Deliberative Democracy in the EU. Countering Populism with Participation and Debate

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)  2020

Elections are the preferred way to freely transfer power from one term to the next and from one political party or coalition to another. They are an essential element of democracy. But if the process of
power transfer is corrupted, democracy risks collapse. Reliance on voters, civil society organisations and neutral observers to fully exercise their freedoms as laid down in international human rights
conventions is an integral part of holding democratic elections. Without free, fair and regular elections, liberal democracy is inconceivable.