Lisa Janssen
Accepting electoral defeat is essential for democratic stability. Yet, amid the political polarisation that followed the storming of the US Capitol and similar events in Brazil, losers’ consent became harder to obtain. Using case studies from UK elections, Lisa Janssen explains how polarisation influences citizens’ responses to election results Read more
Gift Mwonzora
Can digitalisation prevent election tampering in Zimbabwe? New technologies certainly have the potential to improve the conduct and management of elections. But, as Gift Mwonzora argues, without concomitant political will and adherence to electoral laws, digitalisation does little to enhance electoral integrity and democracy in (semi-)authoritarian regimes Read more
Valentin Clavé-Mercier
Co-governance featured extensively in the Aotearoa/New Zealand 2023 electoral campaign. These arrangements between central or local governments and Māori Indigenous representatives have divided the political spectrum. Now that electoral results are in, Valentin Clavé-Mercier examines the debate surrounding co-governance and its prospects going forward Read more
Olga Vlasova
Olga Vlasova delves into Moscow's recent unconventional mayoral elections. She finds the campaigns were completely lacking in public debate, and that the result was a foregone conclusion. A stark departure from tradition, these elections could have set the tone for next year's presidential race Read more
Piotr Marczyński
Neither Poland's government nor its opposition has a straightforward path toward an electoral majority. Meanwhile, personal conflict between Jarosław Kaczyński and Donald Tusk dominates the news cycle. Piotr Marczyński argues this configuration reflects the shallow roots of the Polish party system, with axes of polarisation gradually realigning along ideological lines Read more
Demian Iglesias Seifert
Javier Milei's victory in the primary elections is a sign that Argentina, previously a bastion of left-wing populism, is joining the global trend of right-wing populism. Argentina, writes Demian Iglesias Seifert, is now following the patterns we see in Brazil and El Salvador. Strong support from young men catapulted the La Libertad Avanza leader to first place in the primaries Read more
George Kordas
George Kordas argues that repeat elections can benefit democracy if democratic mechanisms function effectively, giving voice to people frustrated with the current system. But when, as in Bulgaria, elections produce paralysis, and old powers continue in office, this compromises citizens’ belief in democracy Read more
Massimo D'Angelo
On 13 August 2023, Argentinians took part in primary elections to choose candidates for positions including the presidency. But the established candidates have dropped out of the race. Massimo D’Angelo examines the key results of this election, most notable for the victory of far-right libertarian economist Javier Milei Read more
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