Dear Audience,
For us, reading is the best way to untangle complex realities. In light of the current global political situation, both great storytelling and rigorously researched analysis can offer hope.
With the new episode of our podcast »Read, Read, Read«, the ilb remains attuned to the global pulse of our time. Together with the Belgian author and historian David Van Reybrouck, I invite you to travel back to the year 2016 to take a closer look at the democratic principle of voting.
In 2026, more than 50 pivotal political elections will take place: In addition to five state elections in Germany, there will be presidential elections in Portugal, Slovenia, and Estonia, as well as parliamentary elections in Hungary, Scotland, and Israel. In early November, the United States will elect its House of Representatives and Senate. Yet even when these processes adhere to internationally recognized democratic standards, Van Reybrouck raised the provocative question a full ten years ago of whether elections are truly democratic—or ever have been.
In the fifth episode of the podcast »The End of Elections?«, the author of the book »Against Elections« (Wallstein Verlag, 2016) explains, in conversation with Gregor Dotzauer at the 16th ilb, what makes him question the electoral system and which alternatives are worth trying out.
You can find the podcast episodes here | apple and here | spotify
Have a listen—and feel free to subscribe to our podcast if you enjoyed this episode.
We hope to see you at the festival in September 2026. Until then, you can explore the ilb through the podcast and recordings of past events (www.youtube.com/@festivalberlin)!
With warm regards,
Nora Mengel
Program Manager