Is there such a thing as a good coup in Africa?
Although not a new phenomenon in Africa, military takeovers or coups occurred with disturbing frequency over the last year, writes Dr. Jude Mutah, an Africa program specialist at… Read more »
Author Archives: DemDigest
Xi pushes China Model in ‘struggle of values’
Democracies should should emphasize, not ignore the ideological dimension of the contest with China, according to a leading commentator. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday constituted… Read more »
How Russian disinfo campaigns bypass western defenses
Since 2017, the biggest western social media firms have tried to tighten their policies around propaganda and disinformation on their platforms. In response, Russian propaganda and disinformation efforts have pivoted… Read more »
Tunisian democracy now in hands of ‘popular authoritarian’?
Tunisian President Kais Saied has put in place special measures for wielding legislative and executive power, the presidency said on Wednesday, without elaborating, Reuters reports. It added that Saied would form… Read more »
Russia’s global campaign for ‘authoritarian stability’
Russia’s increasingly globalized campaign on behalf of authoritarian stability has been most visible and ambitious in Syria, but is equally evident in Belarus and further afield, notes a leading analyst…. Read more »
Europeans wary about democracy vs autocracy competition
The Biden administration hopes to bring democracies together in a new alliance against autocratic powers led by Beijing, notes a new analysis from the European Council on Foreign Relations. It… Read more »
Liberation technology? Digital freedoms waning, says Freedom House
Global internet freedom declined for the 11th consecutive year as governments increasingly asserted authority over technology platforms and forced businesses to comply with censorship and surveillance, according to Freedom on… Read more »
Façade finally falls: Putin’s ‘victory’ confirms weakness
Russia’s ruling party retained its supermajority in parliament, further cementing President Vladimir Putin’s grip on power following elections that excluded most opposition politicians and were marred by multiple reports of… Read more »
How Carl Gershman orchestrates ‘Voices of Solidarity’
How on earth do you get a U.S. Senator, a French philosopher, a Polish minister of foreign affairs, a Canadian ex-prime minister, and a Central European prince to read out… Read more »
What happened to Cuba’s pro-democracy protests?
In 2010 Cuba’s Castro regime began releasing journalists and human rights activists, most of whom it had imprisoned seven years earlier during the Black Spring crackdown on political dissent, notes… Read more »