democracysuch

Democracysuch is a neologism used in political analysis to describe a pattern in which actors present themselves as defenders of democracy while eroding democratic norms and institutions. The term captures strategies that use democratic rhetoric—such as elections, referendums, and claims of popular sovereignty—yet concentrate power, suppress dissent, and weaken checks and balances. It is employed by scholars, journalists, and commentators to critique what they perceive as performative or instrumental uses of democracy to justify undemocratic actions.

Origins and usage: The phrase has no single origin or formal doctrine. It has appeared in online debates and comparative politics literature in the 2010s and 2020s, in reference to cases where leaders expand executive power through legalistic changes, co-opt or intimidate media, politicize the judiciary, and restrict civil liberties while maintaining a democratic veneer.

Key features: reliance on procedural democratic instruments to legitimize non-democratic outcomes; framing policy changes in democratic terms; selective tolerance of opposition; rapid legal changes with limited public scrutiny.

Criticism: Critics argue the term can be pejorative or vague, risking overgeneralization. Proponents say it draws attention to subtle forms of democratic backsliding that do not involve outright abolition of elections.

See also: democracy, democratic backsliding, illiberal democracy, populism.