They are not a modern invention, but it is striking just how much they have come back into vogue: legitimate rulers who behave like despots. Leaders who rely on violence and rule arbitrarily. Although they did not come to power through a coup or revolution, but were (largely) democratically elected to office, their style of governance ultimately amounts to tyranny.
In his new book, Guido Knopp profiles Viktor Orbán and Recep Erdoğan, two of the most prominent representatives of these crumbling democracies. He examines their objectives, sheds light on power structures and reveals how they are allying themselves with autocrats: Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un and China’s leader Xi. Knopp powerfully highlights the danger posed by these new alliances.
