Georgia is heralded by the European Union as one of the successes of democratic transition among the post-Soviet states during the late 20th century, but is this success overestimated? Not only has …
Moldova’s Voters Didn’t Choose West Over East. They Chose Reform Over Corruption
Moldova's presidential election has been declared for Maia Sandu, who unseated incumbent Igor Dodon in a historic victory. Against a backdrop of longstanding geopolitical tension, the election has …
Master Manipulators: How the PiS’s Strategy for Media Control Was Hampered by the Public
Poland’s media problem began with President Andrzej Duda’s election in 2015. He started with blatant attempts to control the commanding heights of the media, especially public television. Duda …
The Fight for Democracy in Belarus
On August 9, 2020, Belarus held its presidential election. This is the first time in many decades where the current president, Alexander Lukashenko, has been seriously challenged by an opposition …
Will Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy Learn From His Predecessors?
The Ukrainian people have been through a lot. According to a 2019 Pew Poll, 81% of Ukrainians see a fair judicial system as one of the most important priorities, nevertheless, promises of judicial …
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Belarus: The Tale of the Stealthy Autocrat
Stalin. Hitler. Kim Jong-Il. These are all names that easily come to mind when one thinks of a dictatorship. People usually do not associate good things with these names. When someone says …
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Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is Openly Whittling Away at Democracy
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is no friend to open democracy as exemplified by his interference with the judicial branch, meddling in elections, and his latest authoritarian actions in …
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Viktor Orban’s Pandemic Power Grab: Exploring How Populists Exploit Disasters to Edge Out Democracy
The COVID-19 pandemic is holding up a magnifying glass to the fragility of not only Hungary’s healthcare system but its already besieged democracy. In 2008, far-right populist Viktor Orban captured …