Research framework and broader academic knowledge base
Serbia: documented application of the same framework
How do the behavior of the opposition and political parties, and a divided society, affect the defense of democracy?
The behavior of the opposition and parties affects whether citizens see the authoritarian move as an attack on common rules or as another battle between enemy camps. When the opponents of the authorities agree on fair elections, non-violence, rights of all groups and restrictions that will apply to them after the victory, they can gather people who disagree on other policies.
If, however, they justify abuse when it is made by “their” side or threatened with revenge, the government more easily presents any shift as a danger. A deep social divide encourages voters to suffer a violation of the rules so that the opponent does not win. This does not mean that the opposition must be mild or passive. The strategy should be decisive, but credible related to the rules that limit any future winner.
A more moderate way of fighting is not the same as passivity and will not always succeed against a completely closed government. The strategy depends on the remaining space and the degree of pressure.
Works supporting this answer, with their evidence type and an explanation of how they relate to the claim.
comparing several countries or cases
Gamboa, L. (2022), Resisting Backsliding: Opposition Strategies against the Erosion of Democracy, Cambridge University Press.
- Contribution to this answer
- Gamboa shows that the opposition can preserve or use the resources it still has by choosing a strategy. In its cases, more moderate institutional goals and strategies helped the opposition retain legitimacy and institutional space, while radical extra-institutional attempts to quickly remove the authorities could weaken the opposition and make it easier for the authorities to close the system further.
review more research
Haggard, S. i Kaufman, R. R. (2021), Backsliding: Democratic Regress in the Contemporary World, Cambridge University Press.
- Contribution to this answer
- Haggard and Kaufman show how democratic backsliding is fed by a combination of deep polarization, changes in the party system and gradual removal of restrictions. When political conflict becomes so identifiable that the defeat of “our side” is unacceptable, voters and parties are easier to tolerate the violation of democratic rules if it prevents the victory of the opponent.
comparing several countries or cases
Cleary, M. R. i Öztürk, A. (2022), „When Does Backsliding Lead to Breakdown? Uncertainty and Opposition Strategies in Democracies at Risk“, Perspectives on Politics 20(1): 205–221.
- Contribution to this answer
- Cleary and ztrk show that the opposition strategy changes the very calculation of the government: attempts to remove the elected leader may give him political space for authoritarian consolidation, while more procedural strategies may preserve the possibility of a future election shift. That is why the defense of democracy depends on how the government opposes, not only how strongly.
comparing several countries or cases
Bunce, V. J. i Wolchik, S. L. (2011), Defeating Authoritarian Leaders in Postcommunist Countries, Cambridge University Press.
- Contribution to this answer
- Bounce and Wolchik on post-communist countries show what the opposition gets when it manages to connect parties, civic organizations, work with voters and election monitoring into a common strategy. Coordination does not remove unfair conditions, but it can turn elections into a real political threat to the authoritarian leader.
comparison of different combinations of conditions
Panzano, G. i Tomini, L. (2026), „Unity Makes Strength: Patterns of Democratic Resistance against Autocratization“, European Journal of Political Research, First View: 1–26.
- Contribution to this answer
- Panzano and Tomini give a wider confirmation of this logic: among the 69 episodes of autocratization, the most robust patterns of democratic survival include combinations of institutional, political and social resistance, often with external support. Democracy is therefore most heavily defended by the opposition who are left alone or separated from other centers of resistance.
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