Opinion piece by Clara Rösen, Lucerne Dialogue Fellow

Democracy is not a simple system: it lives on negotiation between differing views, demands active participation and is – by its very nature – complex and slow. On the other side stand authoritarian and populist systems, in which decisions are pushed through without consulting citizens – swiftly, and with the appearance of decisiveness.

Is there, then, no reason to accept the demands that democracy places on us?

Even a cursory look makes it clear: authoritarian systems come with severe restrictions on and violations of personal freedoms; political opponents are persecuted, the rule of law eroded.

Most people do not want these consequences. 86 per cent of people worldwide want to live in a democracy, surveys show^[1]. Yet a significant share – 40 per cent – are (somewhat) dissatisfied with how democracy functions in countries such as Germany^[2], a sentiment rooted above all in a feeling of being left behind or structurally disadvantaged. To put it plainly: people want democracy, but some of the mechanisms within the system need reform.

We therefore need two things. First, a new vision of the democracy we want to live in – a European 'Statue of Liberty'. Freedom, equality and the protection of the individual are genuine arguments in democracy's favour – particularly for those who cannot take them for granted. Those who do possess these privileges bear a corresponding responsibility to contribute actively to a new vision: to take the concept of democracy as 'rule of the people' seriously. To stop treating the state as a service provider and instead help to shape it. To engage politically and socially, to take responsibility for one another, to act within one's own sphere of influence.

The same applies to businesses. It falls to society and politics to hold companies more firmly to account – to pursue the protection of democracy as a matter of strategic self-interest. The return on investment is clear: whilst success in authoritarian and populist systems is possible, the economic costs of populism are high (measurable in GDP loss)^[3]and economic instability grows^[4]. Businesses, however, depend on stable conditions and freedom of thought if they are to prosper in the long term.

Alongside a new vision, we need, secondly, new mechanisms for political decision-making to restore trust in democratic processes: majority decisions in the EU rather than blockades by individual countries; exclusion mechanisms for countries acting against Europe's founding principles, so that those willing to move forward can do so; greater direct involvement of all citizens in decisions, including a duty to vote; and impact assessments of political decisions on social equality, to prevent living conditions and opportunities from diverging further.

Both measures require the courage to loosen entrenched structures and to act individually. The alternative is to stand by whilst external forces take over.