From Autocracy to Democracy: Portugal’s Trajectory

25 April 2023 marks the 49th anniversary of the Portuguese Democratic Revolution, also known as the Carnation Revolution, which put an end to 48 years of autocratic regime in Portugal. In celebration of this, International IDEA, in collaboration with the Embassy of Portugal in Stockholm, invites you to a discussion on the transition to democracy in Portugal and the lessons that can be drawn from it. Some of the questions that will be discussed are:

• How is Portugal situated in the global democracy setting today?
• What are the key lessons learned from the democratic transition process?
• How is the country navigating the global trend of increased autocracy?

The discussants will provide an assessment of the democratic developments in the country over the past 20 years and discuss how the Portuguese revolution successfully led to the establishment of a liberal democracy. They will also discuss the current trends in democracy and autocracy globally.

Welcome Remarks

• Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General, International IDEA
• Sara Martins, Ambassador of Portugal to Sweden

Presentation

• Dr Tiago Fernandes, Associate Professor, University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE)

Discussion Panel

• Dr Tiago Fernandes, Associate Professor, University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE)
• Professor Staffan I. Lindberg, Director, Varieties of Democracy Institute (V-Dem), University of Gothenburg
• Dr Seema Shah, Head of Democracy Assessment, International IDEA

Q&A, Moderated by Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General, International IDEA