At the University of Latvia, experts and students took part in a discussion on Latvijas Radio’s “Krustpunktā” programme, exploring how disagreements over values can be addressed and what direction Latvian democracy is taking. The discussion featured philosopher and Associate Professor at Rīga Stradiņš University Vents Sīlis, economist and Professor at the University of Latvia Gundars Bērziņš, as well as University of Latvia Professor and Chairman of the Board of the LaSER think tank Daunis Auers.
The discussion focused on issues including the Istanbul Convention, human rights, media freedom, and European democratic standards, as well as the broader question of how resilient democracy is and what conditions are necessary for it to endure in the face of deep societal value conflicts.
Particular attention was given to the possible transformation of democracy – whether we are gradually moving from liberal democracy towards a more nationally oriented model, and whether contemporary democracies can sometimes become little more than a façade of democratic form. It was noted that democratic systems themselves contain a certain risk of self-destruction: historically, both Adolf Hitler and Viktor Orbán came to power through democratic processes, raising questions about how strong democratic institutions and safeguards need to be.
Reflecting on the modernisation of Latvia’s political system, Auers also addressed a practical question: what should political parties’ election programmes look like? In his view, an election programme should serve not only a traditional promotional function, but also become a clear roadmap for future action. As an example, he referred to Ireland, where election programmes can exceed 150 pages and are treated as substantive policy documents.
The discussion is part of Latvijas Radio’s “Krustpunktā” discussion series at Latvian higher education institutions, which aims to explore how Latvian students envision the country’s development following the next Saeima elections.
The full discussion is available here – Latvijas Radio’s “Krustpunktā”.
Foto: LSm