It seems a fairly unanimous assessment that for several decades, social struggles and solidarity movements have had to take a defensive stance rather than one of progress or of conquering new rights. Everywhere democracy seems to be in retreat, to be under threat, to default on its promises of political equality and guaranteed liberties. On the contrary, authoritarian, conservative governments, “populist” or far-right, are on the rise. Meanwhile, those who fight for a fairer world are increasingly subjected to violence by the state’s repressive apparatus. How are we to understand this rising repression and the shrinking of democratic expression? And what can we do about it?

This issue n°22 of the Passerelle Collection examines the relationship between private interests and political power, analyses the current forms of repression that contribute to “locking down” democracy, as well as the (new) forms of resistance and struggle emerging in this admitedly stifling context.

It is urgent to better understand the world in which the struggle is developing in order to adjust individual and collective strategies for winning our new battles, open up democratic space again, go back on the offensive and re-empower people to build the world we aspire to...