Why Citizens Tolerate Democratic Backsliding with Natasha Wunsch and Chris Claassen
Join us for a deep dive into one of Europe’s most pressing political puzzles: Why do citizens continue to support leaders who undermine democracy? In this webinar, Prof. Natasha Wunsch (Universität Freiburg) unpacks the paradox of democratic backsliding in contemporary Europe. Drawing on extensive fieldwork in Hungary and Poland, she explores how divergent understandings of democracy, low liberal democratic commitment, and the power of illiberal narratives contribute to citizens’ waning resistance as democratic norms erode. Her latest book provides a compelling framework for understanding these dynamics—and what they mean for the future of European democracy. Adding further depth to the discussion, Prof. Chris Claassen (University of Glasgow) joins as discussant. A leading scholar of political behaviour, his research focuses on public support for democracy, majority–minority relations, and political methodology. His work has appeared in top journals including American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, and Political Analysis. Claassen situates Wunsch’s findings within broader debates on the resilience—and fragility—of democratic institutions.
What You Will Learn:
✔️ Why citizens may tolerate or even support democratic erosion
✔️ How illiberal leaders reshape public understandings of democracy
✔️ What research from Hungary and Poland reveals about Europe’s democratic future
✔️ How public opinion dynamics shape democratic resilience Resources:
Democratic Commitment: Why Citizens Tolerate Democratic Backsliding: https://doi.org/10.1093/9780198902768...
ECPR Standing Group on the European Union: https://ecpr.eu/Group/european-union
German Council on Foreign Relations and the Institute for European Politics: https://dgap.org/en/about-us
Swiss National Science Foundation project 'Liberal Democratic Commitment in Europe: Mass Attitudes, Political Identity, and Behavioural Consequences': https://data.snf.ch/grants/grant/1000...
More on Natasha's work: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8715-1335
More on Chris Claassen's work: https://www.chrisclaassen.com/
