Democracy is politics in motion. Rather than residing in immovable structures and institutions, it takes its form in everyday acts and processes at every level of society. Majorities wax and wane, alliances shift, divisions open and close, and sometimes earthquakes send shockwaves through the whole system. Democracy remains fundamentally a battleground, not only for competing visions for society, but also over the very meaning of democracy itself. Between progressive movements fighting to extend rights and freedoms and the exclusionary politics of the far right, this edition examines the struggle over democracy and representation in Europe today. With its future direction uncertain, the way for Greens and progressives to defend democracy is by steering it towards ever greater fairness, inclusion, and participation.
Articles in this edition
As the movement that politicised the relationship between society and nature in the West, green politics is at the forefront of not just democracy’s defence, but its reinvention.
Read moreShahin Vallée and Franziska Brantner debate European democracy, transnational politics, and the meaning of sovereignty.
Read moreAn interview on the critical infrastructure on which our democracies are built and its transformation.
Read moreSilja Kudel asks how far women’s participation in politics has taken Finland on the road to an equal society.
Read moreThe government has exploited cultural issues to the detriment of democratic rights and norms, putting already vulnerable groups further at risk.
Read moreEce Temelkuran warns of the signs of creeping authoritarianism.
Read moreAvoiding alarmism and complacency, these infographics show us how democracies have coped under crisis.
Read moreFor proponents of deliberative democracy, today’s representative regimes offer nothing more than illusion.
Read moreCitizens’ assemblies will not be a silver bullet for the climate crisis.
Read moreA photo essay by Sofia Cherici and Federico Ambrosini tells the story of how, for one Italian town, democracy is an ongoing struggle for justice and self-determination.
Read moreThe European Parliament bears the responsibility for nurturing the development of a truly trans-European citizenry.
Read moreHannah Arendt work holds lessons on reinvigorating democracy in a time of corroded trust in political institutions, an emboldened far right, and ecological breakdown.
Read moreIn studying real-world alternatives to state control and organisation via the market, Elinor Ostrom urges us to expand the notion of what democracy means.
Read moreDavid Graeber's insights on the imagination and the practice of democracy have inspired many not just to see the world differently, but to seek to change it.
Read morePavel Latushka, a key figure in Belarus’s opposition, discusses the movement for democracy with Roderick Kefferpütz.
Read moreDespite the shrinking space and pressure from governments, some outlets in these countries have proved resilient.
Read moreIt is time to let go of the assumption that democracy always leads to progressive outcomes.
Read moreIf democracy stays cast in its national mould, the path ahead may be one of exclusion and disenfranchisement.
Read moreRather than judging referendums as positive or negative, we should examine their distinctive political features and contexts.
Read moreThe Hungarian government's use of referendums shows how direct democracy can be used to lend a veneer of legitimacy to a party's own policy agenda.
Read moreIreland's model of amending the constitution through a national debate among the people provides an important route to progress
Read moreDesigned to safeguard against a return of authoritarianism, the Italian constitutional framework leaves little space for direct democracy - yet referendums are not uncommon in the country.
Read moreReferendums in Romania have been instrumentalised by various political actors as strategies to increase legitimacy and popularity.
Read moreSwitzerland is often hailed as a model of direct democracy. But these processes may prove difficult to replicate elsewhere for many reasons.
Read moreThe national debates that accompany referendums in Malta are strongly shaped by the country's enduring bipartisan political landscape.
Read moreThe UK's mixed experience with referendums reflects the variety of situations in which they are applied - with far-reaching consequences.
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