CALD Conference in Yogyakarta addresses global democratic resilience

The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) convened the Conference on Democratic Resilience in Southeast and East Asia and the 9th CALD Party Management Workshop in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The forum addressed the global rise of populism and the decline of democracy, noting that these challenges affect both developing nations and established democracies like the United States and Germany.

Florencio “Butch” Abad, Chairperson of CALD, highlighted that liberal democracy faces crises when economic and political power concentrates among elites, leaving the working class without economic certainty or political voice. He proposed “working-class liberalism” as a way to reconstruct social-democratic values.

During a cultural welcome event at Gadingan Cultural Village, PDI Perjuangan Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto emphasized the role of culture in maintaining democratic spaces. He suggested that cultural traditions can help preserve social harmony and provide a peaceful means for society to voice social criticism when facing authoritarian populism.