FT News Briefing

Martin Wolf and Fiona Hill on democracy’s year of peril

Jun 23, 2024

Fiona Hill, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former foreign policy advisor to three U.S. presidents, joins Martin Wolf for a compelling discussion on the state of democracy. They explore the troubling rise of populism and autocratic leaders globally. Hill draws striking parallels between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, while criticizing Congress's dysfunction. She warns against complacency even if Biden wins, stressing the fragility of democratic institutions and the geopolitical implications for a potential second Trump presidency.

33:12

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Episode guests

Fiona Hill

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Quick takeaways

Growing support for populist parties poses a threat to democracy globally.

Leaders like Trump and Putin exhibit tendencies to consolidate personal power.

US Congress' failure to fulfill its role threatens democratic governance.

Deep dives

Russian Presidential Contest and Interference

In a discussion with an expert on Russian geopolitics, the podcast highlights the controversial 2019 Russian presidential contest won by Vladimir Putin with a dubious 88% of the vote. The episode addresses Russia's interference in global elections, blurring lines between fact and fiction, posing a significant threat to democracies worldwide.

Challenges and Uncertainties in U.S. Politics Post-election

04:00

The Importance of Checks and Balances in Post-Soviet Russia

01:15

Intro

2min

Democracy on the Edge

6min

Democracy on the Edge

21min

Elections as Pivots: The Future of Liberal Democracy

3min

Uncertainties of Leadership and the Threat to Democracy

2min

Across the world, billions of citizens are being asked to cast their vote in elections taking place in more than 50 countries, and in many places, populist, illiberal and far-right parties are either growing in support or consolidating gains they have already made. Fiona Hill, who served as senior director for European and Russian affairs on the National Security Council in the Trump White House from 2017 to 2019, tells Martin Wolf about the parallels she sees between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, why she believes the US Congress has failed and how she will not be breathing a sigh of relief if President Joe Biden wins in the November polls. Clips: The Times, The Sunday Times, CSpan

Links:

Martin Wolf column: Fascism has changed, but it is not dead

For Martin’s other FT columns click here

This episode is presented by Martin Wolf. The producer is Sandra Kanthal. Production help from Sonja Hutson. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and the sound engineer is Nigel Appleton. The FT's global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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FT News Briefing

Martin Wolf and Fiona Hill on democracy’s year of peril

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Russian Presidential Contest and Interference

Comparative Analysis: Yeltsin's Actions and Trump's Presidency

Democratic Challenges Globally

US Political Fractures and Constitutional Crisis

Uncertainty in US Election Outcomes and Democratic System

Challenges and Uncertainties in U.S. Politics Post-election

The Importance of Checks and Balances in Post-Soviet Russia

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts