Democracy in Danger: Workshop to Strengthen Civil Resilience in Asia!

Democracy in Danger: Workshop to Strengthen Civil Resilience in Asia!

A lively discussion about democracy

On November 3, 2025, an illustrious group of civil society activists from eleven countries in Asia and Africa will gather in Bangkok. Under the title “Reimagining Democracy in Asia: Addressing the Threat of Backsliding,” International IDEA is offering a mini-workshop as part of the International Civil Society Week. This is not just about theory, but about developing concrete steps to strengthen democratic structures.

The workshop highlights that there is no universal route to democracy. Rather, the interregional exchange of experiences and ideas is seen as essential in order to find innovative solutions together. The event is based on the latest publications from International IDEA, which offer valuable insights into the challenges of democratic regression. Participants discuss many facets: from institutional design to applicable strategies to strengthen the political landscape.

Democracy on the move

South and Southeast Asia are at the center of a complex conflict between democracy and autocracy. This region experiences a colorful mosaic of political systems, ranging from resilient democracies like Malaysia and Indonesia to collapsed democracies like Myanmar and Cambodia. In recent years, according to Freedom House, nine countries have experienced declines in their political rights and civil liberties, underscoring the importance of the Bangkok workshop.

Christine from the Atlantic Council analyzes the challenges in the region, such as China's influence and dealing with disinformation. The need for a differentiated approach to democracy support is becoming increasingly clear: support for resilient democracies should promote a solid democratic infrastructure, while at the same time fragile democratic structures must be given support.

Strengthening democratic resilience

But what does it actually mean to strengthen the resilience of democracy? As the Federal Agency for Civic Education states, it is crucial that not only new ideas are developed, but also an understanding of existing problems is required. An important aspect of this is the ability of democratic institutions to cope with external and internal challenges and adapt. The discussions in Bangkok should make an important contribution to this.

A look at the past shows that democracies are often fragile. The experiences of the last two waves of autocratization in the 20th century support the importance of workshops like this to promote the democratic mentality. Especially now, when political systems in many countries around the world are under pressure, an active exchange of knowledge and strategies is more important than ever.

The upcoming mini-workshop in Bangkok could therefore not only become a platform for the exchange of ideas, but also a decisive step for the future of democracy in the region. The world is watching the developments with excitement, because as we have learned, the paths to democracy are diverse - and each is unique. It is all the more important to identify weaknesses and take steps to strengthen them.

For more information and to keep up to date with the results of the workshop, you can contact us at asiapacific@idea.int contact.