Democracy & Rule of Law

Democratic Backsliding & Solutions

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Illustration of a man handing an envelope to Uncle Sam in front of the U.S. Capitol Buildingn (via Getty Images)

State and Administrative Law Backstops to Federal Corruption

How the Administrative Procedure Act and state unfair competition laws could be used to punish, deter, or expose corruption in the federal government.
The outside columns and relief of the US Treasury Department building in Washington, DC, on July 22, 2019.

Dubious Delistings: Unexplained U.S. Sanctions Removals for the Corrupt and Well-Connected

U.S. targeted sanctions have long promoted accountability, but recent removals under Trump raise concerns about opacity, favoritism, and weakening human rights enforcement.
The three officials sit next to each other at desks behind a solid, dark wood panel , with the flags of the EU, Hungary and Budapest arrayed behind them, and members of the press facing them in the foreground, some of them wearing headsets and one holding a mobile phone at the end of a selfie stick, recording the briefing.

What American Mayors Can Learn From Budapest

Amid democratic backsliding, Hungary's mayors helped maintain people's trust in government, demonstrating how local leaders can help reweave torn social fabric.
Below shot of volunteers stacking hands (via Getty Images).

Can Socially Cohesive Neighborhoods Protect Democracy from Political Violence?

Rising political violence discourages civic engagement, but socially cohesive neighborhoods help Americans stay politically active and committed to democracy.
Magyar, standing on the left in front of a red, white, and green Hungarian flag, shakes hands with von der Leyen, who is standing on the right in front of the EU flag, with a blue backdrop in between the flags carrying the emblem of the European Commission.

Hungary’s Election Is Already Paying Dividends for the EU and Ukraine. Is the U.S. Next?

Peter Magyar's election defeat of Viktor Orban in Hungary is easing relations with the EU and Ukraine. The course correction could even reverberate in the U.S.
Protesters clash with riot police during an opposition rally on the day of local elections in central Tbilisi on October 4, 2025. (Photo by GIORGI ARJEVANIDZE/AFP via Getty Images)

The Fatal Flaws in Georgia’s National Police Modernization

Georgia’s police reform reduced corruption and modernized policing, but it left law enforcement vulnerable to executive control, raising deeper concerns about autonomy.
wp-ep134-thumbnail-sudan-enters-its-fourth-year-of-civil-war

The Just Security Podcast: Sudan Enters Its Fourth Year of Civil War

Quscondy Abdulshafi joins host Viola Gienger to discuss how Sudan got to this point, how the international community has responded, and where to go next. 
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche (L) speaks alongside Assistant Attorney General for Fraud Enforcement Colin McDonald during a news conference at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice building on April 07, 2026 in Washington, DC. Blanche addressed the department's work on anti-fraud efforts and announced the creation of a National Fraud Enforcement Division. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The Trump Administration’s Fraud Problem

The Trump administration invokes “fraud” to justify freezing Medicaid, SNAP, and family aid, sidestepping legal safeguards and turning vital programs into political weapons.

The Tightrope Walk of Democratic Defense: Lessons from Taiwan’s Platform Governance Challenge

The safeguards emerging from Taiwan's effort to address information manipulation risks offer democracies a platform governance roadmap.
Someone in a fluorescent yellow safety jacket on a bicycle is standing speaking with several others at a campaign booth for the TISZA opposition political party. The booth has a poster on it apparently promoting two male candidates. There are trees and apparent residential block buildings in the background and neat brown pavers underfoot.

Hungary’s Election Could End Orbán’s Rule — But Will It End His Power?

Hungary's parliamentary election will test Prime Minister Viktor Orban's strength, as well as whether a change could successfully undo 16 years of autocratic rule.
Supporters of South Korea's impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol watch a live stream of Yoon's trial on his insurrection charges near the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul on February 19, 2026, as Yoon (2nd row L) is seen on the screen. A South Korean court found ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol guilty of insurrection on February 19, and sentenced him to life in prison, saying his martial law declaration in December 2024 was a plot to "paralyse" the National Assembly. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP via Getty Images)

The Judicial Reckoning for the Abuse of Presidential Power in Korea

A South Korean judge on how the South Korean judicial system served as a bulwark of democratic resilience in the face of a constitutional crisis.
A wide view of the room shows Secretary-General António Guterres on a screen at left in the background, with curved rows of desks facing the screen in the photo's foreground.

What the Latest Session of the Commission on the Status of Women Reveals About Global Rights

CSW emphasized that women are at the forefront of combating global backsliding, and preserving their rights remains central to protecting rule of law and global stability.
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