Anne Applebaum: Global expert on authoritarianism, Europe and digital regulation
In a world where autocrats share tactics and democrats drift, one voice cuts through the noise.
If the 20th century was defined by iron curtains and ideological clarity, the 21st is being shaped by something more nebulous—and perhaps more dangerous. A network of authoritarian regimes, unbound by shared ideology but aligned in intent are slowly reshaping global order. In response, the democratic world must ask itself: who will define the narrative? Few thinkers are better equipped to answer this than Anne Applebaum—Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, Atlantic staff writer and one of the most astute analysts of the democratic retreat and authoritarian resurgence. Based between London, Warsaw and Washington, Applebaum brings a transatlantic lens to global affairs. In her most recent speaking engagement and collaboration with Oration Speakers she delivered one of the most unflinching and important keynotes of the year.
Her message: democracy is under attack—not only from missiles and tanks but from coordinated disinformation, compromised institutions, and platform-driven chaos and Europe stands at a historic crossroads.
The Networked Autocrats
Applebaum’s analysis is unsparing. Today’s autocracies—Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela and beyond—do not share a common ideology. What binds them, she argues, is a negative coalition: an opposition to the norms, institutions and languages of liberal democracy. These regimes collaborate across military, financial and narrative domains, sustaining one another through weapons, investments and mutual propaganda. In Applebaum’s framing, the autocratic world is not defined by formal alliances, but by imitation and adaptation. Chinese state media borrows conspiracy theories from Russian television. Venezuelan officials mimic the repression tactics of Tehran. This is not coordination—but convergence.
And the battleground, increasingly, is not physical, but digital.
The Digital Dilemma
For Applebaum, the most pressing front in the ideological struggle is not geopolitics, but platform governance. Western democracies, she warns, have outsourced their public discourse to unaccountable tech monopolies, whose algorithms favour outrage over accuracy, engagement over truth.
In her view, the internet no longer functions as a free marketplace of ideas. What people see—and believe—is increasingly shaped by opaque systems optimised for advertising, not democratic health and while platforms may be based in Silicon Valley, their influence is global and often corrosive.
Europe, she argues, remains the last jurisdiction capable of regulatory action. And yet, even as the EU considers legislation on AI, disinformation, and digital sovereignty, it faces coordinated pushback—from tech firms and political actors alike. The stakes, Applebaum suggests, are existential, without democratic oversight of information ecosystems, democracies themselves may unravel.
The Atlantic Drift
Applebaum is equally clear-eyed about the internal crises of the democratic world. While past U.S. administrations viewed Europe as a strategic partner in defending liberal values, that consensus is eroding. The MAGA movement, she notes, is not simply inward-looking. It shares with authoritarian regimes a disdain for multilateralism, institutions and regulation—especially when it originates in Brussels.
Should this drift continue, Applebaum posits two futures for Europe: one in which it emerges as an island of rule-of-law stability, investing in its own tech, media, and democratic resilience. Or one in which it becomes a fragmented battleground—caught between American deregulation and Russian manipulation, without agency of its own.
A Speaker for Serious Times
Anne Applebaum does not offer easy answers. She offers something rarer: clarity. In this recent address for an Oration Speakers client, she described a world in flux, but also outlined paths forward—for policymakers, business leaders and digital architects.
For conferences focused on democracy, geopolitics, AI ethics, or media regulation, Applebaum is not merely relevant—she is essential. Her presence elevates dialogue. Her arguments provoke action and her ability to synthesise history, technology, and statecraft makes her one of the most compelling speakers on the global stage.
Available for:
-
Keynotes on democracy, authoritarianism, and digital disruption
-
Panel discussions on European strategy, tech regulation, and political risk
-
Executive briefings for governments, institutions, and leadership teams
-
Moderated fireside chats with fellow global thinkers
Whether speaking to heads of state, founders, or civic leaders, Applebaum equips audiences with frameworks—not just facts—and with urgency tempered by strategic thought.
The Last Word
This is not a time for platitudes. It is a time for precision, perspective, and hard truths. At Oration Speakers, we are proud to support Anne Applebaum—one of the few voices who can confront our fractured moment with the intellectual and moral seriousness it demands.
For Anne’s full Bio click here:-
To enquire about booking Anne Applebaum for your next conference, summit, or policy event, contact Oration Speakers.
