http://dx.doi.org/10.59704/e9522750ced961e9 https://verfassungsblog.de/free-assembly-for-a-free-people/ Free Assembly for a Free People Müller, Jan-Werner eng 2025-10-17 electronic resource text/html ddc:342 democracy freedom of assembly Verfassungsblog Verfassungsblog--2366-7044 CC BY-SA 4.0 In the age of the internet, people coming together in physical space still matters a great deal.  This is especially true in countries where democracy is under threat.  As has become increasingly clear during the past twenty years of the “global democratic recession,” existing institutions, not least courts, often fail to stop aspiring autocrats, while citizens on streets and squares might push back effectively – at least sometimes.  Yet virtually everywhere the right to assemble has become more restricted.  Even in non-autocratic contexts, states are ready to crack down on particular people. It is urgent to reverse this trend.