Latest Articles
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Why India’s Opposition Parties Should Boycott Elections
Image: Ankit M / Shutterstock There is fresh buzz in India over boycotting elections in the wake of fresh media reports over its Election Commission’s voter verification methods resulting in the disenfranchisement of 130 million people—more than Japan’s population—and dubious electoral outcomes favouring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This time the…
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Democracy Lighthouse Digest #14
Wolfgang Merkel provides an insight into the AfD’s recent victory in Saxony-Anhalt. Larbi Sadiki examines democratic resilience in Tunisia and Jordan Ryan visits…
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What Governments Owe the Next Secretary-General
Image: UN Secretary-General / Wiki Commons The Security Council held its third informal poll of candidates on 18 September. Governments expect the next United Nations Secretary-General to lead with independence and courage. They must be prepared to defend that independence when it is challenged. Choosing a strong candidate will achieve little if governments then demand…
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Syria’s Political Transition: Towards a New Personalist Politics?
This report critically assesses the institution building that has taken place in post-Assad Syria over the past several months. Taking the ‘Constitutional Declaration’ of March 2025 as a benchmark, it suggests that the country’s new institutions, combined with rule by presidential decree, indicate the emergence of an increasingly centralized political system. Rather than signalling democratic…
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‘Dirty Hands’: Should the AfD Be Banned?
Image: Pim Kraster / Shutterstock This paper discusses the moral dilemma facing German politicians and intellectuals today: which is the most ethical or responsible way to act for German decision makers facing the question of whether to ban the right-wing authoritarian Alternative for Germany party (AfD)? The paper references two opposite views on how to…
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