Nubian activist killed in Egypt’s ongoing civil society crackdown
A prominent Nubian activist arrested in Egypt last month for taking part in a peaceful protest has died in detention, a lawyer and a long-time friend said on Sunday, in… Read more »
Democracy’s Eleventh Hour? Safeguarding elections: 5 stages, 3 myths
Recent elections in the US, France and Germany indicate an emerging practice whereby autocracies meddle in democratic elections by hacking data, scandalizing it through leaks, and amplifying the effect by… Read more »
Contesting the populist challenge to liberal democracy
The transatlantic alliance – which for decades has underpinned global stability, fortified democracy, and safeguarded the West as we know it – is under severe strain, and risks terminal decline,… Read more »
Putinism’s greatest liability
Having lived through the collapse of two ideologies, tsarist and communist, Russia has been a post-truth society for decades, notes Anastasia Edel, the author of Russia: Putin’s Playground: Empire, Revolution, and… Read more »
What the royal Saudi purge means: prelude to reform or power consolidation?
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has long been considered a bulwark of stability in the Persian Gulf region. But Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s extraordinary weekend roundup against alleged corruption shook… Read more »
Russia struggles with legacy of 1917 – the ‘first color revolution’
Red flag-draped rallies in Moscow marked the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution on Tuesday. But despite the demonstrations, the crimes of the past and faded memories have made some… Read more »
Egypt sees first open challenge to Sisi’s authoritarian rule
A prominent Egyptian human rights lawyer stepped forward on Monday as a candidate in next year’s presidential election, emerging as the first open challenger to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s authoritarian rule… Read more »
Southeast Asia’s ’emboldened’ strongmen look to China in setback to democracy
Chinese leaders have long sought to present themselves as equals to American presidents. Xi Jinping has wanted something more: a special relationship that sets China apart, as the other great… Read more »
Reverse-engineering Russia’s ‘neo-Bolshevik’ disinformation
It is no coincidence that today’s neo-Bolsheviks have all created their own “alternative media,” starting online and moving into the mainstream, specializing in disinformation, hate campaigns, racist jokes and… Read more »
Paradise Papers highlight kleptocracy’s corrosive impact on democracy
A huge leak of financial documents revealed by a group of about 100 media organizations on Sunday provided deep insights into some of the mechanisms used by top politicians and celebrities… Read more »