On both sides of the Atlantic, popular confidence in political institutions has fallen and voters are increasingly disenchanted with mainstream political parties. In the United States, political polarization is at an all-time high, and in Europe political splintering is weakening long-established parties. Additionally, citizens are unable to determine which news sources are trustworthy and are increasingly influenced by fake news and conspiracy theories promulgated by both domestic and foreign actors (namely China and Russia). What are some of the causes of these trends and what can be done to address them?
On July 13, the ACG, World Affairs Council of America, and Atlantik-Bruecke hosted a discussion with Anne Applebaum, Staff Writer, The Atlantic in discussion with Dr. David Deissner, Executive Director, Atlantik-Brücke. This discussion is part of the series “Democracy on the Brink? Challenges to Democracy in Germany, Europe, and the United States and How to Confront Them” which is held under the auspices of Wunderbar Together 2021.