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Inside Orbán’s Plan to Occupy Europe

• Kim Lane Scheppele

The Hungarian prime minister is on a mission to overrun Brussels, disrupt the EU, and consolidate his power at home. It just might work.

Ukraine Belongs in the EU

• Oxana Shevel
• Maria Popova

Ukraine doesn’t just deserve EU membership. Its bid could revive and reunify Europe.

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.

Why Slovakia Is Rising Up in Protest

• John Chin

The people have taken to the streets to demonstrate against corruption and Prime Minister Robert Fico’s pro-Moscow policies. Once again, Slovaks see their future in Europe, not Russia.

Why NATO Is More Than Democracy’s Best Defense

• Robert Person
• Michael McFaul

On its 75th anniversary, the Atlantic Alliance should be celebrated for being more than the world’s greatest military compact. It’s an engine of democracy’s advance. 

Women Are Leading Venezuela’s Fight for Democracy

• Paola Bautista de Alemán

María Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize has made her the face of the struggle for democracy in Venezuela. But throughout the opposition, women are the backbone of the fight against Nicolás Maduro’s corrupt authoritarian regime.

Has Tanzania Reached Its Breaking Point?

• Dan Paget

President Hassan promised Tanzanians freedom, transparency, and reform. Instead, she has delivered repression, violence, and arrests as she bars anyone who dares challenge her.

Taiwan’s Risky No-Holds-Barred Politics

• Raymond Kuo

The drama of the country’s divided government just played out in a failed, high-stakes vote to recall two-dozen opposition legislators. How both sides respond could determine the fate of Taiwan’s democracy.

Why the European Elections Will Test Democracy

• Richard Youngs

The danger is greater than the rise of far-right parties. In fact, there is a risk that in their eagerness to contain the far right, European leaders may do greater damage to democracy itself.

How to Negotiate with Putin

• Robert Person

It’s impossible to make peace with someone who doesn’t want it. But if there is any chance of stopping the killing in Ukraine, this is the path forward.

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.

Why He May Soon Be Remembered as “Putin the Weak”

• Michael McFaul

The Russian autocrat wanted to go down in history on par with Russia’s greatest leaders. He is increasingly looking like one of its weakest.

Why Austria’s Far Right Is Rising

• Filip Milačić

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.

“Facing Up to the Democratic Recession”

Why Ghana’s Election Matters Across Africa

• John Chin

The West African democracy is one of the continent’s most enduring, but it shouldn’t be taken for granted. It’s a bulwark for democracy beyond its borders.

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.

Will Putin Outlast the War?

• Maria Snegovaya

Russia’s autocrat may be weakened, but his grip on power is greater than many people realize.

Is Democracy in Decline?

Global Freedom Is in Decline, But What About Democracy?

• Yana Gorokhovskaia

Democracy is more resilient than many people realize, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t worrying signs on the horizon.

How Serbian Students Created the Largest Protest Movement in Decades

• Breza Race Maksimovic
• Srdja Popovic

They have been smart, creative, leaderless, and transparent. And they aren’t targeting any one politician or party. They aim to change the entire system.