Why Romania Just Canceled Its Presidential Election
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.
India’s Muslims are being targeted. Is Indian democracy part of the problem?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu-nationalist BJP explicitly exclude and routinely attack the country’s largest minority, but the political opposition is silent, too afraid to jeopardize its base of support. These essays explore India’s complex democratic history and its prospects for the future.
How Autocrats Peddle Their Influence and Launder Their Reputations
Determined to project their influence abroad, authoritarian regimes are subverting international rules and norms while disguising their misdeeds. The easiest way to do this? Convince the world they are benign, upstanding members of the international community.
How South Korea’s Next Leader Should Handle Kim Jong-un
South Korea is about to elect a new president. North Korea has changed in recent years. Seoul’s approach to the Kim regime must change to reflect new risks — and Korea’s democratic strength.
People Say Democracy Isn’t Working
So, why don’t they want to fix it?
Is South Korea’s New President Good for Democracy?
South Koreans have elected Lee Jae-myung president. Will he be a pragmatic democratic reformer? Or will he continue the polarizing political warfare of recent South Korean leaders?
La destrucción silenciosa de Bolivia
Los bosques amazónicos de Bolivia se están convirtiendo en tierra arrasada, con millones de acres perdidos cada año a causa de incendios descontrolados. Peor aún, este desastre está siendo provocado por un gobierno más interesado en obtener ganancias corruptas que en proteger a su pueblo y su fauna.
Bolivia’s Silent Destruction
Bolivia’s Amazon forests are becoming scorched earth, with millions of acres lost each year to raging fires. Worse, this disaster is being caused by a government more interested in corrupt profits than protecting its people and wildlife.
May’s Most-Read Essays
Putin’s war on Ukraine, AI’s threat to democracy, and democracy’s crisis of confidence have been at the forefront of readers’ minds this month. Read May’s top 10 essays for free now!
The Far Right Almost Killed Romania’s Democracy. Will They Succeed Next Time?
Romania is the latest example of rising far-right populism across Europe. The essays below examine the forces driving these illiberal political movements.
Without Sanctions, Will Syria Prosper?
On Tuesday, May 13, the United States announced it would lift longstanding sanctions on Syria. Reintegrating into the global economy could lay the foundations for Syria’s stability and prosperity. In the Journal of Democracy’s latest issue, leading scholars unpack Assad’s unexpected fall, and the reasons for hope that Syria will flourish.
What Is Competitive Authoritarianism?
Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way’s landmark 2002 essay clarified the shifting democratic landscape of the late twentieth century. Now, competitive authoritarianism more than anything else explains the state of global democracy today.
How to Dismantle an Illiberal Democracy
There is no clear roadmap. But Poland may be setting out on its first steps in stamping out populism and holding accountable those responsible for the worst violations of the rule of law.
Why Poland’s Liberals Lost
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.
How the Duterte Clan Is Remaking the Marcos Playbook
Strongman nostalgia, conspiracy theories, and lies. It’s a powerful blend that keeps populists in power. In the Philippines, political clans have weaponized these messages against each other.
Why Russia’s Youth Don’t Support Putin’s War
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.
Mexico Just Bulldozed Its Judiciary
Mexico launched a radical overhaul of its judiciary on June 1 with its first-ever judicial election. The controversial plan risks weakening judicial independence, checks on presidential power, and democracy itself.
Who Is South Korea’s New President?
South Koreans just elected a new president. Will he be good for South Korean democracy?
How to Start to Fix Democracy
Voters across the world see democracy as unresponsive, out of touch, inept, and even corrupt. Something needs to change, but no one can agree on what. What democracy needs, Joel Day argues in a new Journal of Democracy online exclusive, is a single bold and effective reform plan.
Why Cuba’s Student Movement Is Rising
Cuba’s dictatorship has kept student movements under its thumb for decades. But the regime’s repressive tactics have inadvertently breathed new life into a new generation of student activists. These young people are willing to fight for the island’s freedom.