Elections Can Reverse Authoritarian Drift

A sustained, large‑scale mobilization at ordinary elections — combined with institutional resistance in courts, civil service and civic actors — can roll back attempts by an elected leader to entrench authoritarian powers without a violent rupture. The article argues the 2026 U.S. midterms exemplify that dynamic, where voters and institutional pushback together forestalled further democratic erosion. — If true, the idea reshapes strategy for democratic defense: prioritizing electoral mobilization and institutional safeguards over extraordinary remedies or permanent emergency measures.