Democracy

Power Ballad

What happens when you mix a trashy Europop spectacle with an oil-soaked Caspian dictator?

BY HALEY SWEETLAND EDWARDS | MAY 24, 2012

Sleepless in Jerusalem

Egypt's presidential elections are keeping Israeli officials awake at night. Will their closest Arab friend soon be an enemy?

BY OREN KESSLER | MAY 24, 2012

The Cairo Consensus

Will Egyptian voters cast their ballot against the United States and Israel?

BY SCOTT CLEMENT | MAY 24, 2012

Ask Me No Questions…

How come Egyptian polls are so useless?

BY ASHRAF KHALIL | MAY 23, 2012

In the Crosshairs

Why controlling the international arms trade can help to build stable societies.

BY CHRISTIAN CARYL | MAY 22, 2012

Bangkok Blues

How did the one functional democracy in Southeast Asia get so screwed up?

BY JOSHUA KURLANTZICK | MAY 22, 2012

Obama's Debacle

The president has protected his right flank for now, but history won’t be so kind.

BY DAVID ROTHKOPF | MAY 21, 2012

Meet the GUTS

The West isn't declining. Here are four world powers enjoying an astonishing renaissance.

BY BRUCE JONES AND THOMAS WRIGHT | MAY 17, 2012

Jesus Loves China, Too

Why I'm working to save my homeland, one soul at a time.

BY BOB FU | MAY 14, 2012

The Value Proposition

Candidates like to preach the preeminence of American values on the campaign trail, but it's interests that dominate inside the White House.

BY MICHAEL A. COHEN | MAY 14, 2012

Burma Can Bring It

It’s true: Burma faces an uphill climb in its transition to democracy. But the odds may be better than you think.

BY MICHAEL ALBERTUS, VICTOR MENALDO | MAY 14, 2012

Getting Ready for Life after Castro

Managing the transition to a democratic Cuba: A user’s guide.

BY JAIME SUCHLICKI | MAY 11, 2012

The World in Photos This Week

France gets a new president, neo-Nazis make gains in Greece, and Putin hits the ice.

MAY 11, 2012

The 140-Character Fatwa

Enormously popular, extremist Saudi clerics are promoting hatred, violence, and intolerance on Facebook and Twitter. Can they be stopped?

BY JONATHAN SCHANZER, STEVEN L. MILLER | MAY 9, 2012

Vox Pop: Egyptians Prepare to Choose a President

Everyone's talking about Egypt's presidential election. But what do the voters think?

BY MAGDY SAMAAN | MAY 9, 2012

Spring Is Over

Has the Russian protest movement fatally weakened Vladimir Putin? Don’t bet on it.

BY CHRISTIAN CARYL | MAY 8, 2012

A Kremlin Made of Sand

Vladimir Putin may not be as secure as he thinks.

BY LEON ARON | MAY 4, 2012

"Captains Stay with Their Crew"

Most of the Americans charged by Egypt in the NGO affair have since left the country. But one, Robert Becker, decided to stay and face the music.

BY MOHAMED FADEL FAHMY | MAY 2, 2012

Where Democracy Is America’s Second Choice

For Washington, democracy promotion in Yemen continues to take a back seat to the fight against Al-Qaeda.

BY FRANCISCO MARTIN-RAYO | MAY 2, 2012

The New Math of Geopolitics: Does It All Add Up to G-Zero?

A conversation between Ian Bremmer and David Rothkopf.

INTERVIEW BY DAVID ROTHKOPF | APRIL 30, 2012

Congratulations and Condolences

The conviction of Charles Taylor is welcome news. But don’t be fooled: The international criminal justice system is in deep trouble.

BY CHRISTOPHER STEPHEN | APRIL 30, 2012

Exit Taylor

The former Liberian leader is going to jail for war crimes. But he leaves behind a host of unanswered questions.

BY JOHNNY DWYER | APRIL 27, 2012

Away From the Handouts

The argument for a new approach to development aid.

BY PETER PASSELL | APRIL 26, 2012

Après Moi, le Déluge

Five reasons that Europe will rue the loss of Nicolas Sarkozy.

BY JAMES POULOS | APRIL 24, 2012

Containing Weapons of Mass Surveillance

President Obama is on the right track with Monday's executive order, but the United States needs to get tougher on the global digital arms race.

BY REBECCA MACKINNON | APRIL 24, 2012

The Most Powerful Women You've Never Heard Of

The Angela Merkels and Dilma Rousseffs get all the attention. But they're not the only female leaders running the world.

BY FP STAFF | MAY/JUNE 2012

The Heroines of the Arab World

Twelve women challenging their societies to change the status quo.

BY ALLISON GOOD | APRIL 23, 2012

Epiphanies from Abdullah Gul

Turkey can be a democratic model for the Middle East, its president says.

INTERVIEW BY BENJAMIN PAUKER | MAY/JUNE 2012

Smart Sanctions: A Short History

How a blunt diplomatic tool morphed into the precision-guided measures we know today.

BY URI FRIEDMAN | MAY/JUNE 2012

A Better Dictator

If you have to live under an authoritarian regime, which kind is best?

BY JOSHUA E. KEATING | MAY/JUNE 2012