IS CORONAVIRUS A CHANCE TO GRAB EVEN MORE POWER?

In functioning democracies, any request by a leader for "emergency powers" is rightly subjected to scrutiny. If granted, a suspension of normal constitutional practice will generally come with a strict time limit attached. Boris Johnson's coronavirus bill, which gives sweeping new powers to ministers, was passed last week with the proviso that MPs would vote every six months on whether it should be renewed. In France, President Emmanuel Macron's more wide-ranging and draconian emergency measures have a lifespan of two months.

It should come as little surprise that the situation is different in Hungary. With characteristic ruthlessness, the prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has taken the political maxim "never let a crisis go to waste" and run with it. In recent years, he has consolidated his power in office by curbing the independenceof Hungary's courts and media, and restricting the activities of NGOs. This week he will almost certainly acquire dictatorial powers. The Hungarian parliament, dominated by his Fidesz party, is expected to rubber-stamp the "protecting against the coronavirus" law, ushering in an indefinite period of what amounts to one-man rule in an EU member state.

Hence, we can distinctly believe that coronavirus is a chance for Europe's most authoritarian leaders to marginalise critics and political opposition, but why is this pandemic such a good pretext for them to grab so much power?

ANSWER:

 Because people are afraid. They are afraid and they need somebody to put their trust in, somebody fiducial and able to protect them.

Countries may not always get the leader they deserve, but the coronavirus pandemic has certainly revealed what kind of leader they've gotten, hence this is the perfect time for others to became trustworthy in the public eye and grab all political strings.

For example, for Vladimir Putin, the coronavirus outbreak may have come at a convenient time., as the global pandemic has allowed the Russian president to argue his rule must be secured until 2036 to avoid "upheaval," while also conveniently ruling out any mass protests on safety grounds.

"We can see how difficult the situation in the global policy, security and the global economy is," he said in a speech in parliament, explaining why a "reset" of the presidential term limits that would allow him to run for a fifth term should be included in constitutional amendments. 

Moreover, in order to be sure, Putin didn't need the coronavirus outbreak to push through his constitutional amendments. Although nearly half of Russians in January said they see the changes as nothing more than an attempt to keep him in power, a poll last week found 57 percent of Russians would still be willing to vote for him in 2024. Still, the epidemic has helped him to clear a path to return to the presidency in 2024 and 2030 with almost no dissent at all - and provided an excuse to crack down on demonstrations.

"Democratic leaders have to avoid any statement criticizing the actions of other leaders that might downplay the significance of the pandemic," says Nic Cheeseman, professor of democracy at the University of Birmingham. "But their silence now risks handing authoritarians a blank check to cash at a future date."Worse, during a pandemic, strongman leaders can impose extraordinary measures in lockstep with nations like the United Kingdom and Italy, making them appear altogether more ordinary.

"The worrying thing during a crisis is that leaders with authoritarian instincts can claim to only be doing what some established democracies are doing," says Cheeseman." But while robust democracies are expected to eventually roll back such measures, citizens in weak democracies might get saddled with them at the behest of the leader".

Hence, this is the perfect moment for power-hungry  leaders to grab even more political power, but if citizens are informed and aware of the current situation this will never happen. Thus, my recommendationfor you is to spread the word and keep yourself as informed as possible, take care of yourself and #STAYHOME!

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