Elected Authoritarians don’t seize power with tanks—they quietly capture courts, parliaments, parties, and electoral boards. In this episode of the Anti-Authoritarian Toolkit Podcast, we explore how democracy defenders can resist from inside the system when civic space is under attack. From judges and civil servants to election officials and whistleblowers, we uncover the tactics, alliances, and moral courage it takes to hold the line, protect institutions, and turn them into sites of democratic pushback—keeping hope alive even in captured states.
Mussa Assad has been the Controller and Auditor General of the Republic of Tanzania and is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Accounting at the University of Dar Es Salaam.
Deus Valentine is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at the Centre for Strategic Litigation
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The Anti-Authoritarian Podcast Series is produced by Democracy Hub.
Executive production: Agustina Manuele
Production: Denise Menache
Audio recording and processing: Manuel Clemente, Chuco Sounds
Editing: Andy Cukier