July 2026, Volume 37, Issue 3
Viktor Orbán was ousted by an innovative, grassroots, nationwide campaign run by local civic groups called Tisza Islands. Their success offers a new playbook for civic mobilization against aspiring autocrats.
July 2026, Volume 37, Issue 3
He did the hard work of defeating Viktor Orbán. But Hungary’s new prime minister faces the harder task of undoing the damage his predecessor wrought. Can he do it while avoiding the traps Orbán left in his wake?
July 2026, Volume 37, Issue 3
It was long thought that, to be successful, oppositions needed to form broad-based alliances ahead of elections. But Hungary and Turkey show that a single challenger has real advantages against a would-be autocrat.
July 2026, Volume 37, Issue 3
No other democratic power will be able to uphold a new international order. Autocrats and illiberal coalitions are already rushing into the breach, and if they go unchecked, the damage will be lasting.
Dictators Are Buying Into Western Media | John Jameson Gould
It’s happening in plain sight—and no one’s even trying to hide it.
What Venezuela’s Twin Earthquakes Exposed | Maryhen Jiménez, Rebecca Hanson, Benedicte Bull, and Verónica Zubillaga
From state officials taking selfies amid the rubble to soldiers looting, Venezuela’s earthquake response reveals why corrupt authoritarian governments fail so badly when disasters strike.
Why Peruvians Distrust Their Democracy | Cynthia McClintock
Peruvians just narrowly elected Keiko Fujimori their next president. But the country’s political fragmentation combined with the manipulation of illiberal incumbents has left the majority of the country feeling unrepresented.
News & Updates
June 2026
Since winning Turkey’s 2023 national election, President Erdoğan and the ruling AK Party have seen their popularity plummet. In response, they’ve ramped up their repression of the main opposition party — most notably, jailing its presidential candidate, Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and removing party leader Özgür Özel.
June 2026
The United States and Iran formally signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding on June 17. Under the terms, which include ending sanctions on Iran, releasing its frozen funds, and pledging not to interfere in each other’s internal affairs, both sides have agreed to a 60-day ceasefire to allow further negotiations toward a final peace deal.
Most Read
Forget his excuses. Russia’s autocrat doesn’t worry about NATO. What terrifies him is the prospect of a flourishing Ukrainian democracy.
Generative AI can flood the media, internet, and even personal correspondence, sowing confusion for voters and government officials alike. If we fail to act, mounting mistrust will polarize our societies and tear at our institutions.
In the decade leading up to the covid-19 pandemic, nonviolent civil resistance grew more popular than ever—but its effectiveness had already started to plummet. The future of nonviolent resistance may depend on movements’ ability to move beyond mass protests toward…
From enhancing physical security to encouraging mutual trust, an inclusive sense of national identity continues to be crucial to the flourishing of modern states.
The case of Hungary shows how autocrats can rig elections legally, using legislative majorities to change the law and neutralize the opposition at every turn, no matter what strategy they adopt.
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Read our entire July 2025 issue, featuring “Can Capitalism Save Democracy?” by Semuhi Sinanoglu, Lucan Way, and Steven Levitsky.
