Photo Gallery The Era of the Autocrats

Autocratic leaders and wannabes, from Putin to Trump, are making political inroads around the world. In recent years, Western liberal democracy has failed to live up to some of its core promises, helping to fuel the current wave of illiberalism.
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The strength of autocratic leaders is growing around the world. A propaganda poster here in Beijing touts Chinese President Xi Jinping. Many believe that the powerful leader presents a greater challenge to Western democracy than Putin, Trump or Erdogan. China's economic rise has shown that freedom isn't always necessary for success.

Foto: Andy Wong/ AP
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, well-known for his authoritarian tendencies hasn't created economic success for his country, but his provocations have ensured that Russia again has a voice in the world. "Russia has risen from its knees," people in the country often say.

Foto: SPUTNIK/ REUTERS
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Authoritarians are often elected democratically, as is the case with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Once in power, though, they often change the laws in their favor. Later this month, Erdogan is expected to win an election that will secure his leadership at least until 2023.

Foto: Murad Sezer/ REUTERS
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So far, checks and balances in the U.S. political and judicial systems have prevented the worst of Donald Trump's excesses, but the American president still dreams of wielding absolute power and views himself as being both above the law and above internationally accepted norms of behavior.

Foto: NEIL HALL/ POOL/ EPA-EFE/ REX/ Shutterstock
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The EU is also home to leaders with authoritarian leanings, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. His people now occupy not only all key positions in Hungarian ministries and agencies, but also in universities, clinics, theaters and courtrooms. He has also managed to bring a large part of the economy under his control by way of a network of companies that are well-disposed toward him.

Foto: Bernadett Szabo/ REUTERS
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Jaroslaw Kaczyinski, the head of Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, apparently would like to see the separation of powers mitigated in order to grant political leaders greater leeway. His party has already largely disempowered Poland's constitutional court.

Foto: REUTERS
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Supporters of Emmanuel Macron after his election as president in Paris in May 2017. Part of the disappointment in the Western system is that great visions often wind up as small compromises in democracies.

Foto: BENOIT TESSIER/ REUTERS