‘Egypt Under Pressure’: toward a personalist dictatorship
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi plans to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House on April 9, the Egyptian strongman’s second Oval Office visit in two years, the… Read more »
‘Textbook destabilization’: dissidents feel Beijing’s sharp power wrath abroad
China’s Communist authorities are employing repressive tactics honed at home to harass exiles and minority activists in the latest manifestation of Beijing’s sharp power. As China extends its influence around… Read more »
Targeted sanctions a critical tool against strategic adversaries
Targeted sanctions have been a critical tool for policy-makers, whether in countering a kleptocratic Kremlin or in upholding democracy in a post-Western order. Decision-makers have deployed sanctions against strategic adversaries and national security threats… Read more »
Advancing democracy: a comparative advantage in foreign policy
Authoritarian populist leaders may seek to undermine democratic institutions, but recent developments in Brazil, Hungary, Slovakia and Turkey provide encouragement that liberal political forces are showing some signs of life… Read more »
What next for the Rohingya? Fresh thinking needed to resolve crisis
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee called for the Myanmar army chief to be prosecuted for “genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes”, CIVICUS… Read more »
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 »
Russia tests new tactics in Ukraine
Campaigning for Ukraine’s presidential election had just begun to heat up when the authorities announced they had thwarted a Russian plot to use Facebook to undermine the vote, The New… 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 »
Reporting from front lines of authoritarianism
In an era of resurgent authoritarianism and the growing influence of state propaganda, developing independent journalistic talent is more important than ever. The Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellowship is an initiative… Read more »
‘No overarching strategy’ to counter disinformation
As part of an ongoing campaign to erode trust in democracy, Russia has used social media to influence elections. Even today, citizens are exposed to Moscow’s disinformation daily, says RAND’s… Read more »