The West is failing to invest against Russian encroachment in Georgia, choosing instead to break relations. Francesco Foti argues that Western disengagement will prove a serious obstacle to Georgia realigning with the West.
Georgia is undergoing its most significant mass uprising since the 2003 rose revolution, with the future of democracy in Georgia and Georgia’s future in Europe at stake. John Chin and Anastasia Kim put this unrest in context by reviewing Georgia’s revolutionary history and ongoing challenges posed by Russian sharp power
The Romanian presidential elections reveal the dangers of unregulated digital electoral campaigning, argues Gabriela Borz. To combat the risks and control the output, democracies should take urgent regulatory measures, and improve their citizens’ digital skills
Ukraine's rebuilding efforts will rely on Western aid and foreign investments. The country's postwar path will therefore be determined not only by Kyiv, but also by Washington and Brussels, writes Iryna Nesterenko. While reconstruction of Ukraine's energy infrastructure is crucial, the country is torn between the economic benefits of nuclear technology, and its national security risks
Romania’s Constitutional Court has annulled the country's recent presidential elections, alleging Russian meddling. John Chin, Mirren Hibbert and Staten Rector argue that its decision raises profound questions about the legacy of Romania’s 1989 revolution, and the future of democracy and Western influence in this frontline state
Courtney Blackington and Frances Cayton argue that populist politicians tend to dog-whistle conspiracy theories when speaking to general audiences, but explicitly endorse them when speaking to supporters. Thus, politicians strategically invoke conspiracy theories to avoid blowback, while still managing to rally their core supporter base
In Istanbul, urban planning has become a battleground for the redefinition of citizenship. Ezgi Kuran describes how, in the 2024 municipal elections, the opposition CHP and the ruling AKP exploited urban planning to change what it means to be a citizen, and present their opposing visions of Turkey's future
Péter Magyar poses an unprecedented threat to Viktor Orbán’s rule. Kinga Korányi argues that Magyar’s sudden success is the result of his agenda-setting capabilities as a former Fidesz affiliate who caught Orbán’s government by surprise. However, she warns that Magyar’s lasting success is still contigent on several factors.
Trump may have scored a resounding win, but can he deliver the changes Americans voted for? Titus Alexander argues that the new political order challenges political science to help citizens make democracy work better.
International observers generally praise the rise in female politicians in autocracies, but the inclusion of women in politics can also be a means by which autocrats polish their image without real reform. Janina Beiser-McGrath and Eda Keremoğlu caution that authoritarian states do not necessarily become more democratic, even if women gain real power in their cabinets.
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