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applegrove

(132,452 posts)
Mon Apr 13, 2026, 01:34 PM Yesterday

Illiberalism Is Not Inevitable

Illiberalism Is Not Inevitable

April 13, 2026 at 11:39 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 108 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2026/04/13/illiberalism-is-not-inevitable/


Anne Applebaum: “Orbán’s loss brings to an end the assumption of inevitability that has pervaded the MAGA movement, as well as the belief—also present in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rhetoric—that illiberal parties are somehow destined not just to win but to hold power forever, because they have the support of the “real” people. As it turns out, history doesn’t work like that. “Real” people grow tired of their rulers. Old ideas become stale. Younger people question orthodoxy. Illiberalism leads to corruption.”

“And if Orbán can lose, then his Russian and American admirers can lose too.”
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