Why Putin Is Obsessed With ‘Foreign Agents’
The Kremlin’s latest crackdown could ultimately backfire.
Buhari’s Authoritarian Twitter Ban Continues to Silence Nigerians
Meanwhile, Nigeria teeters on the path to failed statehood.
Keep Tunisia’s Military Out of Politics
President Kais Saied has broken a 65-year taboo.
Sisi Is Leaving the Sick to Suffer in Egypt’s Prisons
The Egyptian government has deliberately let a former presidential candidate languish behind bars without proper medical care.
The Middle East Is Preparing for the United States’ Exit From Syria
Among Arab countries, the race is on to repair ties with the Assad regime.
Georgia Turns Its Back on the West
The ruling Georgian Dream party is taking Tbilisi into Moscow’s orbit while eroding democratic institutions.
Kais Saied Is Not a Dictator
Tunisia’s controversial president is seeking to preserve the legacy of the Arab Spring by stamping out corruption and promoting decentralized democracy.
Welcome to the Era of Dictator Inflation
Authoritarians around the world are perfecting the art of seeming more powerful than they are.
Belarus and Hong Kong Are Building the 21st Century’s Berlin Walls
Sixty years ago, a barrier in Berlin transformed Europe overnight. Today, authoritarian regimes are following in East Germany’s footsteps by barring their citizens from leaving.
Ideological Competition With China Is Inevitable—Like It or Not
Beijing recognizes promoting human rights and democracy is an ideological challenge. So should Washington.
Cracks Are Growing in the Erdogan Regime
Turkey is more politically unstable today than at any other point in recent years.
Generation X’s Short Arc of History
Ben Rhodes’s new book about global politics reveals the limits of the Obama administration’s worldview.
Myanmar Pressure Campaign Stalls at the United Nations
The military regime’s neighbors resist sanctions, fearing it would divide regional powers.
Twitter’s Presence in Africa Won’t End Internet Censorship
Big Tech companies see an opportunity for growth on the continent, but they risk becoming accessories to authoritarian regimes.
Authoritarianism Doesn’t Stop at the Water’s Edge
The Belarus hijacking is part of a broader trend. From Russia to Rwanda, governments are going after dissidents far beyond their borders.
With Putin’s Latest Crackdown, Russia Is Going Dark
As it goes full authoritarian, the Kremlin is targeting the last vestiges of civil society and independent media.
Killing Hong Kong’s Free Press Will Harm Its Economy
Beijing is betting expats will flock to the city despite China’s draconian media crackdown—but they could vote with their feet.
Putin Is No Unicorn
“Weak Strongman” argues that to better understand Russia, we need to move past our fixation with its president.
Is History Coming for Sisi’s Regime?
The clearest perspective on Egypt’s current military ruler is offered by a dissident who has seen previous ones rise—and fall.
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