Living in an era of multiple crises, the introduction reflects on different rule of law traditions (e.g. South Africa), democratic fallbacks in selected EU countries and the vital role of parliaments. It demonstrates how regional integration actors, including the EU and the AU contributed to parliamentarization within the African continent. However, the rise of populism politically motivated a weakening of the judiciary, and an erosion of democratic institutions in the global north and thus influences the political dynamics around the world. In addition the dissemination of unbiased information and fake news pose significant risks to political systems and the well-being of people and society. Given the fact that public opinion is strongly polarized and the understanding of how political systems work is weak, improved civic education at all levels is needed to protect democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.