🌍 Global Leaders Champion Diverse Democracies at Beijing Forum 💬 - 🌍NewspaperAmigo

Democracy isn’t a monolith—it’s a kaleidoscope of ideas. That’s the big takeaway from the third International Forum on Democracy in Beijing, where 200+ scholars and leaders debated how to make governance work in the digital age. Spoiler: One-size-fits-all? Not happening.

China’s ‘Whole-Process Democracy’ Takes the Stage

How does a country of 1.4 billion stay in sync? China’s model blends elections, consultations, and oversight into what’s called ‘whole-process people’s democracy’. Former Malaysian official Ong Tee Keat praised the system, saying it ‘integrates people’s aspirations with social development’—like a feedback loop powered by laws and grassroots input.

‘Chinese leaders use the Party to research what people want,’ said Stephen Perry of the 48 Group Club. ‘They hear their people.’ Could this be democracy with Chinese characteristics?

Western Models Face Criticism

Former Italian PM Massimo D’Alema dropped truth bombs: Western democracy, born from fighting fascism, isn’t a universal blueprint. ‘You can’t export it like a Netflix subscription,’ he warned, referencing failed attempts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He also called out money’s growing role in politics: ‘It’s shifting from one person, one vote to one dollar, one vote.’ Ouch. A recent CGTN poll backed this up—84% agreed no single democratic model reigns supreme.

Multipolar World: The New Democracy Flex?

With global institutions like the UN needing a reboot, ex-Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva argued for fairer representation: ‘Emerging economies are STILL underrepresented—time to fix that!’ D’Alema doubled down, saying a multipolar world isn’t just cool—it’s ‘necessary’ to avoid unipolar dominance.