Charting a Course Towards Democratic Renewal

For at least a decade, we have been hearing that liberal democracy is in crisis. Recent years have seen many studies to this effect. Scholars have conducted detailed diagnoses of the causes of this crisis, which has been hastened by events in Europe, South America and the United States of America. Various scenarios lead to not very optimistic conclusions. How should we understand the crisis of democracy? Is the catastrophe inevitable? Where do we look for the red flags that may warn us and let us correct course?

The essay delves into the ongoing crisis of liberal democracy and highlights the challenges faced by Poland and Hungary, advocating for the restoration of citizen agency and fostering rational, critical, and responsible thinking as the antidote to the erosion of democratic values and institutions.