The Authoritarian Bug
The Authoritarian Bug

Summary/Abstract: The article examines different ways in which the global pandemic has advanced authoritari an patterns. It discusses four aspects central to understanding the authoritarian risks: FIrst, it explores narratives of the need of an authoritarian response. Second, it discusses restrictions on media instituted during the pandemic that were often linked to the significant spread of “fake news” and conspiracy theories, but in themselves brought equally great risks. Third, it turn to the framing of the pandemic as a “war to be waged” that securitized the discourse about the disease. Finally, it will examine how the pandemic and the suspension of conventi onal political debate constituted an opportunity for authoritarian leaders to strengthen their position, even if the state of emergency were to end. In conclusion, this article argues that these aspects bear considerable risks for the state of democracy, in particular for hybrid regi mes and unconsolidated democracies that are at a greater risk of democratic backsliding.

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