"Liberal democracy is a failed experiment."
That was the stark warning from former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt as he launched his new book, Defeating Trumpism: Make Democracy Great Again, in Brussels last week.
Moderated by Ana Vasconcelos MEP, the event brought together liberal politicians, policymakers and supporters for a discussion connecting the book's central arguments with the political challenges currently facing Europe.
Former leader of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament and now President of the European Movement International, Verhofstadt argues that the post-Cold War liberal democratic model has failed to deliver on many of its promises.
According to Verhofstadt, mainstream political parties became complacent and abandoned a clear ideological vision, allowing growing public frustration to be exploited by populist movements across Europe and the United States.
Believing that today's defining political divide is no longer between left and right, but between democracy and autocracy, his book sets out what he believes liberals must do to reverse that trend.
Throughout the discussion, Verhofstadt was challenged on how liberals should respond to growing public distrust, geopolitical instability and the rise of populist politics.
Technology emerged as one of the central themes. Verhofstadt argued that Europe should use its competition powers to break up dominant technology platforms and create a more competitive digital landscape where no single platform dominates public debate.
He also argued that capitalism no longer delivers for many ordinary citizens, proposing a model of "popular capitalism" that would allow more people to benefit directly from economic growth through wider ownership of wealth and investment.
Europe's security also featured prominently. Verhofstadt called for greater strategic independence alongside stronger defence capabilities, warning that Europe must prepare for a future in which it may not be able to rely on the United States as its primary security guarantor.
The discussion concluded with questions from the audience before attendees continued the conversation during a book signing and networking reception.
For Verhofstadt, the answer is not to abandon liberal democracy, but to rebuild it. His warning is that if liberals fail to adapt, others will reshape Europe instead.