China’s sharp power: bullying its way into Europe
China has bought or invested in assets in Europe amounting to at least $318 billion over the past 10 years, Bloomberg reports, in the most comprehensive audit to date of… Read more »
Protests ‘reveal desire for change’ in Nicaragua
Mass demonstrations in Nicaragua turned deadly when police opened fire on protesters, killing at least 25. The protests started on April 18 when the government sought to introduce social security… Read more »
Macron promotes ‘grand narratives’ for democratic renewal
Europe’s most dynamic political leader, Emmanuel Macron, pays a state visit to Washington this week. The French president has emerged as the West’s most formidable opponent of populist nationalism and… Read more »
Russian kleptocrats ‘fraught with anxieties’: why the latest sanctions will bite
The lives of Russian kleptocrats in Britain are suddenly fraught with new anxieties, the Washington Post reports: Critics in London of Russian President Vladimir Putin are reevaluating their need for… Read more »
Escaping the fragility trap: don’t rush democracy, coax it
Democracy should be coaxed, not rushed, Bloomberg suggests, citing a new report which argues that developed nations trying to help fragile states have been doing it wrong: They have pushed… Read more »
Iraqi elections: crafting a democracy?
When Iraq’s national elections open on May 12, they will mark a shift away from the large ethnic and sectarian blocs seen on previous ballots, with candidates more attuned to… Read more »
Tunisia could be regional model or inspiration, but….
Tunisia has continued to make progress on democracy, including a Constitution guaranteeing fundamental rights, but there is still a lot to do, says a UN expert. “Tunisia still faces numerous… Read more »
More Continuity than Change: Cuba’s ‘cosmetic’, ‘illegitimate’ dynastic succession
Miguel Diaz-Canel succeeded Raul Castro as Cuba’s president on Thursday, saying that there will be “no space for those who aspire for a restoration of capitalism, the LA Times reports… Read more »
Public protests and prospects for reform in Iran
Over the last few months, Iran has experienced a series of street protests in rural areas and social arenas once seen as the key support base for the Islamic Republic,… Read more »
USAID’s redesign: how do democracy, human rights, and governance (DRG) fit in?
How do democracy, human rights, and governance (DRG) fit in to the USAID’s new redesign? Brookings analyst George Ingram asks. The DRG center would be located in the new Bureau… Read more »