis de Tocqueville's intellectual legacy, The Tocqueville Foundation brings together a community committed to the ideas and his home in Normandy, France to promote democratic values in Europe and beyond. The programs of the Foundation aim to keep the democratic ideal alive for future generations, which is more relevant than ever in today's world.

For press inquiries, contact:
[email protected]

SOURCE More Perfect