How should democracies deal with anti-democratic voices? Political scientist Angela Bourn explores why democracy must welcome dissent to remain strong—examining the effects of banning anti-democratic parties and questioning whether such measures truly work. By embracing diverse opinions, even those that challenge democratic values, we can ultimately strengthen democracy and ensure its resilience. Dr. Bourne is Professor (MSO) in European Politics at Roskilde University, Denmark. She has published widely on the politics of party bans, including a 2018 book on Democratic Dilemmas: Why democracies ban political parties (Routledge). She currently leads a team of researchers examining opposition to European populist parties and in 2023 published a book on Responding to Populist Parties in Europe: The Populist People vs the Other People (Oxford University Press). She has held posts at University of Aberystwyth and University of Dundee in the United Kingdom. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx