The Democratic Dismantling of Democracy

Around the world, democratic institutions are under attack—not only through coups or armed conflicts, but also through legal maneuvers, constitutional loopholes, and the erosion of democratic norms from within. This panel explores how democratic systems are being systematically dismantled by elected and unelected actors, drawing insights from Thailand, Venezuela, and the broader global context.

From judicial interventions and political bans to the criminalization of opposition and media suppression, the panelists—each with firsthand experience navigating democratic backsliding—will share their perspectives on the warning signs, mechanisms of democratic erosion, and strategies to resist and rebuild democracy.

The session features the following panelists:

1. Pita Limjaroenrat: Former 2023 Thailand Prime Minister-elected who was prevented from taking office by military-appointed senators. His party, Move Forward, was later dissolved by the Constitutional Court, and he was banned from politics for 10 years. Currently, he is a Senior Research Fellow at the HKS Rajawali Foundation Institute for Asia.

2. Freddy Guevara: Co-founder of the progressive party Voluntad Popular (2010) and the top-voted congressman in the 2015 parliamentary elections. He served as Vice President of Venezuela’s Parliament (2016) and played a leading role in the non-violent civil uprising against Maduro’s dictatorship (2017). Currently, he is a Democracy Visiting Fellow at the HKS Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation.

3. Daniel Ziblatt: Director of the Center for European Studies and Eaton Professor of the Science of Government at Harvard University. He is best known as the co-author of the widely acclaimed book How Democracies Die, which analyzes patterns of democratic backsliding worldwide.

The session will be moderated by Archon Fung, Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, and Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at Harvard University and will include audience participation from both in-person and online attendees.