Towards an alliance of democracies

ARTICLE LONG FORMAT, Clément Guntern | At the start of this new century, a new order is gradually taking hold: authoritarianism around the world is gaining in power, and the states claiming to be authoritarian are asserting themselves with increasing brutality. Russia and China are raising their voices and threatening reprisals against anyone who dares to criticize the state of democratic principles and human rights on their territory. While escalation with Russia remains measured, China is agitating, vituperating and sanctioning. For the time being, it is mainly on their own territories that these states are committing more and more crimes, but for powers with global ambitions, it is to be feared that this is an exportable model of governance. Democratic principles are now under direct threat. As a result, democratic states have a duty to respond firmly to authoritarian forces, while leaving the door open to collaboration.