While Hungary and Poland dominate the discussion of democratic erosion in Europe, it is Greece that ranks last in media freedom among European Union member-states. Since the onset of the pandemic, the …
Drought Unlikely to Spark Democratization in Iran
Over the past two years, large protests for clean drinking water spread throughout drought-stricken Iran. The protests, deemed the Uprising of the Thirsty, were largely unsuccessful and resulted …
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El Salvador: Authoritarianism Gone Viral
Presidential election results in El Salvador, the tiny, Latin American nation may seem to be trivial to most Americans. This outlook, however, is far from the truth. In 2019, El Salvador …
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Italy’s Hidden Fractures: A Democracy Dependent on the Unelected
On July 14, 2022, Italy’s adolescent “national unity” government narrowly escaped complete collapse. Prime Minister (PM) Mario Draghi’s dramatic resignation ended in tentative when he heeded President …
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When Did Velvet Become Steel? Armenian Authoritarianism Is Now Far More Subtle but No Less Dangerous
In 2018, many in the West predicted that the resignation of Armenia’s pro-Moscow autocrat Serzh Sargsyan and election of self-proclaimed reformist Nikol Pashinyan would finally lead to democratic …
Argentine Populism and Its Threat to Liberal Democracy: What Executive Manipulation of Human Rights Can Tell Us about the Health of Argentine Civil Society
For nearly a century, Argentina has faced off with a unique brand of populism. Argentine populism, while originally celebrated for its mobilization of genuine people power, today poses a threat to …
Winter Falls on the Arab Spring: Newly Proposed Constitution is a Threat to Tunisian Democracy
Tunisia, once a beacon of democracy in the Arab world, is on the brink of losing their democratic government that inspired millions. In late June, Tunisian President Kais Saied proposed a new …
Democratic Backsliding in the Philippines and Rodrigo Duterte’s War on the Media
Democracy cannot exist without the freedom of the press. A free and independent media serves as a "watchdog" that can report government wrongdoing and hold individuals and groups accountable. A free …