Thematic Panel 5 - Annual report 2025

Thematic Panel 5 (TP5) of the EU Knowledge Hub on the Prevention of Radicalisation focuses on the intersection between mental health, radicalisation and violent extremism, with particular attention to lone-actor trajectories, aiming to strengthen understanding of psychological vulnerabilities, risk and protective factors, and the role of multi-agency cooperation in preventing mobilisation to violence. This annual report summarises the discussions and outcomes of the four TP5 meetings held in 2025, addressing conceptual frameworks, identification and prevention of lone actors, multi-agency cooperation, risk assessment and evaluation of preventive interventions. Across the year, discussions confirmed that lone-actor radicalisation is a multidimensional and dynamic process shaped by psychological, social and situational factors; mental health vulnerabilities are more prevalent among lone actors than among group-based extremists but are not deterministic predictors of violence; effective prevention relies on early identification of behavioural indicators, action-oriented risk assessment, and institutionalised cooperation between security, social and mental health actors; and prevention must address both online and offline dimensions through integrated “onlife” approaches while strengthening protective environments rather than focusing exclusively on ideological disengagement. Building on these findings, TP5 future meetings will examine disengagement trajectories, cultural dimensions of mental health and radicalisation, strategic communication, emerging technologies and community-based prevention approaches, in order to refine prevention strategies and strengthen EU-level cooperation.