Subject: Coalitions | Journal of Democracy

October 2026, Volume 37, Issue 4

How to Build the Right Coalition

Rachel Kleinfeld

Opposition parties cannot defeat backsliding incumbents alone, but big united fronts often fail, too. The important choice lies between unity coalitions and quiet ones—and knowing which to choose can make all the difference.

October 2026, Volume 37, Issue 4

How to Break an Autocrat’s Coalition

Laura Gamboa

Autocrats look invincible until their allies start to walk away. Defections have brought down regimes from Guatemala to Hungary, and they can be engineered: Raise the costs of standing with the autocrat and ease the path out.