Democracy in Retrograde pdf download

Why Poland’s Liberals Lost

• Jarosław Kuisz
• Karolina Wigura

Political blunders, distrust of elites, and Donald Tusk’s inability to deliver on his promises helped make an unknown, far-right former bodyguard the country’s next president. Worse, it will be far harder now to safeguard Polish democracy.

Why Georgia Has Erupted in Protest

• Ghia Nodia

The country is at risk of collapsing into a full Russian autocracy, and Georgians understand it as a make-or-break moment. The strength and resolve of the country’s civil society will decide the outcome.

Putin’s Big Gamble

• Robert Person

The Kremlin’s order to call up Russians to fight in Ukraine risks massive protests. It’s the riskiest decision of Putin’s rule, and it could lead to his undoing.

Welcome to Manila’s Game of Thrones

• Richard Javad Heydarian

The struggle between the Marcos and Duterte clans isn’t just a battle between two houses. It is becoming a proxy fight between the United States and China for the future of the Indo-Pacific. 

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.

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.

How Tragedy Sparked a Protest Movement

• John Chin

Serbs from all walks of life have had enough with their corrupt, inept, and increasingly authoritarian government. Will Serbia’s president be able to withstand the crisis?

Why Kenya’s Gen Z Has Taken to the Streets

• Judy Mbugua

The country’s young people are no longer willing to accept politics without accountability, and the government’s repressive crackdown is only fueling their movement. Gen Z is reshaping the future of Kenyan democracy.

Why the German Far Right Is Beginning to Win

• Michael Bröning

For years, they were a fringe vote. Now they are broadening their agenda, tapping into voter frustration, and getting Germans to favor them once again.

The Quiet Demise of Jordan’s Political Space

• Elizabeth Parker-Magyar

In the shadow of Gaza’s destruction, the Jordanian regime has quietly repressed one of the main sources of the country’s political activism.

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.

Why Vladimir Putin’s Luck Ran Out

• Michael McFaul

For twenty years, the Russian autocrat enjoyed a string of good fortune in coming to power and cementing his rule. He had raised Russia’s standing in the world. Then he invaded Ukraine.

What It Takes to Win the New Cold War with China

• Carl Gershman

Our struggle against the Soviet Union offers vital lessons for how to confront the aggressive totalitarian threat that Beijing now represents.

Why Sanctions Don’t Work Against Dictatorships

• Agathe Demarais

From Putin’s invasion to Kim’s nuclear saber rattling, the West has punished the world’s worst regimes. But have sanctions missed their targets?

Why TikTok Is a Threat to Democracy

• Aynne Kokas

The popular Chinese-owned app is enabling Beijing to collect data on people nearly everywhere. Not only can such platforms track people’s preferences and whereabouts, but they give the Chinese government control over a powerful tool for shaping people’s worldview.

The Curse of the Ex-Presidents

• Casey Cagley

Across Latin America, former leaders are keeping a chokehold on their countries’ politics. It’s time their successors break free.

“I Have No Doubts That Navalny Was Killed on Putin’s Orders.”

• Zhanna Nemtsova

Alexei Navalny was one of the bravest and most influential political leaders of our time. His assassination should be a wake-up call for Western democracies.

The Opening in Burma: The Democrats’ Opportunity

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.

Why Philippine Politics Resembles a Modern-Day Telenovela

• Cecilia Lero

Want to distract the public? Little works better than family feuds ripped from soap opera plotlines. That’s how the Marcos and Duterte clans keep people glued to the drama while crowding out democratic reform.