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Timeline of democratic erosion: Major legislative attacks by right-wing populist governments, 2010–2024

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2010

Hungary
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Hungary

2011

Hungary
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Hungary

  • Fidesz introduced a new constitution, which allowed for the redrawing of electoral districts, and culled the number of parliamentary seats from 386 to 199.
  • Fidesz packed the Constitutional Court with judges supportive of the party’s agenda. The party’s majority allowed it to expand the court’s size from 11 judges to 15 judges and to appoint loyal judges without any negotiation with the opposition.

2012

Hungary
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Hungary

Georgia
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Georgia

2015

Poland
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Poland

2018

Poland
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Poland

  • PiS purged Poland’s Supreme Court by introducing reforms that lowered the retirement age of justices from 70 to 65, effectively forcing out 27 sitting judges—about one-third of the court—including the chief justice.
Hungary
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Hungary

  • Fidesz passed the “Stop Soros” law, which criminalized providing aid to undocumented migrants and imposed restrictions on nongovernmental organizations and independent media outlets.

2019

Hungary
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Hungary

  • Following opposition gains in local elections, the governing Fidesz party passed a series of laws that reduced the powers of municipal governments, curtailed university autonomy, and brought key cultural institutions under centralized state control.

2020

Poland
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Poland

  • Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal imposed a nationwide ban on abortions except in cases of rape or incest or if the mother’s health is at risk.

2024

India
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India

  • The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government passed the Citizenship Amendment Act to exclude Muslim immigrants from pathways to citizenship.
  • The BJP-led government revoked Article 370, stripping self-governance from the Muslim-majority region of Jammu and Kashmir and leading to military lockdowns, mass arrests of political leaders, and the restriction of movement.
Georgia
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Georgia

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