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Contrary to conventional wisdom, the world is neither converging on liberal democracy nor being swept by an authoritarian tide. The decisive political struggles of the 21st century will be won or lost through the unglamorous work of strengthening democratic accountability and building effective institutions.

BERLIN—This year has been marked by striking political upheavals. For supporters of liberal democracy, the most encouraging news came in April, when Hungarian voters brought an end to former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s 16-year project of building an authoritarian model that he dubbed “illiberal democracy.” Defying the odds and the Fidesz party’s manipulation of public and private media, Hungarians handed Péter Magyar’s Tisza party a landslide victory, making him prime minister.