Der Schein-Konsens

Those who debate democracy should know what they are debating. Yet "populism" and "illiberalism" – ubiquitous in academia and the media – fail as analytical tools: empirically dubious, they dramatise legitimate positions and thereby downplay genuinely undemocratic ones.

The book counters these concepts with a pragmatic definition of democracy grounded in international law – narrowly defined, but normatively rigorous. It draws clear red lines and exposes the hidden dissent over democracy's fundamental rules – even among committed democrats.

Michael Meyer-Resende is the founder of Democracy Reporting International. For two decades he has analysed and advised democratic institutions around the world.