INSPIRING STANDPOINTS BY MATHIEU POURCHIER
April 2026
Civic Sparks
WHO ARE YOU MATHIEU?
Nationality: French
Organisations: “Tournons la page” (Turn the Page).
Role: Executive director
Treated AREAS: Democracy and fundamental rights
WHAT IS ORGANISATION’S MISSION?
Tournons La Page is an international network that brings together civil society organisations around a shared mission: strengthening democracy, improving governance and defending human rights.
Through networking, the sharing of experiences and advocacy, we support local actors (associations, collectives, trade unions, activists, etc.) by accompanying them so that they can act as effectively as possible, and above all so that they do not feel alone in facing regimes that are often far more powerful.
The idea is to attempt to rebalance the power dynamic by bringing members together and giving them the tools to carry out their struggle successfully.
When associations and activists unite, they become far more difficult to ignore. And that is how we bring about change.
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE?
I am the executive director and the head of the international secretariat of Tournons La Page, a team whose mission is to provide daily support to the national coalitions that make up our network.
In concrete terms, we support the development of projects, fundraising, communications, advocacy, and protection when members are in danger.
I also have the responsibility of seeking partners who can bring expertise, funds or simply act as advocates for our cause.
WHAT METHOD DO YOU USE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Our true strength lies in the network we have built together. We operate as a collective where each member strengthens the others, giving local initiatives an international reach. We connect members with one another so that they can support each other collectively and share their experiences. And when a member of the network faces difficulties, the others mobilise: emergency funds, media coverage etc.
Solidarity amongst members is our most powerful weapon.
And this is evident even in the way we organise ourselves. Our General Assembly, which sets the strategic direction, is composed of representatives from each national coalition: four people per country, with parity.
Why? Because strategic decisions must come from the ground, those who experience the problems on a daily basis are best placed to say how to resolve them.
WHICH EVENT SPARKED THE BEGINNING OF YOUR JOURNEY AS A DEFENDER OF DEMOCRACY?
Before my studies and early professional experience, I was already interested in questions of democracy and civic participation, particularly through the scouting movement, where I spent a lot of time developing projects and then mentoring young people who were developing their own.
But it was the Grand Débat National with the grievance registers in 2019 that triggered everything for me. Seeing thousands of people, often far removed from politics, taking the time to write down their hopes, their frustrations and their proposals. It was an incredible moment, proof that people wanted to express themselves and to be heard. At last, a genuine dynamic of massive civic participation!
Except that very quickly, all of that was stifled and ignored. This denial of democracy revolted me and motivated me to get involved.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE START FIGHTING FOR POLITICAL FREEDOM?
Because it concerns all of us, directly, in our daily lives. Our grandparents risked their lives during wars because of political choices. Our parents were able to rely on public hospitals, pensions, free schools etc. thanks to political struggles.
Even today, it is politics that decides whether your medical treatment will be reimbursed or prohibitively expensive, whether your salary will allow you to pay your rent without tightening your belt, or whether you can criticise the president without ending up in police custody.
Fighting for political freedom is fighting for our ability to influence our own future.
WHO DO YOU SEE AS TOMORROW’S DEMOCRATIC ACTIVIST?
In my view, tomorrow’s democratic activist will not have a famous face or a name in the media. It will simply be crowds of ordinary people, neighbours, colleagues, students, retirees, who understand that their strength comes from acting together, and not from behind a single charismatic figure. Because real change never comes from a powerful savior, but from a collective movement that organises itself and sustains itself over time.
Tomorrow’s activist will be all those who refuse to give up. No one is too small to make a difference.
