Latest Articles
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The UN’s Moment of Truth
The United Nations is being defunded in the middle of a crisis it was built to prevent. I have watched the United Nations do what no other institution could. As UN Resident Co-ordinator in Viet Nam, I saw the organisation convene the government, agencies and civil society around HIV/AIDS prevention when no bilateral actor had…
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A New Syria in a ‘New Middle East’: Challenges and Opportunities for Democratization
This report seeks to chart the political transition and the prospects for pluralist, if not democratic, rule in a situation that remains very much in flux since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria in December 2024. Profound changes in Syria, spearheaded by President (of the Transitional Phase) Ahmed Al-Sharaa and his government, unfold…
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Imagery, Algorithms, and the Ballot: What Takaichi’s Victory Says About Youth Politics in the Digital Age
Sanae Takaichi’s electoral victory in February marks a historic turning point in Japanese politics. As Japan’s first female prime minister and the leader of a commanding parliamentary majority, she represents change in both symbolic and strategic terms. Conventional wisdom long held that younger Japanese voters leaned progressive, were sceptical of assertive security policies, and disengaged…
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Lebanon’s Democratization: The Impasse of Political Parties Reform
This report focuses on the impasse of legal and political reform in Lebanon, with special reference to political parties. It examines some of the chief challenges Lebanon’s political parties face in a fragile and sectarian political system. In particular, how do the obstacles to reforming political parties limit the prospect of genuine democratization? It addresses…
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Democratic Backsliding in Mauritania: Challenges and Trends
This report examines recent political developments in Mauritania which show signs of democratic backsliding, with increasing restrictions on political freedoms and declining public trust in political institutions. In recent years, the country has witnessed attempts to introduce constitutional amendments allowing the extension of presidential terms, changes to electoral laws that have restricted the participation of…
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