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Is Ukraine Too Corrupt to Join the EU?

• Maria Popova

Despite the country’s steady progress fighting corruption, even in wartime, skeptics warn it’s not enough. But this is just an excuse. Their real concern is how Putin’s Russia would respond.

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.

“The Myth of Democratic Recession”

Mexico’s Democratic Disaster

• Amrit Singh
• Gianmarco Coronado Graci

The country’s outgoing president is determined to bulldoze Mexico’s judicial system. His attack on the rule of law is even worse than most people realize.

The Man Who Would Oust a Dynasty

• Marlon Ariyasinghe

A few years ago Anura Kumara Dissanayake led a struggling political party with bleak prospects. Now he is Sri Lanka’s newly elected president. The hardest work may still lie ahead.

Can There Be Democracy Without Liberalism?

In a new online exclusive, Journal of Democracy cofounder Marc Plattner examines both what unites and distinguishes liberalism and democracy — and what liberal democracies must do to remain free.

Tracking the “Arab Spring”: Egypt’s Failed Transition

Putin’s Formula for Ruling Russia Is Failing

• Robert Person

The Russian autocrat’s system of control has rested on pillars that are beginning to crumble.

Why Iran Is Entering a Dangerous Moment

• Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar

The country’s recent elections revealed deep fissures in Iranian society and there is already growing disillusionment with the new president. With mounting economic worries, Iran is in a volatile state.

Why Russians Are Souring on Putin’s War

• Thomas Sherlock

Vladimir Putin wants to stir patriotic fervor for his war in Ukraine. But most Russians don’t think the war is worth the cost, and it’s putting the Kremlin in a bind.

‘Their Control Cannot Be Flawless’

What are the true lessons from Tiananmen Square? Why does nonviolent resistance offer the best chance of challenging the CCP? Hu Ping, a leading Chinese dissident, reflects on the mistakes that were made and what it will take to succeed next time.

What Happened to South Korea’s Democracy?

• Gi-Wook Shin

The quick reversal of President Yoon’s martial-law order is being celebrated as a democratic victory. But the problems run deeper than one man. What comes next?

Why Romania Just Canceled Its Presidential Election

• Veronica Anghel

The Romanian government is trying to guard against Russian election interference. But such a drastic, unexpected, and last-minute move risks undermining people’s faith in democracy.

Why Dictators Fear Universal Jurisdiction

• Ezequiel Podjarny

It may be the best weapon we have for holding autocrats accountable for their crimes, and the world’s democracies are beginning to rally behind it.

South Africa Has Entered a New Era

• Ongama Mtimka

The African National Congress can no longer call all the shots, and opposition parties will have more sway. Will this lead to a more inclusive democracy or gridlock and division?

Why Ukraine’s Elections Can Wait

• Olga Onuch
• Lucan A. Way

Ukrainians’ first priority is defending their country from Russia’s invasion. They would rather hold fair, free, and inclusive elections than vote for the sake of voting. 

Why This Election Is India’s Most Important

• Šumit Ganguly

Voters are choosing more than the parties and politicians who will represent them. It is something more basic: The future of India’s secular democracy is on the ballot.

The Most Important Elections You Just Missed

• Rahul Mukherji
• Harsh Mander
• Seyed Hossein Zarhani

India just held five state elections that did more than declare winners and losers: They offered a roadmap for how to win the national contest in the world’s most populous democracy next year.

Last chance: Read our January issue for free!

The war in Ukraine, stolen elections, student revolutions, and the climate crisis: The latest issue of the Journal of Democracy offers incisive analysis and illuminating debates on some of today’s biggest challenges.

The World Needs a Garage for Democracy

• Srdja Popovic
• Steve Parks

Vladimir Putin has become a one-stop shop for authoritarians around the world, providing them whatever they need to advance their cause. Democracy’s defenders don’t get the same support — but it’s time for that to change.