Category: Central/Eastern Europe

Ukraine: from ‘oligarchic pluralism’ to real democracy?

     

A comedian and political newcomer has won (HT: Foreign Policy) the first round of Ukraine’s presidential elections. Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian who portrayed himself as a fresh face who would… Read more »

Exporting Putinism?

     

  Russia’s “appeal as an opponent of regime change and supporter of existing governments endears it to all governments in the area, authoritarian and democratic,” Georgetown University’s Angela Stent writes… Read more »

New digital social contract: how to combat next disinformation campaign

     

Russia, China, Iran and other countries remain interested in influencing U.S. policy, and elections are a top target, The Washington Post reports. “We’re much better prepared in that we’re aware… Read more »

Is Russia really undermining democracy in the West?

     

Russian interference has undermined democracy in the West by destabilizing institutions and polarizing societies. Western democratic governments had to strengthen their domestic institutions to protect against adversaries eager to exploit… Read more »

Demotion, dilution, delay & diversion: strengthening digital resilience

     

Whatever the domestic repercussions of Robert S. Mueller III’s report, Moscow will likely continue its campaign of disinformation and disruption against American democracy, a prominent analyst tells the New York Times: Aleksandr… Read more »

Authoritarian populism ‘on the rise’

     

Populism is on the rise, according to the latest edition of the Authoritarian Populism Index. The index, an initiative of the Swedish think-tank Timbro, aims to determine to what extent… Read more »

The greatest threat to Western liberal democracies is……

     

Robert Kagan is “dead wrong” to contend that the greatest threat to Western liberal democracies is the ascendancy of authoritarianism, argues Harlan Ullman, a senior adviser at the Atlantic Council. The failure of… Read more »

What’s at stake in Ukraine’s election?

     

Ukraine votes for a president on March 31. Will the pro-Western incumbent, Petro Poroshenko, win? Or will he lose to his old foe, Yulia Tymoshenko, or wild card Volodymyr Zelenskiy?… Read more »

Oligarchs ‘suffocating’ Eastern Europe’s democracies

     

Days before the hotly contested Ukrainian presidential election on March 31, incumbent Petro Poroshenko’s party faces credible allegations of voter bribery, notes Mikheil Saakashvili, president of Georgia from 2004 until 2013…. Read more »

Building democratic resilience against disinformation and populism

     

Building democratic resilience against disinformation and populism requires additional awareness from policy makers, according to a new report. The impact of disinformation and strategic political propaganda disseminated through online social… Read more »