Democracy & Rule of Law
Democratic Backsliding & Solutions
157 Articles

No Military Solutions: A New Approach to Preventing Atrocities
To be a credible proponent of peace, the US must shed destabilizing security ties and unneeded military capabilities, and invest in conflict prevention.

The Global Fragility Act Could Give US Assistance and Diplomacy a New Start for Countries in Conflict
The Biden administration should draw on lessons from previous successes in Central America, and Congress must provide sufficient funding.

UN Security Council Won’t Respond to Myanmar’s Coup, But the General Assembly Can
Responding to the coup in Myanmar calls for ambitious out-of-the-box thinking, and an understanding that such pressure is unlikely to come from the United Nations Security Council.

Myanmar is Experiencing a Digital-Age Coup – Tech Companies Must Push Back
Since taking power, Myanmar's military has limited access to social media, and at times cut internet service overall. What can tech companies do to resist?

To Prevent Atrocities, Break Bureaucratic Silos, Don’t Build A New One
Attempts to reduce risks of mass atrocities will be stronger if they are integrated with policy efforts to prevent conflict, address fragility, and counter extremism.

Mali: The “Good” Coup d’État?
Will the military, having violated democratic norms, work with a civilian-led government to bring the country back to rule of law and peaceful development?

Militarized Counterterrorism in Africa: Moving Beyond a Failed Approach
Leading with a heavy military response, particularly when government partners are repressive, ultimately makes things worse. The need for a new approach is clear. It should focus…

Does Mali’s Coup Advance Democracy?
What are the implications of accepting or inviting military intervention in domestic politics in Mali and beyond?

Make Democracy and Governance a Keystone of the US Global Fragility Strategy
The US too often views its work on fragile or failed states as "fixing" various sectors, without enough focus on the political dynamics underneath.

The EU Should Quarantine its Autocrats
The Hungarian and Polish governments’ exploitation of the COVID-19 pandemic for their own ends poses a significant challenge for the EU with consequences that will be present…

Threats to Democracy Spread with the Virus, We Must Keep Both in Check
In Hungary, the parliament has lost the ability to check the power of Viktor Orbán and his executive branch.

In Legislation to Reduce Global Violence, Can U.S. Move Beyond a Focus on “Extremism”?
The real priority for the United States is to address not just ‘extremism’ but violent conflict overall by being clear-eyed about the complex factors driving it and what contributes…