Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping’s consolidation of control will leave them personally responsible for their governments’ successes and missteps. The buck stops with them, according to Alina Polyakova and Torrey Taussig. In… Read more »
China and the Vatican will establish formal diplomatic relations sooner or later because Pope Francis has the “wisdom” to resolve problems between the two sides, a state-run Chinese newspaper said… Read more »
Two new studies suggest that Europe’s embrace of China, even as it warns against Russian meddling, might benefit from a certain degree of wariness. When it comes to Beijing, they argue,… Read more »
Some view Tunisia’s recent demonstrations and the government’s response as a dire warning that the end of the country’s experiment with democracy is near, notes Safwan Masri, the author of… Read more »
Forbes has revealed its third annual “30 Under 30 Europe” list, featuring 600 young innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders across Europe under the age of 30 in 20 different categories…. Read more »
In many parts of the European Union, civil society is under threat, according to a new report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). Given the role civil… Read more »
The recent protests in Iran are unlikely to change who is in power. But they will spark a change of the system, led by the system, according to Dina Esfandiary, a… Read more »
Growing Russian influence in the Balkans is undermining democratic institutions and retarding regional states’ prospects of accession to the European Union, observers suggest. The EU is launching a diplomatic… Read more »
Over at The New York Times, David Brooks holds up John Stuart Mill, the second in a Heroes of Democracy series, for demonstrating that “democratic citizenship is a way of… Read more »
With democracy on the defensive, America is missing in action, argues Brookings analyst William Galston. The latest Freedom House survey of global freedom (see below) notes “the accelerating withdrawal of… Read more »
