Democracy is the only game in town. The problem is [when] people start to believe that it is not a game worth playing.

Krastev frames democracy as a competitive, rule-bound system—imperfect but uniquely capable of managing conflict without violence. Calling it “the only game in town” suggests there is no credible, legitimate alternative that preserves pluralism and peaceful transfers of power. The real danger, he implies, is not democracy’s routine dysfunctions (polarization, slow decision-making, compromise) but a collapse of belief in the system’s value. When citizens conclude the “game” is rigged or pointless, they become receptive to anti-democratic shortcuts—strongman rule, technocratic bypasses, or illiberal majoritarianism—undermining the shared norms that make democratic institutions work.