From Freedom to Framework: Is liberal democracy narrowing the space for dissent?

In this episode of Unconventional Knowledge, Prince Michael of Liechtenstein speaks with Karl-Peter Schwarz about the growing tension between democracy and freedom of expression in the West.

Starting from a warning by Pope Leo XIV, the conversation explores whether shrinking space for dissent reflects a deeper shift in how “liberal democracy” is understood and applied. Schwarz argues that, since the end of the Cold War, democratic systems have expanded beyond governance into shaping culture, language, and acceptable opinion.

Drawing on examples from Germany and Austria, the discussion examines the political and societal consequences, from constrained public discourse to the rise and radicalization of opposition movements.

A focused look at whether today’s democracies are strengthening themselves, or quietly limiting the freedoms they were meant to protect.

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