Overview

Exploring how Russia and Turkey have shaped the contestation of democracy across South-Eastern Europe and Eurasia over the past two decades, Sonja Katharina Schiffers examines the pivotal role of gatekeeper elites in Georgia and Bosnia, how their choices enable or resist authoritarian and illiberal external influence, and assesses the counterpressure exerted by the EU and US. Drawing on nearly one hundred exclusive interviews, this book offers a detailed account of Russian and Turkish external influence and its consequences for democracy in Georgia and Bosnia since the early 2000s. Combining rigorous analysis with practical insights, this book delivers compelling policy recommendations for those committed to defending liberal democracies.

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9781350506749

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Reviews

This valuable book sheds light on a critical question: which pathways autocracies use while undermining democratization efforts. Understanding such mechanisms is key to developing effective counter-strategies * Anna Lührmann, Member of the German Bundestag, Germany * At a time when many in the EU worry about illiberal interferences in Eastern Europe and beyond, this book comes at the right moment. Focusing on Georgia and Bosnia, the book investigates the causal mechanisms by which Russia and Turkey – together with domestic actors – try to undermine democracy. A must-read for everybody worried about the future of liberal democracy! * Thomas Risse, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany *

Author Information

Sonja Katharina Schiffers is Director at the Heinrich Böll Foundation Tbilisi Office - South Caucasus Region, Georgia. Previously, Schiffers worked on foreign policy and Eastern European Affairs with Alliance 90/The Greens Parliamentary Group and a Green Member of the German Bundestag. She was a member of the Advisory Board to the German Government for Civilian Crisis Prevention and Peacebuilding between 2018-2024.

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