https://at-ceu.studyguide.timeedit.net/modules/DOPP5691?type=COREThis course builds on Democratic Institutional Design 1 with a focus on the policy implications and practical consequences of institutional choices in democratic regimes. We examine how institutional design shapes not only elite strategies and patterns of governance but also citizen engagement, trust, and representation. Topics include institutional reform and innovation, the resilience of democratic systems under pressure, and the capacity of institutions to address polarization, populism, and democratic backsliding. The course pays special attention to the interaction between formal rules and policy outcomes, highlighting cases where institutional design directly affects both elite behavior and the experiences of the mass public. Comparative examples are drawn from Europe, North America, and Latin America to assess the successes and failures of different institutional arrangements in practice.