COVID-19, internal divisions testing democracy’s resilience

     

 

Any rigging of the popular vote in Belarus is beyond the pale, chief of Slovak diplomacy Ivan Korcok said in a discussion with US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip T. Reeker at this week’s GLOBSEC conference.

The only demand raised by protesters is what should be the basis in any democracy, he added, stressing the need to kick-start a dialogue between the regime and its citizens as well as political representatives.

NED’s Christopher Walker. Credit: GlobSec

The democratic system is often regarded as under-delivering, adds GLOBSEC. The gap between expectations and reality is enhanced by widening income inequality, economic and political uncertainty and  attempts to undermine democratic processes and institutions. As recent polls from GLOBSEC and Pew Research Center demonstrate, support for democracy remains fragile. How shall we overcome the systemic challenges, especially in countries with leaders undermining key democratic processes? Is there a space to take a step back to redefine the rules of the game? These questions were addressed by a GLOBSEC panel (below).

Liberal democracies under-appreciated the way citizens consume information, how campaigns are conducted and how information is being spread online, @the National Endowment for Democracy’s Christopher Walker told the panel.

 

 

 

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