Politics & Government
Democratic Backsliding and the Role of Constitutional Courts
Quick fact
In Hungary, after Fidesz won a supermajority in 2010, the government quickly changed the constitution to pack the Constitutional Court with loyalists. By 2013, the court had become a reliable ally, enabling further erosion of checks and balances. This pattern, known as 'autocratic legalism', shows how courts can be turned from guardians into accomplices.
Why this is interesting
Imagine a country where elections still happen, but the political game is rigged from the inside—not by soldiers, but by judges in robes. How can democracy die while everyone is just following the law?