Democracy under Pressure

Across the globe, democracy is in crisis. Even longstanding democracies are showing autocratic tendencies. Independent courts are the last line of defense.

What's driving this trend?

Global challenges are fueling backsliding:

Economic instability and social tensions
Rising irregular migration and and social tensions
The threat of war and conflict, etc.

On the one hand, politicians are not taking the population's fears seriously, thereby promoting polarization and populism. On the other hand, governments are tightening control - often at the expense of fundamental rights and freedoms.

The Judiciary: Guardian, target or driver?

In democracies, courts are meant to uphold the rule of law and protect human rights. But today, in many places, they're being manipulated - used to serve political interests and silence opposition. Beyond this instrumentalization, the judiciary also faces the growing risk of being seen as a driver of polarization in society.

About the project

«Backsliding Democracies - The Role of the Judiciary» is an initiative exploring these urgent questions. Through a series of free podcasts and online discussions, we aim to show were the root causes of the problems lie, what role the judiciary plays in these developments, and what could and should be done to stop them.

Brought to you by

«Volunteer Jurists», «Justice for the Rule of Law» and «Swiss Institute for the Judiciary»

Further information

https://www.backslidingdemocracies.org

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