Conclusions

This concluding chapter summarizes the main findings across the book and reflects on their broader implications. We first discuss what the comparison between the four countries tells us about the key constitutive processes and tipping points in the rise of the illiberal public sphere, and then outline most recent developments in Eastern Europe and beyond, asking what they might mean for the prospects of the illiberal public sphere. Finally, we offer some suggestions for journalistic practices and media policies with a potential to make media systems more resilient and contain the challenges of illiberalism.