My guide to populist-proofing your democracy – before it’s too late | Timothy Garton Ash
In a thought-provoking article, Timothy Garton Ash emphasizes the urgent need to reinforce democratic institutions to weather the storms of populism, rather than solely focusing on strategies to keep anti-liberal parties out of power. He highlights the concept of *wehrhafte Demokratie* or “militant democracy” from Germany, which underscores the importance of a democracy that can defend itself against extremist threats. Ash critiques the idea of banning far-right parties like Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), arguing that such actions would likely strengthen their narrative of being victims of a liberal elite conspiracy. Instead of fostering unity against populism, these measures can inadvertently deepen divisions and bolster the far-right’s appeal.
Drawing on international examples, Ash contrasts Germany’s approach with that of France, where a broad coalition of parties has formed to keep Marine Le Pen’s National Rally at bay. This strategy, known as the “republican arc,” has proven ineffective, as the coalition struggles to agree on necessary reforms, allowing the National Rally to continue criticizing from the sidelines. In a more successful case, Ash points to the Netherlands, where Geert Wilders’ populist party was included in a coalition government. After failing to deliver on promises and subsequently withdrawing from the coalition, Wilders’ party faced defeat in the following elections, illustrating that populism can be contained through accountability and effective governance rather than outright bans.
Ash’s insights serve as a reminder that reinforcing democratic values and institutions—such as an independent judiciary and robust public service broadcasting—is crucial in the face of rising populism. By fostering a resilient democracy that can withstand challenges, societies can not only safeguard their democratic ideals but also create an environment where populist rhetoric loses its appeal. The key takeaway is that democracy must be proactive in defending itself, emphasizing the importance of governance that responds to the needs of the populace while maintaining a commitment to liberal democratic principles.
From public service broadcasting to an independent judiciary, these are the things that we must fight to keep
How can we defend our democracies against those who would destroy them? We talk a lot about strategies for keeping anti-liberal, nationalist populists out of power, but Donald Trump’s daily wielding of a wrecking ball shows that it’s equally important to reinforce your democracy so it can withstand a period of populists in power.
Germany has a concept called
wehrhafte
Demokratie
,
often weirdly translated as “militant democracy” but actually meaning a democracy capable of defending itself. Under this motto, some in Germany are
proposing to ban
Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), now one of the most popular parties in the country. That’s the wrong way to go. It would only reinforce the far-right party’s supporters in their conviction that the democratic state itself is a kind of liberal elitist conspiracy, and impart to the AfD the nimbus of martyrdom. The French experiment of a “republican arc”, in which virtually all the other parties agree only on keeping out Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, is also visibly backfiring. Such a wide range of parties unsurprisingly fails to agree on urgently needed reforms and the National Rally can go on criticising from the sidelines. So it’s worth contemplating the example of the Netherlands, where the party of the inflammatory populist Geert Wilders was allowed into power in a coalition government, failed to deliver, brought that government down by
withdrawing from the coalition
, and
lost the subsequent election
(albeit only narrowly) to a liberal party led by the young, dynamic Rob Jetten.
Timothy Garton Ash is a historian, political writer and Guardian columnist
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