Abstract

The thesis of the article is that the so-called “illiberal democracyµ, adopted to characterize nationalist populism, should rather be considered as a form of “majoritarian authoritarianismµ. The democratic rule of law indeed operates within the dimension of limits, guarantees, and balance: all of which serve to prevent law from being merely an act of will by those in authority. The principle of majority is not identical to the exclusive power of the majority, as it entails that opposition to government actions is possible and legitimate, that even the executive is subject to the law like any other power, and that its dominance is only temporary and never definitive. Protecting the freedoms of citizens not only serves to defend fundamental individual rights but also to ensure the effective exercise of political rights, and thus the functioning of the democratic rule of law.