Perry World House Hosts “Building a Democratic Playbook” Workshop

On November 20, 2025, Perry World House convened a workshop that brought together leading democracy scholars and researchers to identify the key elements of a “global democracy playbook.”  How do resilient democracies around the world push back against authoritarian and non-democratic populist movements?  What institutional, social, and normative practices have been able to slow or even block democratic backsliding?  What tactics and strategies on the part of opposition parties and civil society have been most effective?   

Democratic backsliding in the 21st century is characterized by gradual, ambiguous shifts that often confound early detection and stymie coordinated opposition. Backsliding usually occurs under conditions of high polarization and ambiguity that shade systemic threats. As a result, would-be authoritarians, often elected through democratic means, erode democracy before effective resistance forms. Countering backsliding requires a highly contextual, multi-pronged and sequenced approach. 

Experts adopted a comparative lens, looking at cases of democratic resilience in a number of societies around the world. They noted it is essential to gauge how far a democracy has “backslid” in order to take appropriate action. Participants also called for understanding the socio-economic context as well as the nature of the authoritarian challenge. To address the challenge of executive overreach, they recommended pro-democracy advocates to work with courts and form coordinated opposition coalitions, while leveraging international assistance. In cases of “legislative capture”, experts called for societal mobilization, electoral coalitions, and state/local level engagement, with a focus on winning elections.