ADN Jurista Premium Session

The ADN Jurista Programme is organising the first Premium Session of this academic year: the presentation of the book “Como proteger a Democracia” by journalist David Dinis (Expresso).

The session will feature Catarina Santos Botelho, lecturer at this School and recently appointed Member of the Management Board of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. A specialist in Constitutional Law, she teaches the course "Constitucionalismo Democrático sob Ameaça: os Fenómenos Autoritários, Extremistas e Populistas".

The premium sessions of the ADN Jurista Program are events featuring guest speakers who address topics related to Law and to political, media, and European literacy. Within the thematic framework of the 2025/2026 academic year — marking the 50th anniversary of the Portuguese Constitution — this session aims to discuss the resilience of Portuguese democratic institutions in the face of the rise of radical right-wing populist movements.

When such forces manage to form a government, how capable are the three pillars of a liberal democracy such as Portugal’s of resisting authoritarian threats? Beyond the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, what other defense mechanisms exist? And in contexts of democratic fragility, what roles can citizens and academia play?

In an informal setting, the session seeks to bring together different perspectives — from Law and Journalism — fostering debate on practical solutions and concrete actions that all democratic citizens — particularly Law students and legal professionals — can take to help protect Democracy.

The invited speakers bring complementary expertise in political and constitutional analysis. David Dinis, as a journalist, works within one of the key mediating institutions of liberal democracies — the institutional media — bridging citizens and the legislative, executive, and judicial powers. Catarina Santos Botelho, drawing on her academic and European institutional experience, offers an expert perspective on the mechanisms that safeguard fundamental rights and the democratic constitutional order.

Free admission | Registration required here

For more information: adnjurista@ucp.pt