Essay: A religious calling to protect democracy
CHRIS CRAWFORD, a policy advocate at US-based Protect Democracy, says – in an article first published on Religion News Service that while most religious doctrines do not require an embrace of democracy, in today’s world, authoritarians are attempting to do the opposite…
Essay: Tunisia’s once-vibrant democracy is on its deathbed – but it can be saved
JOSÉ IGNACIO HERNANDÉZ G, a fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, looks at Tunisia’s slide into authoritarianism…
Kiribati moving towards authoritarianism, former President warns
Sydney, AustraliaReuters The Pacific island nation of Kiribati is moving towards authoritarianism, its former President said in an interview on Wednesday, after the government suspended all judges from its appeal and high courts. Kiribati withdrew from the regional bloc, the Pacific Island Forum, in July, with China denying it had influenced the decision by the […]
EU top court paves way to cut billions to Poland and Hungary
Brussels, BelgiumReuters The European Union’s top court on Wednesday cleared the way for the bloc to potentially cut billions of euros in handouts to Poland and Hungary where populist rulers stand accused of violating democratic rights and freedoms. There is no appeal against the ruling by the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice, which dismissed challenges […]
Poland, Hungary turning more authoritarian, rights group says
Brussels, Belgium Reuters Hungary and Poland are turning increasingly authoritarian, a European rights group said on Tuesday, a day before the European Union’s top court rules on whether to cut funding to member states flouting democratic rights and freedoms. The Berlin-based Civil Liberties Union for Europe singled out the two formerly communist EU countries in […]
In democracy’s birthplace, Pope warns of populist threats
Athens, GreeceAP Pope Francis warned Saturday that the “easy answers” of populism and authoritarianism are threatening democracy in Europe and called for fresh dedication to promoting the common good rather than narrow, nationalist interests. Arriving in Greece, the birthplace of democracy, Francis used a speech to Greek political and cultural leaders to warn Europe at […]
UN chief warns against repressive measures amid coronavirus crisis
Reuters UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday the coronavirus could give some countries an excuse to adopt repressive measures for reasons unrelated to the pandemic as he warned that the outbreak risks becoming a human rights crisis. Guterres released a UN report highlighting how human rights should guide the response and recovery to the […]