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In Twilight of Democracy: The Insidious Temptation of Authoritarianism, Anne Applebaum raises the alarm about the growing popularity of right-wing populist parties and the rise of authoritarianism around the world. Based on an analysis of a wide range of sources and literature, as well as her own professional and life experience, the author identifies these disturbing trends in the socio-political life of modern Poland, Hungary, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States of America under Donald Trump, and others. Paving their way to the top, tyrants rely on demagogues who "sell their image to the public". Even the principles of democracy can be used against, rather than in the interests of, people. The author reflects on why liberal democracy is sometimes under siege, and why the decadent clerical intellectuals, as she calls them after the French philosopher Julien Benda, take positions that undermine democracy. As Anne Applebaum notes, since all authoritarianisms segregate, polarise and divide people into opposing camps, the fight against them requires new coalitions. Only by joining together can we help to give new meaning to old and misunderstood words like liberalism; to push back against lies and liars; and to rethink what democracy looks like in the digital age.