The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the democratic decline, already an ongoing issue before the crisis began. Pandemic management and the actions of leaders vis-a-vis a chance for increased power has led to a decrease in the public’s trust of governments, the cornerstone of legitimacy in a democracy. The author of the policy paper, Maia Larose Saldana, argues that the pandemic has led to certain limitations on personal freedoms in democracies, which was often worsened by the actions of incumbent leaders who took advantage of the chance to consolidate their power. Building trust will be key to stabilizing and strengthening the foundations of democracy, along with addressing the issues which detract from it such as inequality, the author underlines.