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Kazakhstan Rules with Empty Words and an Iron Fist

• Paolo Sorbello

Thousands took to the streets to protest. While the regime promises to listen, its actions make clear: Dissent will not be tolerated.

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.

Getting Over the Third Wave

• Marc F. Plattner

Samuel Huntington’s classic theory offered a new way of understanding democracy’s global trajectory. But amid rising populism and increasingly aggressive authoritarian leaders, has Huntington’s thesis outlived its usefulness?

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.

Georgia’s Battle for Freedom

• Ghia Nodia

Georgians have returned to the streets to fight for their country’s future. They refuse to let it slip quietly into the autocracy the ruling party seeks.

Beijing Wants to Erase Tibet’s Name. Don’t Let Them.

• Tenzin Dorjee
• James Leibold

The Chinese Communist Party is attempting to rename the Tibetan people’s homeland, part of a wider effort to eradicate Tibet’s cultural identity. For Tibet, it’s more than just a name.

Why Russia’s Youth Don’t Support Putin’s War

• Thomas Sherlock

The Kremlin works hard to indoctrinate Russia’s youth to support Putin’s war in Ukraine. But a strong percentage support an immediate ceasefire and don’t think it’s a cause worth dying for.

Why Pakistan Always Seems on the Brink of Collapse

• Ahsan I. Butt

The military has spent decades trying to impose order on Pakistani politics. It has led to chaos.

Will Egypt Be the Next Syria?

• Shady ElGhazaly Harb

The pillars of Sisi’s regime are straining, and Assad’s collapse is raising the pressure. If Egypt is going to follow Syria’s path, these are signals to watch.

The Pitfalls of Power Sharing

• Alexander Noyes

People are calling for a so-called unity government to stem the violence in Mozambique. But there is a better way to set the country on the right course.

The Viktor Orbán Show

• Sándor Ésik

Don’t let the Hungarian prime minister’s globe-trotting and grandstanding fool you. Behind the posturing and attempts to steal the spotlight is a strongman who feels his position slipping.

Why Indonesia’s Democracy Is in Danger

• Thomas B. Pepinsky

Indonesian voters have made Prabowo Subianto, a special-forces commander with a dark past, their next president. Even as voters flocked to the polls, his election is a harbinger of democracy’s decline.

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.

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India Remains More Democratic Than Not

• Lucan A. Way

For all the warning signs, India held the line after a decade of backsliding.

The Clock Is Ticking on the April Issue!

What’s causing the global democratic recession? What would a Ukrainian loss to Russia mean for democracies around the world? How should Syria approach building a just and democratic society? Don’t miss your chance to read the April issue for free!

Cracks in Sisi’s Façade

• Waleed Shawky

Egypt’s upcoming presidential elections are a sham. But the opposition can still take advantage of this moment to push for genuine reforms that the country desperately needs.

The Legacy of a True Russian Patriot

• Lucian Kim

Alexei Navalny loved Russia and was willing to risk everything for it. It is hard to grasp the magnitude of his death for his people and his country.

How Taiwan Should Combat China’s Information War

• Tim Niven

Beijing assaults Taiwan with a nonstop barrage of conspiracy theories and lies to undermine people’s faith in democracy — and China’s efforts are getting more sophisticated. Taiwan must do even more to fight back. 

The Empty Promise of Iran’s New President

• Ladan Boroumand

Masoud Pezeshkian won’t be a “reformer” in any genuine sense. Like all Iranian presidents, he has pledged his loyalty to Iran’s supreme leader. What he really offers is a softer version of Iran’s grim repression.