Hans Asenbaum
Despite being the first Black woman to run for US President on a major party ticket, Kamala Harris’ identity plays no prominent role in public perception. Hans Asenbaum argues that Trump’s attempts to define Harris are failing because of her intersectionality and fluidity. Read more
Andrea Cassani
Following years of uncertainty, Senegal’s President Macky Sall has announced he will not run for a third term in 2024. Andrea Cassani, Tiziana Corda, and Giovanni Carbone consider Sall's decision less unexpected than it would have been some years ago. They discuss how term-limit politics could influence democracy and development across Africa Read more
Carlos Vázquez-Ferrel
The new wave of strong executives in Latin America is not only caused by their forceful attempts to push their legislative agenda, or their popularity. Carlos Vázquez-Ferrel examines the Mexican case, where there are institutional disincentives to empower Congress. The result is a weak and disillusioned legislative opposition Read more
Max Steuer
After the break-up of the governing coalition in Slovakia, President Čaputová appointed Slovakia's first cabinet composed of largely non-partisan experts. Max Steuer questions the labelling of this cabinet as ‘non-political’ or ‘technocratic’. While not hailing from general election results, it enjoys other sources of democratic legitimacy Read more
Massimo D'Angelo
In the Turkish presidential elections of 14 May, no candidate secured 50% of the vote to secure outright victory. The election now goes to a runoff later this month. Massimo D’Angelo assesses whether a united opposition can, in the second round, defeat the incumbent President Erdoğan, who is seeking his third re-election Read more
Alicia del Aguila
As the political crisis in Peru worsens, Alicia del Aguila explores its roots. Key to understanding it are the political polarisation of recent years, tension between the Central and Southern Andes, and the historical marginalisation of indigenous people Read more
David Pimenta
With the tiresome election of GOP leader Kevin McCarthy for the US House of Representatives, critics are tempted to condemn US democracy. However, writes David Pimenta, the quality of presidential systems of government depends on the separation of powers. It also depends on mutual control between a strong executive and empowered legislative assemblies that can overcome temporary deadlocks Read more
Bakhytzhan Kurmanov
In Kazakhstan’s recent presidential elections, incumbent President Tokayev won an overwhelming majority, further consolidating his rule. Tokayev preaches democratisation. Yet, as Bakhytzhan Kurmanov argues, the elections were hardly democratic, and the reforms he proposes may mask an intent to strengthen his own position rather than empower Kazakh citizens Read more
