"Has the World Gone Mad? It Has."
Journalists from countries that have seen challenges to democracy give their view on the second Trump presidency
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/19/trump-democracy-orban-modi-franco
Klarkashton
(2,669 posts)Cirsium
(1,498 posts)"Americans should stop telling themselves 'this can never happen here'. You have to brace yourself for the worst scenarios, because anything can happen." - András Pethő, Hungary
"People who have a lot to lose and who once valued due process, freedom and accountability can easily do the bidding of authoritarian leaders. Institutions that once protected public interest can turn against it in an instant. America is in for a daily shock-to-the-system period. We know this from the Duterte years; the first two years were marked with disbelief the daily attacks on media, the killings every night, the harassment of big business, the co-optation of the police and the military, the embrace of China despite intrusions into our territory. They seemed unreal." - Glenda Gloria, Philippines
"With Trump returning to White House, we are seeing a decisive moment in history. The third anti-democracy wave is here. The first two anti-democracy waves being the victory of Mussolini in the 1920s and Hitler coming to power in the 1930s culminating in the second world war, and the second anti-democracy wave in the 1960s with the rise of military juntas and the cold war bringing down elected governments. Now, with countries like India, Turkey and the Philippines already under anti-democracy forces, Trumps victory empowers the hands of the autocrats world over." - Vinod K Jose, India
"In the case of El Salvador, Nayyib Bukele is exactly the kind of leader that Mr Trump loves. Trump embraces autocrats and derides democratic leaders, and Bukele is an autocrat. World leaders in the style of Mr Bukele Im talking about Orbán, Modi, Putin, of course will just feel much more comfortable in their dismantling of democracy with Mr Trump and the presidency." - Carlos Dada, El Salvador
skylucy
(3,889 posts)usonian
(15,378 posts)Don't overthink it.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219918639