USA (Washington Insider Magazine)—In their follow-up to How Democracies Die, authors Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky outline three essential rules for political parties: accept election results, reject violence for power, and break ties with extremists. They argue that following the 2020 election, only one U.S. political party violated all three rules.
As the third anniversary of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack approaches, former President Donald Trump remains the leading Republican candidate for 2024, still refusing to concede his loss to President Joe Biden. Instead of denouncing the rioters, Trump has suggested pardoning those convicted of related violent crimes and continues to embrace extremist supporters at his rallies, referring to them as patriots.
Moreover, many Republican leaders who previously condemned Trump’s actions now support his candidacy, including those who sought safety during the Capitol riot. This shift reflects a significant alignment of the party’s leadership with Trump’s controversial stance, raising concerns about the future of American democracy.
