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I'm very pleased to announce that @ISDglobal has published "Political Monopoly" my report into the strategy and ideology behind Europe's elected authoritarians' attacks on European democracy.
Thread with highlights https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-publications/political-monopoly-how-europes-new-authoritarians-stifle-democracy-and-get-away-with-it/
Thread with highlights https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-publications/political-monopoly-how-europes-new-authoritarians-stifle-democracy-and-get-away-with-it/
1. Europe’s new autocrats aren’t conventional authoritarians. They allow opposition to exist but tilt the playing field to keep it away from power. They act as “political monopolists” to stifle political competition and keep themselves in power.
2. Drawing on ISD’s research into the 2019 European elections, this report uncovers how authoritarian elected leaders, such as Viktor Orbán in Hungary, Jaroslaw Kaczyński in Poland and Matteo Salvini in Italy sweep aside constitutional norms and restraints to consolidate power
3. (Speaking of Salvini, since he lost office, the Italian Senate has now given the go ahead for his prosecution for kidnapping over the #OpenArms case)
4. In this report I argue they implement a strategy in eight steps, to seize control of information and then institutions:
TROLL - to get attention
BUILD - their own media infrastructure
TROLL - to get attention
BUILD - their own media infrastructure
5.
AUTOMATE - dominate the social media through bots and paid accounts - Such as these in spain discovered by @joshfeldberg
https://elpais.com/politica/2019/04/25/actualidad/1556203502_359349.html
CAPTURE - have friendly businessmen take over media, like @indexhu
AUTOMATE - dominate the social media through bots and paid accounts - Such as these in spain discovered by @joshfeldberg
https://elpais.com/politica/2019/04/25/actualidad/1556203502_359349.html
CAPTURE - have friendly businessmen take over media, like @indexhu
6. Then institutions
CAPTURE - of state media like in Poland or the cancellation of Che Tempo Che Fa before the European elections
MUZZLE - judges and independent government agencies, eg in Poland, as @EUCourtPress has ruled against
CAPTURE - of state media like in Poland or the cancellation of Che Tempo Che Fa before the European elections
MUZZLE - judges and independent government agencies, eg in Poland, as @EUCourtPress has ruled against
7.
POLITICISE - the civil service. e.g in Hungary by taxing civil servants' severance pay at 99% taking away the security they need to be impartial
MANIPULATE - elections themselves, as @unhackdemeu and others have reported.
POLITICISE - the civil service. e.g in Hungary by taxing civil servants' severance pay at 99% taking away the security they need to be impartial
MANIPULATE - elections themselves, as @unhackdemeu and others have reported.
8. Now the Ideology. How do they justify it?
They believe in absolute majority rule and see courts, independent central banks, public service broadcasting, and an impartial civil service as illegitimate obstacles that stand in the way of giving effect to the majority’s wishes.
They believe in absolute majority rule and see courts, independent central banks, public service broadcasting, and an impartial civil service as illegitimate obstacles that stand in the way of giving effect to the majority’s wishes.
9. They see themselves as operating in a market for political power: “hired” by the people, to govern in their name, unless and until they’re fired at future elections.
10. This could be defended if it led to a fair market for political control, but the government people elect get to set the rules for their own re-election.
