Talk by Aliénor Ballangé, 2025–2026 research-fellow at the Paris IAS (Sorbonne University Chair), at the seminar “Democratic Erosion and the Rise of Authoritarianism in Europe” organized by Céline Spector (Sorbonne University) and Laurent Warlouzet (Sorbonne University) from Initiative Europe.

Seminar in French. Open to the public.
Registration required via the link below.

Presentation

The concept of democratic backsliding was introduced by Nick Sitter and Elisabeth Bakke in 2019 in relation to Europe, to describe processes of declining democratic quality among European Union member states. It builds on the notion of “illiberal democracy,” which refers to regimes based on popular sovereignty as the sole source of democratic legitimacy, and to executive interventions that weaken checks and balances at the expense of the rule of law.

Far from being limited to Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland—where the erosion of judicial independence, freedom of expression, and fundamental rights has been particularly evident—de-democratization seems to be affecting, to varying degrees, several founding EU countries, including the Netherlands and Italy. What mechanisms drive autocratization processes, especially where far-right parties participate in governing coalitions? How can the resistance of constitutional courts, civil society, cultural institutions, and political parties help curb the rise of nationalism and sovereignty-driven politics, as well as the erosion of the rule of law? Finally, how might foreign interference and manipulations on social media affect these processes in the coming years?

Drawing on approaches from history, political science, and political philosophy, this seminar aims to analyze the present in light of authoritarian and totalitarian experiences that have impacted democracies, particularly in Europe, and more broadly worldwide.

Program 

On 16 December, Aliénor Ballangé the main issues and challenges of the current wave of participatory democratic innovations in contexts of democratic backsliding. This seminar is part of an annual series at the Sorbonne on the topic of "Érosion démocratique et montée de l'autoritarisme en Europe." It is organized by the "Initiative Europe," co-led by Céline Spector and Laurent Warlouzet, which co-hosts my Chair on Europe and Democracy.

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