Political trends have become increasingly mixed and varied in recent years. While serious democratic regression continues to affect many parts of the world, some countries have experienced pro-democracy developments. A striking degree of variation in political trends has taken shape across countries, and this variation is often lost from view when writers describe the era in terms of a single label – the era of autocratisation, for example.
This report addresses an apparent disconnect between these debates about regime dynamics, on the one hand, and the world of international democracy support, on the other.
The democracy-support community is undergoing dramatic changes due to declining funding and political backing. It may need to prioritise more and select a smaller range of interventions where it can make the most difference.
How can Europe tailor its strategies more precisely to different kinds of challenges, whether by pre-empting autocratisation or responding to moments of democratic opportunity?
Authors
The development of this policy paper received financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) via the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
The views set out in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of BMZ and GIZ. Any use of this work should acknowledge the authors.
Photo credit: REUTERS/Gleb Garanich