A common refrain among progressives is that democratic backsliding is a symptom of only rightist politics. That’s a load of hogwash.
Yes, some right-wing leaders have precipitated turns toward illiberalism in several countries, but this is hardly a problem exclusive to the Right. If you need proof, look no further than our neighbor to the south.
In Mexico, left-wing populist president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, known by his initials AMLO, has done his utmost to imperil democracy. Since late 2018, AMLO has defunded several autonomous agencies critical of his policies and depleted the funds of more than 100 state-controlled trust funds, disregarded the fundamental separation of powers among the three branches of government, violated electoral laws, and weaponized the state’s investigative and prosecutorial powers against his political opponents. More recently, he enacted legislation that will curb the power of the National Electoral Institute (INE), the independent watchdog that oversees elections, and baselessly accused the Pentagon of spying on his government.
Now, AMLO’s left-wing allies are trying to cover for him. Last month, the socialist magazine Jacobin published a piece titled “No, AMLO Is Not Undermining Mexican Democracy.” But they can’t hide the truth.
In a world where demagoguery has become the norm, the notion that democratic backsliding is only a problem of the right is a convenient oversimplification. It’s easy to point fingers at right-wing nationalist leaders, but illiberalism can emerge from anywhere on the political spectrum. It’s time for progressives to acknowledge that the fight for liberal democracy is not just about opposing right-wing demagogues.