There’s nothing better than democracy; Hasnain Kazim is convinced of that. He also knows that it cannot be had without effort, without balance and, above all, without a fight.

Sometimes songs take on a meaning that’s completely different from the one that was actually planned. Former Neue Deutsche Welle star Andreas Dorau experienced this with his song “Demokratie”: intended as a light-hearted pop tune, the song is played even now when it comes to upholding democratic values. 

Nowadays most countries in the world have a democratic constitution, on paper at least. But how democratic are the democracies of today? And what does it even mean: democracy?

 

Protest at all costs? Climate change mitigation organisations such as “Last Generation”, “Extinction Rebellion” and “Ende Gelände” use campaigns with high media exposure to cause provocation across Europe – some of which fall outside the confines of the law. Is this type of activism still a legitimate element of a democratic system?
 

Is it possible to control the power of the big social media platforms using democratic processes? Cultural scientist Michael Seemann talks about the shaping of public opinion in the digital space.
 

The All-Poland Women's Strike is a movement that has mobilised people from big cities and small towns throughout the country. Co-initiator Marta Lempart explains the social and political changes driven by the strike and why it has turned into an anti-government protest.

Human rights lawyer and author Maureen Webb explains how “technical fixes” can exacerbate bias and discrimination, and how hackers are fighting to protect our democratic rights in the digital space.