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At the heart of this book is the idea that President Trump's governing style has been a prelude to the semi-democratic authoritarian government that could take hold after the white majority of voters, who have the keys to wealth and power today, become a minority around 2050. With this in mind, the book analyzes Trump's attempt, squeezed between two impeachments in a single term - an all-time record -, murky relations with Russia and policy choices that are disrespectful of laws and the Constitution, to accredit himself as a plebiscitary leader and influencer of the nation, with claims of being a powerful man capable of acting with impunity, unchallenged and beyond the classic checks and balances mechanisms. Trump has exposed the fragility of American democracy due to the inadequacy of its " immune defenses" and set off alarm bells about the need for adequate reinforcements. The problem is all the more serious because the weakening of American democracy could result in the short-circuiting of other democracies in the rest of the world. In order to prevent this from happening, as far as legal techniques can, the authors suggest some steps that can be taken.
About the author
Mario Patrono is Professor Emeritus of Comparative and European Public Law at the University of Rome " La Sapienza." He has been Visiting Professor of Fundamentals of European Union Law and of Civil Law for Common Lawyers at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. He has published several works on the topics of Italian and comparative constitutional law and European Union law. He has also served as a member of the High Council of the Judiciary (1990- 1994) and of the Steering Committee of the Italian Association of Constitutionalists (AIC). Arianna Vedaschi is Full Professor of Comparative Public Law at Bocconi University in Milan. She has also been Visiting Professor at prestigious universities and research centers in Europe, the United States and Latin America. Author of monographs, essays and articles on the topics of emergency, national security and human rights from the comparative law perspective, she is co-editor of the journal Diritto Pubblico Comparato ed Europeo and member of the Steering Committee of the Italian Association of Comparative Law (AIDC).
