Authoritarianism
205 Articles

On Georgia’s `Russian Law,’ Amendments Are a Trap: The West Should Just Say No
The best way for the US and EU to support citizens opposing the repressive legislation is to refuse to accept its legitimacy in any way.

How the Georgian Government, Once a US Ally, Became an Adversary, Against the Wishes of Its Protesting Citizens
Western leaders will have to respond quickly to deter the ruling Georgian Dream party from further repression against its opposition.

The Case for Admitting Kosovo to the Council of Europe
Some European democracies, including France and Italy, are imposing conditions, in essence siding with backsliding Serbia.

Key Takeaways from the Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community
This year's ATA includes interesting nuggets for U.S. policy toward China, Russia, and Iran — and warnings about U.S. election interference.

Putin’s Staged Election Belies Resistance — Russian Court Data Tells the Real Story
The number of people convicted on political charges in just the past 6 years place Putin second only to Stalin in repression.

A Troubling Omen for Ukraine in the EU’s Balkan Membership Struggles
Russia's 2022 invasion eased enlargement fatigue a bit, but the long-delayed Western Balkans process is instructive. The EU must do better.

Amid Courts’ Role in US Democracy Struggle, Look to Lessons from Abroad
Countries that maintained their democracies have had courts that rose to the occasion to safeguard a country’s constitution or rule of law.

Russian Opposition Searches for Shreds of Hope After Navalny’s Death
Lines to endorse an antiwar candidate for president and to lay flowers in memory of Navalny show courage and a desire for democracy.

The Democratic Price of Countering Authoritarianism
The US need to contend with China and Russia may obscure the accumulation of risk from many individual tradeoffs.

The US Can — and Must — Counter Russian Influence Undermining Kyrgyzstan’s Democratic Progress
The latest sign of backsliding is a draft "foreign agents" law modeled after one that gutted civil society in Russia.

La liberación de Fujimori es una alerta roja para la democracia peruana
Fujimori, serving 25 years for death squad massacres, walked out of prison as corrupt networks again coopt democratic institutions.

Ex-President’s Release Raises a Red Flag on Peru’s Democracy
Fujimori, serving 25 years for death squad massacres, walked out of prison as corrupt networks again coopt democratic institutions.