States » SouthPosted at: Nov 14 2026 4:33PM


Bharat Summit: Accountability key to restoring public trust in democracy

Hyderabad, Nov 14 (UNI) International political representatives at the Bharat Summit 2026 on Saturday stressed that accountability, transparency and public participation were essential to restoring people's confidence in democratic institutions.
They called upon governments and political parties to ensure transparent governance, curb corruption and make public welfare the priority.
The views were expressed during a panel discussion on 'Progressivism, Citizenship and Accountability' held at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC).
The panel featured Antton Rönnholm, former Secretary of Finland's Social Democratic Party; Piangpanor Boonklum, leadership adviser to Thailand's People's Party; Dr Mario Aguja, former member of the Philippine House of Representatives; and Christian Salm, Head of the Democracy Unit at the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS).
Christian Salm said both ruling and opposition parties must take responsibility for government policies and decisions. He urged progressive movements to learn from both the successes and failures of political leaders across the world and called for reforms to tackle corruption, scams and geopolitical challenges.
Antton Rönnholm said declining public trust in democracy was largely due to a lack of accountability. He stressed the need to treat democracy as a key policy priority and strengthen public participation, transparency and anti-corruption measures. He cautioned that failure to meet people's aspirations could create opportunities for right-wing movements.
Piangpanor Boonklum said electoral defeats were often caused by declining public confidence in political leaders rather than policy differences. She described accountability as a right of citizens and called for a new social contract in response to artificial intelligence and changing employment patterns. She also stressed the importance of technological and data literacy among workers and voters.
Dr. Mario Aguja discussed the political rise of Viktor Orbán in Hungary and the shortcomings of left-wing movements. He said the failure of progressive forces to adapt to changing circumstances offer alternative economic and political policies had weakened public confidence. He also pointed to concerns over crony capitalism and growing control over the media and judiciary under Orbán's leadership.
The speakers called for progressive political movements to evolve, address emerging challenges and develop credible alternatives to strengthen democracy and regain public trust, according to an official statement.
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