Thinking Democratically: A Comprehensive Approach to Countering and Preventing Shrinking Space
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This trend has been heightened by the global COVID-19 crisis, with governments – democracies <strong>and</strong><br />
au<strong>to</strong>cracies alike – putting in place measures that limit checks <strong>and</strong> balances on government, <strong>and</strong><br />
restrict the exercise of fundamental freedoms. 7 Numerous governments have put in place emergency<br />
procedures without sunset clauses, thereby ridding the legislative of its oversight function. 8 Over 50<br />
countries have postponed national <strong>and</strong> subnational elections, while others plan <strong>to</strong> go ahead anyway<br />
despite the risks posed <strong>to</strong> health, the likelihood of low turnouts <strong>and</strong> the dis<strong>to</strong>rted campaigning<br />
environments. 9 10 Nearly all governments have significantly limited freedom of association <strong>and</strong><br />
assembly, <strong>and</strong> many have limited freedom of expression in view of the infodemic on the virus. Many<br />
have also pointed at the gender-differentiated impact of the crisis <strong>and</strong> measures <strong>to</strong> contain the<br />
p<strong>and</strong>emic, as well as the disproprotionate impact on minority groups. 11 12 The limitations of<br />
fundamental freedoms <strong>and</strong> the breakdown of checks <strong>and</strong> balances have been widespread across all<br />
regime types, but they have been particularly worrisome in countries with au<strong>to</strong>cratising regimes,<br />
which are unlikely <strong>to</strong> remove such measures. 13 The COVID-19 crisis thus clearly illustrates the<br />
intricate interplay between closing civic space <strong>and</strong> au<strong>to</strong>cratisation.<br />
Yet, the phenomenon of ‘shrinking space’ has long been considered <strong>to</strong> be separate from the global<br />
trend of increasing challenges <strong>to</strong> democracies around the world. The 2017 CIVICUS state of civil<br />
society report considered the crisis of democracy as an additional layer of challenges on <strong>to</strong>p of<br />
restrictions on civic space. 14 However, more recently an increasing number of policy-makers <strong>and</strong><br />
practitioners have called on the international community <strong>to</strong> broaden the narrative of “shrinking civic<br />
space” <strong>to</strong> a closing of democratic space more widely. 15 They argue that the current narrative of civic<br />
space has led <strong>to</strong> a narrow interpretation of the issue as a civil society problem, leading <strong>to</strong> a reactive<br />
<strong>and</strong> legalistic response. Others have, however, countered this, stressing donors’ fear of political risks<br />
<strong>and</strong> the dangers of diffusing <strong>and</strong> paralysing the response <strong>to</strong> closing civic space.<br />
7<br />
Braun, F., Brechenmacher, S., Carothers, T. (2020): How will the Coronavirus Reshape Democracy <strong>and</strong> Governance<br />
Globally. Available here.<br />
8<br />
Applebaum, A. (2020): The People in Charge See an Opportunity. The Atlantic. Available here.<br />
9<br />
James, T. (2020): Should electios be postponed because of coronavirus? The Conversation. Available here.<br />
10<br />
International IDEA (2020): Global overview of COVID-19: impact on elections. Available here.<br />
11<br />
Alon, T., Doepke, M., Olmstead-Rumsey, .J. Tertilt, M. (2020): The impact of the coronavirus p<strong>and</strong>emic on gender<br />
equality. Vox EU. Available here.<br />
12<br />
Zala, E. (2020): Women hit hardest by corona economic crisis. EU Observer. Available here.<br />
13<br />
Braun, F., Brechenmacher, S., Carothers, T. (2020): How will the Coronavirus Reshape Democracy <strong>and</strong> Governance<br />
Globally. Available here.<br />
14<br />
Civicus (2017): State of civil society report. Available here.<br />
15<br />
Brechenmacher, S. & Carothers, T. (2019): Defending Civic <strong>Space</strong>: Is the International Community Stuck? Available here.<br />
See also: European Parliament (2017): “<strong>Shrinking</strong> space for civil society: the EU response.” Available here.<br />
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