SECUDEM investigates how security-based narratives influence democratic judgment of political elites and the general public. The four-year research project funded by Kone Foundation examines a key gap in the study of democratic backsliding: how securitization shapes attitudes toward civil liberties, minority rights, and institutional trust. Understanding how security narratives shape political participation and democratic expectations is essential in assessing the resilience of democratic norms and accountability in times of perceived threat.