Fellows in the Media: Didem Seyis and Iqra Anugrah in Trouw

Our Global Forum Fellows Didem Seyis and Iqra Anugrah commented to Dutch daily Trouw for an article looking back on 2024, the year of elections worldwide.

Talking to a number of experts, the article focuses on how to prevent democratic backsliding. Iqra Anugrah is cited as arguing that when civil society fails, it is reflected in election outcomes. The rights of minorities are not respected, and the tyranny of the majority prevails.

He further argues that NGOs have become too professionalized and disconnected from ordinary voters not just in Indonesia, which he mentioned earlier, but also in the U.S. He calls for self-reflection for NGOs and academics. “Why is their message about what a true democracy should look like failing to reach voters, while the populist message of leaders like Trump and Prabowo does?”

He is also cited as stating, in a pessimistic manner, that 2016—the year Donald Trump was first elected—marked a turning point in global democratic decline and the rise of authoritarian populism. “We can point to small gains and lessons learned this year, but overall, we are still living through a very long 2016.”

Didem Seyis notes in the article that state control over media, or active dissemination of disinformation, fosters distrust and weakens the chances of collective democratic resistance. “Without access to clear information, it becomes much harder for citizens to recognize threats to democracy.”

She is reported to warn that lack of strong leadership can also undermine pro-democracy movements. When the state controls key institutions, such as the judiciary, it becomes exceedingly difficult for democratic activists to organize.

According to her, the level of state repression is another crucial factor. “Without adequate protection, even the most determined democracy advocates can be paralyzed by fear,” she says Seyis, citing Venezuela as an example.

Read the article here (in Dutch, behind paywall).