Amid rising illiberalism, Romanian democratic institutions face growing pressure. Gabriela Plăpămaru reveals how the traditional right tried to undermine Romania’s education sector — and how progressives responded with institutional resilience
Anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment has surged in Romania, especially since the 2024 presidential elections. Avery Gozu argues that illiberal candidates' weaponisation of homophobia runs deeper than surface-level insults – it is embedded in a socio-cultural web of hetero-nationalism and hegemonic masculinity
Two nations, one name, divergent paths: Natália Noskovičová delves into the illiberal mobilisations of the Czech and Slovak Alliances for Family and National Marches for Life. Here, she navigates the religious and secular strategies of anti-gender movements in the heart of Europe
On 15 August 2021, Marzia Saramad was working for UNICEF in the Afghan capital, Kabul, when the Taliban seized control. Here, she explains Afghanistan's relevance to the global illiberal agenda
In recent decades, real progress has been made to inclusivity in urban policies and in access to urban spaces. Cătălina Frâncu warns these gains are now under threat. Here, she explores the impact of illiberalism on the exclusion of women and marginalised groups from urban public spaces
To understand the illiberal challenge to liberal democracy, write Gianfranco Baldini and Hugo Canihac, we need to consider three dimensions: how illiberalism emerged as a challenge in and from liberal societies, how populists implement illiberal practices, and how liberal institutions respond to the challenge raised by illiberals
Frustration with integration policy and fear of crime, two issues which Swedish political rhetoric and public opinion increasingly conflates, fuels the Sweden Democrats’ onward journey into mainstream politics. Orlaith Rice considers where SD sits under labels of populism and illiberalism
The Swedish elections show that even the most liberal democracies are not immune to the rise of illiberal forces. Gefjon Off discusses the role of normalisation of the radical right, young men’s conservatism, and online mobilisation
Using the lens of illiberalism, writes Marlene Laruelle, we can explore the emergence of a new rightist resistance to the current social and moral order. Illiberalism interacts on a permanent basis with liberalism, and is a byproduct of neoliberal ideologies
Not all illiberalisms are the same, argues Jasper T. Kauth. While anti-democratic, disruptive illiberalism and anti-liberal, ideological illiberalism may act simultaneously, analysing them individually will help us identify drivers of this phenomenon.
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