Dismantling authoritarianism requires sustained effort beyond electoral victory
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/blanche-leridon. "Hungary beware: authoritarianism can be checked, but it is rarely dismissed with a single blow | Blanche Leridon | The Guardian." April 15, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
Just because voters kicked out an authoritarian leader doesn't mean democracy is automatically restored. The author argues that rebuilding democratic institutions after years of authoritarian rule is much harder and takes much longer than people expect, and the defeated authoritarians often come back.
Conclusion
While Orbán's electoral defeat in Hungary is significant, rebuilding democratic institutions and rule of law will be a lengthy, difficult process that requires sustained effort and vigilance against authoritarian resurgence
Premises
- Poland's experience shows that restoring rule of law after defeating populist authoritarians takes years and faces ongoing challenges, with Law and Justice party still holding significant power despite electoral defeat
- Hungary's situation is more challenging than Poland's because Orbán ruled for 16 years (twice as long as PiS) and successfully embedded illiberalism into the constitutional foundations of the state
- Magyar inherits a 'captured' state where Orbán loyalists remain entrenched in public structures and key economic sectors are controlled by pro-Orbán oligarchy
- Authoritarian movements are designed to survive the downfall of their creators, as demonstrated by Trump's continued influence and Meloni's resilience after setbacks
- The process of rebuilding democratic institutions takes 'infinitely more time and energy' than dismantling them, creating inherent asymmetry favoring authoritarians
- Orbán remains politically viable at age 62 and will likely exploit future economic struggles and voter frustration to attempt a comeback
Assumptions
- Democratic restoration requires not just electoral victory but comprehensive institutional reform
- Authoritarian capture of state institutions creates lasting structural obstacles to democratization
- Public expectations for rapid change after electoral victories often exceed what is practically achievable
- International examples (Poland, Italy) provide reliable predictive models for Hungary's trajectory