Santos warns of global democracy decline, calls for stronger multilateralism

Former Colombian President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Juan Manuel Santos has issued a stark warning regarding the global deterioration of democracies, emphasizing the urgent need to bolster institutions and multilateralism. Speaking at the Gabo Festival, Santos highlighted growing polarization as a significant threat to the capacity of democracies to forge consensus.

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Democracies need one word: moderation. If they lose moderation, they lose the capacity to make transactions between different groups and between different interests. And if they lose that capacity, democracies stop functioning.

"Democracies need one word: moderation. If they lose moderation, they lose the capacity to make transactions between different groups and between different interests. And if they lose that capacity, democracies stop functioning," Santos stated. He observed this crisis extending beyond Colombia, affecting various countries where political leaders increasingly question democratic institutions.

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We must defend institutionalism, which is the foundation of democracies, not people, but institutions.

Santos strongly rejected unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud, arguing that such accusations erode public trust. "We must defend institutionalism, which is the foundation of democracies, not people, but institutions," he asserted, referencing international observers' validation of the Colombian electoral process. He also expressed concern over the weakening of the multilateral system and the United Nations' role amid escalating international conflicts and tensions between major powers.

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I know that women are better at making peace than men. In the peace process in Colombia, when there were very serious problems, it was women who in many cases helped to resolve them.

As president of The Elders, an organization founded by Nelson Mandela, Santos reiterated his support for a woman to succeed the current UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres. He believes women are inherently better "peace builders," citing their crucial role in resolving serious issues during Colombia's peace process. However, he acknowledged that the final decision rests with the permanent members of the UN Security Council, the United States, Russia, and China, who will likely agree on a candidate they perceive as non-threatening.

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Those who will end up deciding are the United States, Russia, and China, and they will agree on someone who does not represent a threat to them.