Germany’s Firewall: A Successful Lesson on Elite Gatekeeping
The recent rise of radical right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has raised serious concerns about democratic backsliding in Germany....
Universities
ICE and the Narrowing of Pluralism
The expansion of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Donald Trump’s second term reflects anti-pluralism moving from rhetoric into...
A Seemingly Controversial 15 Minutes
Every February, a football team earns the right to call itself “world champions” by winning the Super Bowl. However, one of the most exciting...
Tunisia Under Saied: The Unraveling of the Arab Spring’s Lone Success Story
On January 31, 2026, Tunisian President Kais Saied extended the country’s state of emergency once more, now marking ten consecutive years of its...
The Democratic Breakdown of Benin: Extremist Groups, Counterterrorism, and Executive Stealth Authoritarianism
Sub-Saharan Africa is largely autocratic, with only about 10% of the region considered to be democratic. Benin, one of the only five democracies,...
How President Trump is initiating Democratic backsliding to assert his dominance
Recently, the United States, under the guidance and control of President Trump’s administration, is at risk of a threat to democracy as he...
The Trump Administration’s Aggressive Rejection of Dissent Threatens Democracy
As the Trump administration enters its second year, Trump continues to push his strategy of executive aggrandizement, reducing institutions...
Fifteen Years After the Jasmine Revolution: Is Democracy in Tunisia Backsliding?
On January 14, 2026, Tunisia celebrated 15 years since it ousted authoritarian leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The Jasmine Revolution, named...
Funding Backsliding: How Hungary Tests the Limits of EU Democratic Enforcement
The European Union recently froze 10 billion euros in payments to Hungary, over concern that the Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, had failed to...