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2025-12-09

The session, held at the Clube de Tiro e Sport de Coimbra, aimed to foster civic debate and promote in-depth reflection on the contemporary challenges facing democratic regimes.

The Instituto Superior Miguel Torga (ISMT), in collaboration with the Coimbra Business School (ISCAC), organised the presentation of the book "Como Proteger a Democracia" (How to Protect Democracy) by journalist David Dinis on the 9th of December 2025. The session, held at the Clube de Tiro e Sport de Coimbra, aimed to foster civic debate and promote in-depth reflection on the contemporary challenges facing democratic regimes.

The book, subtitled "The arrival of the radical right to power and the challenge of caring for Portugal's future", takes on a pedagogical purpose, seeking to warn against political risks and stimulate critical thinking, with a particular focus on younger generations. The presentation was led by MP Gonçalo Capitão, who highlighted the relevance of the publication, which begins with a grounded simulation of a Chega government scenario. During his intervention, the MP emphasised the speed with which populist phenomena have been normalised in the public sphere, drawing parallels with patterns observed in Hungary, Poland, and the United States.

David Dinis explained that the motivation for writing the book arose following the last legislative elections, relying on data and comparative studies to analyse what these movements publicly advocate and how they act in a governance context. The author stressed that protecting democracy is a shared responsibility among political decision-makers, schools, media, associations, and citizens. The session also included an intervention by the lecturer and Vice-President of the ISMT Board of Directors, Humberto Oliveira, who reiterated the commitment of Higher Education institutions to promoting active citizenship. The event was supported by Civicus, SEDES, ANAM, and the Centre for the Valorisation of Local Elected Officials.