New Eastern Europe 2/ 2017

If there is one phrase that is being repeated like a mantra in 2017, it is that “the world is upside down”. During public and private discussions from Warsaw to Prague, Berlin, Brussels, London and even Washington we see a growing sentiment that we can no longer make basic assumptions about the infallibility of liberal democracy. Of course, a lot of this sentiment is related to the rise of anti-liberal (or illiberal) populist forces in both the eastern and western parts of Europe (not to mention the United States) and the concerns that go along with this rise. There is no doubt that a real challenge to the current liberal democratic order is taking place, including in many countries of our region. Hence, the question that arises is – if the liberal democratic order is indeed no longer sound, what is the alternative?
This issue of New Eastern Europe debates the state of liberal democracy in Europe and specifically adds the voices from our region. We not only asked our authors to interpret the rise of populist, anti-liberal attitudes, but also present voices from those who do not think it is such a terrible thing. Agree with them or not, their arguments allow us to understand their perspective and force us to interpret why traditional, conservative politics are becoming more popular in Central and Eastern Europe. They also presents a certain reflection of similar processes taking place in the West, in such countries as France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands or the United States. Lastly, the role of outside influence, like Russian propaganda, is also one that needs to be taken into account in this context.

The Editors