How Maduro Stole Venezuela’s Vote

Today, President Nicolás Maduro will take the oath of office, despite a clear defeat in the July election. In the new issue of the Journal of Democracy, Javier Corrales and Dorothy Kronick explain how this came to pass.

Three Must-Reads from the January Issue!

Should Ukraine end the war with Russia at the bargaining table or in the trenches? Can democratic institutions survive when they empower minorities over the majority? Is democracy better suited than authoritarianism to confront climate change? The new issue of the Journal of Democracy provides key insights and answers to some of today’s most pressing…

Why Austria’s Far Right Is Rising

Herbert Kickl and his far-right allies have never hidden their contempt for democratic norms, and they are rising in the polls. But those who want to preserve Austria’s democracy may have one last chance.

Will the German Center Hold?

Although Germans flooded the polls, the country is deeply polarized and politically fragmented. Germany’s centrists need to deliver on voters’ concerns. If they don’t, the far-right AfD is waiting in the wings.

Can Democracy Survive AI?

As artificial intelligence continues to advance at breakneck speed and world powers vie against each other in the AI arms race, democracies are searching for ways to control a technology that is transforming our lives while threatening to break our democratic guardrails.

The Fight for Democracy in Europe

Fed up with corrupt and increasingly autocratic rule, citizens in Georgia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia have been rising up in protest.

JoD Authors Speak

Six new podcast episodes featuring JoD authors discussing their essays with political scientists, historians, and journalists. Listen, read, and learn!

Why China Is a Threat to Global Democracy

China’s totalitarian regime is built on surveillance, censorship, and repression, with harsh penalties for anyone who dares to defy it. Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party have ambitions that extend beyond China’s borders. The following Journal of Democracy essays explore how China undermines democracy both at home and abroad. Read for free now.

Why Europe’s Far Right Is Rising

Across Europe — from Spain to Germany and Sweden to Italy — right-wing parties are gaining ground. The following Journal of Democracy essays, free for a limited time, cover the European far right’s recent successes, and what they mean for the region’s democratic future.

Why Russians Are Souring on Putin’s War

Monday, February 24, marks the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands have been wounded or killed, Ukrainian arsenals are drained, and Western allies are divided. Even so, Putin’s effort to stir support for his war has fallen flat. New evidence shows that the Russian people don’t support the fight.

Will Egypt Follow Syria?

What might the sudden collapse of Syria’s dictatorship mean for Egypt? As Shady ElGhazaly Harb explains in a new Journal of Democracy online exclusive, the military — long Sisi’s strongest backer — may now be more tempted to turn against the autocrat.

Must-Read Essays This March

Don’t miss these must-read essays from the Journal of Democracy, free for a limited time, on the Russia-Ukraine war, artificial intelligence, illiberalism, democracy’s ability to deliver, and more.

The Perils of Kenya’s New Power-Sharing Deal

The Journal of Democracy essays below, free for a limited time, chart the trials and triumphs of Kenya’s democracy over the last two decades — plus key essays on the theory and practice of political power sharing.

Will Syria Be Free?

Syria now has another chance at democracy. In our April issue, leading scholars of Syria reflect on why there is reason to hope Syria will be free, despite the difficult road ahead.