Autokratie gegen Demokratie - Prof. Dr. Aurel Croissant im Gespräch mit Florian Kollmann

In the organizer's words:

Democracy is under pressure worldwide: authoritarian actors are infiltrating institutions, polarizing societies and eroding democratic norms. But how exactly does this happen? What mechanisms do autocrats use to undermine democratic systems from within? And what strategies are there to counteract this trend?

On February 19, 2025, Heidelberg political scientist Aurel Croissant will speak about the threat to democracy posed by authoritarian infiltration. He will incorporate findings from the "Routledge Handbook of Autocratization", which he co-edited, and examine current developments in Europe and worldwide. These questions are particularly pressing in light of Donald Trump's renewed presidency and the role of influential players such as Elon Musk, who are changing the political framework by exerting targeted influence on public debates.

Following the lecture, Croissant will discuss with Florian Kollmann the political options for action against the authoritarian threat - at global, European and local level. The focus will be on the question of how democracies can become more resilient and what role civil society, parties and institutions can play in this.