Curbing Authoritarianism through Strong Legislatures and the Defense of Democratic Institutions and Principles

Political actors across the globe are increasingly turning to authoritarian tactics to advance their interests, including through populist campaigns that disregard the role of representative institutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the adoption of authoritarian methods, with executives using command and control measures to justify civilian safety. Technology, despite having the potential to better link people to their representatives, has compounded these challenges by enabling a form of “techno-authoritarianism” that projects its malign influence abroad. This session will discuss these troubling trends, while outlining specific steps that have been and can be taken globally to curb authoritarianism through legislative oversight and other methods. Discussions will also turn to the need for a specific focus to defend against digital threats, misinformation, and digitally-enabled authoritarianism.