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Why Vladimir Putin Is Still Afraid to Say Alexei Navalny’s Name

• Vladimir Milov

Russia’s dictator lives in fear. He knows the Russian people don’t support him. He can’t even muster a street rally without bribes or threats. No number of fake elections will change that.

The Return of Robert Fico

• Tim Haughton
• Darina Malová

The perennial Slovak politician practices a hardnosed, vengeful form of politics. It is also bad news for the future of Slovakian democracy.

Why Aspiring Autocrats Are Watching Serbia

• Filip Milačić

Aleksandar Vučić is tearing down what remains of Serbian democracy while the West remains silent. Serbia has become a test case for democratic resolve, and the region’s would-be strongmen are taking notice.

Alexei Navalny, In His Own Words

“Every opportunity must be used to speak out . . . I love Russia. My intellect tells me that it is better to live in a free and prosperous country than in a corrupt and impoverished one.”

The Demise of Senegalese Democracy

• Bamba Ndiaye

President Macky Sall has called off his country’s presidential election just weeks ahead of the vote. His unconstitutional decree will not only keep him in power, but threatens to throw Senegal into violent chaos.

How the World’s Most Popular Dictator Wins

• Manuel Meléndez-Sánchez

El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele may be overwhelmingly popular, but he wasn’t going to let his electoral ambitions hinge on being well-liked. Instead, he rigged the playing field before the first vote was cast.

Viktor Orbán’s Newest Tool for Crushing Dissent

• Sándor Ésik

He has created a new office with massive investigatory powers that are vaguely defined and leave everyone on edge. In other words, it’s classic Orbán.

Why Taiwan’s Voters Defied Beijing—Again

• Raymond Kuo

Taiwan’s voters rewarded the ruling party with an unprecedented third consecutive term, despite the mainland’s attempts to intimidate. Expect Beijing to find new ways to threaten the democracy off its coast.

How Guatemalans Are Defending Their Democracy

• Manuel Meléndez-Sánchez
• Laura Gamboa

They are organized, nonviolent, and they have come out in great numbers. Guatemalans may also be writing the script on how to defeat democracy’s enemies.

Inside the Fight to Save Israeli Democracy

• Natan Sachs

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants the public to see his efforts to overhaul the Israeli judiciary as a “reform.” But people have seen it for what it is: a struggle over the very future of democracy itself.

This Is Not the End of Putin’s Troubles

• Kathryn Stoner

Yevgeny Prigozhin’s rebellion has exposed the fundamental instability of Putinism.

Putin Just Learned Why You Don’t Trust Mercenaries

• Zoltan Barany

The Russian autocrat forgot an age-old truth about working with common criminals and soldiers for hire.

Believe Nothing Putin or Prigozhin Tell You

• Andrei Kozyrev

In the days ahead, the West must remain calm—and redouble its support for Ukraine.

Ecuador’s Democratic Breakdown

• Will Freeman

The small Latin American country was a brief democratic bright spot. But it appears to have fallen victim to a clash between populists and anti-populists, without a democrat in sight.

Thailand’s Revolutionary Election

• Dan Slater

Thailand’s voters—especially its young people—have sent the country’s junta a message: They want change now. But will the military listen?

The (Final) Rise of Anwar Ibrahim

• Sophie Lemière

The democratic icon’s path to prime minister has been tortuous and long. But is Malaysia’s pluralism slipping away precisely when Anwar is getting his shot to lead the nation?

Breaking Han Silence

• Tenzin Dorjee

China’s recent protests marked a crucial milestone: The mainstream Chinese public, at home and abroad, finally spoke up for the Uyghurs and their plight.

Breaking Out of Xi’s Great Prison

• Guoguong Wu

Chinese citizens from Urumqi to Shanghai took to the streets, blank sheets of white paper in hand, to denounce the CCP and call for change. Xi Jinping’s repression and zero-covid lockdowns has united the public in empathy and anger.

How Qatar Became a World Leader in Sportswashing

• Sarath K. Ganji

The government has spent billions preparing to host the 2022 World Cup. Never mind the abusive labor practices and human rights violations. It’s betting that your love of the “beautiful game” will make you more fond of this tiny Gulf state, too.

Democracy’s Frontline Defenders

• Fernanda Buril
• Erica Shein

Across the globe, the people who run our elections are being undermined, targeted, and attacked. Here is how to shore them up—and protect democratic institutions, too.