Category: Elections

A violent crackdown has put Bangladesh at a crossroads

After eleven days of internet blackout, several days of continuous curfew, and a complete shutdown of offices, the Bangladesh government has started to ease some restrictions hoping that it has quelled the popular mobilization that has rocked the country since July 18. But protests have continued and students and people from various walks of life

Netanyahu comes to Washington on a ‘wing’ and a prayer

Wing of Zion—Israel’s homemade version of Air Force One—touched down at Joint Base Andrews on July 22, carrying Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the United States on a journey of firsts. The refurbished Boeing 767, on its maiden transport of an Israeli premier, escorted Netanyahu on his long-awaited first visit to Washington since President

Syria’s inflated electorate is caused by phantom voters

President Bashar al-Assad set July 15 as election day for the 250 seats of the Syrian People’s Assembly held in the areas controlled by his government. As the electoral process unfolds, a series of articles will deconstruct the key elements of Syrian elections and their role in legitimizing Baath Party rule. This series will also

Libya’s special envoy resigned. What’s next for the country?

Since the Libyan House of Representatives announced a new law for presidential and parliamentary elections on November 1, 2023, specifying a deadline of two hundred and forty days for holding the polls, political divisions in Libya have deepened. Despite this legislative step, disagreements persist among Libyan authorities, with various powerful politicians and military figures vying

President Zelenskyy’s term is over but he’s still a legitimate wartime leader

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s five-year term in office ended on May 20, but he will remain in his post until security conditions allow for elections to be held. Predictably, the Kremlin is already exploiting this technicality to question Zelenskyy’s legitimacy, but Russia’s claims ignore the many obvious obstacles to holding a credible democratic vote in

The Syrian parliamentary elections are coming up. Should anyone care?

This summer, elections for the Syrian People’s Assembly will be held in the areas controlled by the government under Bashar al-Assad. As the electoral process unfolds, a series of articles will deconstruct the key elements of Syrian elections and their role in legitimizing Baath Party rule. It will also conduct a deep dive into the

Ukraine’s veterans can transform the country’s postwar political landscape

What kind of Ukraine will emerge from the horrors of Russia’s invasion? While it is obviously difficult to make any specific predictions amid ongoing hostilities, it already seems clear that postwar Ukraine will have a vastly strengthened sense of national identity as a democratic country firmly embedded within the wider European community. It also looks

Georgia launches new push to adopt Russian-style foreign agent law

Georgia’s ruling party is pushing ahead with plans to pass legislation tightening restrictions on civil society, despite widespread domestic alarm along with expressions of concern from the EU and US. The new law mirrors earlier draft legislation that was shelved in spring 2023 following widespread protests and comes as the country prepares for parliamentary elections