Recent news from Eastern Europe has given us hope for liberal democracy.
In Hungary, the largest-ever Budapest gay pride parade defied bans imposed by the country’s authoritarian leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban. In neighboring Serbia, mass student protests continue against Orban’s ally, President Aleksandar Vucic.
But caution is warranted. Even within Eastern Europe, we can point to equally significant signs of democratic decay. Consider Poland, where the far-right Karol Nawrocki’s victory in the June presidential election dashed hopes for a decisive democratic renewal.
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