In our recent webinar, Michael Zürn explored the political causes behind the rise of national-authoritarian parties, focusing on the economic impact of inequality and cultural shifts due to social liberalisation.

Zürn and his co-author, Armin Schäfer, in their recent book “The Democratic Regression: The Political Causes of Authoritarian Populism,” examine changes in party dynamics and citizen relationships, challenging us to rethink political processes and embrace Willy Brandt's call to "dare more democracy" as a solution to counter authoritarian movements.

We were also pleased to welcome Adam Holesch, a post-doctoral researcher at IBEI and the EU-VALUES Network Manager, who shared his reflections on the book’s themes and implications for contemporary politics.