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In person icon Democratic Self-Defence: Conceptual, Normative and Ethical Perspectives

Democracy
Political Theory
Representation
P133
Ludvig Norman
Stockholm University
Bastiaan Rijpkema
Leiden University
Cristóbal Rovira Kaltwasser
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Abstract

This panel addresses the urgent challenges democracies face as they contend with rising authoritarianism and internal threats. It brings together a range of perspectives on how democratic systems can protect themselves from erosion while staying true to their core values. Central to the discussion is the concept of "militant democracy," a legal and constitutional framework designed to counteract anti-democratic forces. The panel explores how such measures, including legal interventions like party bans, the protection of judicial independence, and even restrictions on political rights, can help safeguard democracy without compromising its fundamental principles. The panel expands the conversation by introducing new concepts, such as "procedural militant democracy." This variant emphasizes the importance of strengthening democratic procedures, through measures like mandatory voting, laws regulating political advertising, and other safeguards that activate citizens and ensure democratic legitimacy. The focus is not only on defending democracy from external threats but also on enhancing its internal resilience by fostering an engaged, informed public. The discussion also touches on the ethical dimensions of democratic defense. What responsibility do citizens have in resisting undemocratic actors when the state itself is unwilling or unable to protect democratic rights? Drawing from theories of civil disobedience, the panel explores how citizens can, and arguably must, engage in collective action to defend democracy, particularly when faced with authoritarian attempts to undermine it. Finally, it examines how different conceptions of democracy—militant, tolerant, and social—shape responses to the defense of democratic institutions, proposing an ethical framework to navigate the complexities of democratic self-defense in practice. By examining these themes from multiple angles—legal, procedural, and ethical—the panel offers a holistic approach to understanding how democracies can navigate the complex terrain of self-defense in times of crisis.

Title Details
An Alternative Model of Democratic Self-Defence: ‘Procedural Militant Democracy’ View Paper Details
Defending Democracy in Times of Autocratization View Paper Details
Militant Democracy as Constitutional Reason of State View Paper Details
Duty to Resist and Civil Disobedience in the Protection of Democratic Rights View Paper Details
Democracy, Ethics and Democratic Self-Defence View Paper Details