How to Save Democracy
How to Save Democracy
Podcast Description
Democracy is in trouble. Around the world, trust is breaking down, systems are creaking, and people are walking away. But we still believe in it. Not as something we have, but as something we do.
How To Save Democracy is a podcast about repairing our relationship with democracy, hosted by Omezzine Khelifa and Jon Alexander, with producer Jo Barratt. We hold space for the hard conversations — the ones we all know we need to have.
We’re starting with four pilot episodes — a Season Zero. But this is just the beginning. if you want more, we need your help. Sign up, spread the word, and if you can, support us. Let’s rebuild democracy together.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores themes including civic engagement, political reform, and participatory democracy, with specific episodes like 'Citizen is a Verb' emphasizing the active role of citizens and 'Facing the Menace' addressing the current challenges facing democracies worldwide. It delves into stories of individuals reimagining democratic practices and the historical context of democratic movements.
Democracy is in trouble. Around the world, trust is breaking down, systems are creaking, and people are walking away. But we still believe in it. Not as something we have, but as something we do.
How To Save Democracy is a podcast about repairing our relationship with democracy, hosted by Omezzine Khelifa and Jon Alexander, with producer Jo Barratt. We hold space for the hard conversations — the ones we all know we need to have.
We’re starting with four pilot episodes — a Season Zero. But this is just the beginning. if you want more, we need your help. Sign up, spread the word, and if you can, support us. Let’s rebuild democracy together.
In September 2025, Jon hosted a live event in Dublin exploring the past, present and future of one of the most exciting democratic experiments of recent times. Over the last 15 years, Ireland’s Citizens’ Assembly has brought nearly 600 randomly selected citizens together to deliberate on issues from abortion to marriage equality to biodiversity, before making recommendations to elected officials. Join us as we delve into what happened, how, and why – and ask whether this approach could help save democracy all over the world.
Art O’Leary is chief executive at An Coimisiún Toghcháin, the Electoral Commission of Ireland, the management and oversight organisation for electoral and wider democracy matters, and Secretary to the Citizens’ Assembly.
Louise Caldwell is one of the randomly selected citizens to have taken part in the Assembly, and has since joined the board of People Powered, the global advocacy organisation for participatory democracy.
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