Fecha Publicación: 10-04-2023

Democracy is in crisis. Democracy as an ideal type of political system implies that political representatives enjoy legitimacy to exercise power because they are elected by the free exercise of the political will of citizens, under established and accepted rules, and through institutions that guarantee transparency. The world, however, is now witnessing elected representatives who do not believe in the principles of democracy and who attack the entire democratic system.

These autocrats manage to take political power in already weakened democratic systems. The increase in poverty, political corruption and violence, and lack of access to justice are all factors that erode and divorce citizens from an ideal democracy. Due to these and other factors, millions of citizens feel excluded from their democratic systems. They need to feel included, identified, integrated, and excited by leaders who motivate them with hope yet represent only a shadow of democracy.

To face this crisis, it is essential that the Summit for Democracy becomes a permanent forum for democracies around the world and that its agreements and debates are disseminated as widely as possible: democratic principles must be known, demanded, and practiced daily by citizens so that representatives are accountable for their commitment to the common good. This accountability is nothing more than demanding that democracy serve to guarantee the rule of law and improve the living conditions of the vast majority of citizens.

However, in a globalized world, democracy cannot and does not endure in isolation. The summit needs to convene a large global and regional pact for democracy. All states should coordinate to address the problems that erode the sustainability of national democracies and the global democratic system. The origin of such problems are massive migration flows, the growth of criminal mafias, inequalities of all kinds, and the growth of various types of violence.

Global Memos by the Council of Councils