One of the primary ways that backsliding democracies break down into authoritarian rule is through election subversion. Aspiring autocrats try to manipulate elections at all stages of the election cycle — before, during, and after election day. An array of pro-democracy actors, including lawyers, non-partisan election groups, opposition political parties, and pro-democracy movements, can push back effectively against these autocratic attacks. Yet, the playbook for doing this in a backsliding democracy has some important differences from that of a stable democracy. Drawing on lessons from countries around the world, this presentation shares lessons for pro-democracy actors who play a role in maintaining election integrity.
This is part of the ‘Friday Fast For Justice’ virtual workshop series by Georgetown’s Center on Faith and Justice