Asia: “Democracy is not in peril”

“The pessimistic view is that democracy is in regression, a worldwide setback,” Jose Ramos-Horta, President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, noted in his special message to the “All About Democracy” Conference of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) in Manila, the Philippines. “My view is that these are temporary phenomena”, said President Horta, who became an Honorary Individual Member of CALD this year.

That spirit of defiant optimism kicked off three days of debate and experience sharing as liberal politicians, academics, journalists and civil society organizations from across Asia gathered in Manila to confront one of the defining questions of our time: is democracy in peril? What enables democracies to resist, recover and renew after the onslaught of shocks that threaten democratic institutions, norms and practices?

The answer, at least at CALD´s conference, was reassuring: democracy will endure but not without struggle, adaptation and renewal. Participants were particularly pleased to welcome Hasto Kristiyanto, Secretary General of Indonesia´s Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), in Manila. Pak Hasto was imprisoned for five months last year on dubious charges and eventually relased.

“Democracy is not rice”

“We must remember something that is easy to forget in times of hunger and fear: Democracy is not rice. It will not fill an empty stomach. When people say, ‘we cannot eat democracy’, they are not wrong”, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan of the Liberal Party of the Philippines said in his keynote speech. However, democracy remains fundamental to our society, he insists. “Democracy does something just as essential for a full human life. It feeds the psyche and nourishes the spirit. It gives each person the sense that they are not simply an object of decisions, but a subject in history - a maker of decisions, a bearer of dignity, a participant in shared future.”

Building Resilience: Bottom-up Approach

“Democratic resilience must be rooted in civil society”, said Alysa Chiu, Deputy Head of the International Department of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). “Resilience doesn’t come from top leadership but from informed, engaged citizens. Taiwan is not a perfect democracy, but a persistent one,” she noted, highlighting the importance of trust-building within society and with regional democratic partners.

James Gomez, founder of the Asia Centre, also emphasized this notion. “Strengthening civil society is a key source of democratic resilience.” He encouraged political parties to deepen their ties with grassroots organizations.

However, resilience cannot be improvised. Almut Besold, Head of the Manila office of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, argued that resilience had to be cultivated early. Former Secretary of Budget and Management of the Philippines, Florencio “Butch” Abad, echoed this view, advocating for civic education rooted in democratic values as the foundation for an engaged and organized citizenry.

Resilience Circuit in the Brain

Chee Soon Juan, Secretary General of the Singapore Democratic Party, offered a more philosophical take. He warned that if mainstream parties failed to speak to younger generations and broader societal concerns, authoritarian movements would fill the vacuum. Yet he remained optimistic. Societies, he argued, can grow psychologically stronger after democratic crises. "It is a unique human quality, which we all possess as a resilience circuit in our brain," he said, suggesting that adversity can reinforce democratic commitment rather than erode it.

Isra Sunthornvut, Deputy Leader of Thailand’s Democrat Party, framed resilience in starker, more political terms: the capacity to recover after defeat. He reflected how his party had come back amidst the rise of nationalism and conservatism in Thailand. “To fight, you have to have a person who a group of people can rally around and who you can put your faith in.” The Democrat Party in Thailand rallied around Abhisit Vejjajiva. He gave hope to people to support the party, demonstrating how leadership can sustain political movements in adverse conditions, Mr. Isra argued.

Women Panel — After the conversation on Violence Against Women in Politics Panel at CALD's Gala Dinner in Manila. from left to right: Kimhun Thit (Cambodia), Jaslyn Go (CALD's Women Caucus Chair), Michelle Wu (Taiwan), Leila de Lima (Philippines), V Srivarathanabul (Thailand), Mara Cepeda (Moderator), Francis "Blue" Abaya (CALD) and Moritz Kleine-Brockhoff (FNF Asia)
© Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD)

When women are endorsed, democracy is endorsed

The conference also addressed a critical but often underexamined issue: violence against women in politics. The Philippine´s Liberal Party Chair Leila de Lima called for more women leadership in politics and for democratic resilience. She noted, “When violence targets a woman because she participates in politics, it is not merely a personal matter, it is an attempt to suppress democratic participation.”

Michelle Wu, deputy director for youth development at Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party, called for an end to all forms of violence against women in politics, noting that even Taiwan — a leader in women's political representation, partly due to a quota system — falls short when it comes to women's participation in the broader workforce after age 30. V. Srivarathanabul, a spokesperson and a parliamentary candidate for Thailand's Democrat Party, called for more platforms like CALD to amplify women's voices in regional democratic conversations.

A New Leadership for a New Era

In a symbolic break from the past, CALD held its first-ever elections to choose their leadership positions for general assembly, women caucus and the youth wing, replacing the rotation system that had governed the organization for decades.

On March 28 2026, the candidate of the Liberal Party of the Philippines, Florencio “Butch” Abad, was elected as the new chairman of CALD. Abad had previously served as CALD chairman from 1999 to 2000. He also served as Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management under then president Benigno Aquino III.

“My friends, in 2000, we believe democracy was the future. In 2026, we must fight to ensure it still is,” Mr. Abad said in his acceptance speech. “Let us ensure that democracy that does not merely survive, but is renewed, reimagined and made worthy of the future.”

Jaslyn Go from the Singapore Democratic Party returned as a chair of the CALD women caucus and Michelle Wu from Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party was chosen to lead CALD´s youth wing.

The conference was not just a gathering. It was a statement and a promise that liberal and democratic parties in Asia are not retreating. They are organizing, adapting and building strength.

*Hnin Wint Naing is the Regional Communications Officer at the Asia Office of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.