Democracy

How did the son of the notoriously corrupt dictator Ferdinand Marcos win the Philippines’ presidential election in a landslide? Alvin Camba on anti-elite anger, disinformation, and rewritten history.

What’s at stake in Finland and Sweden joining NATO? Susan Colbourn on how the war in Ukraine has reset security calculations in Europe.

How bad is the Taliban’s recent clampdown on women? Heather Barr on a new catastrophe for human rights in Afghanistan.

Is the U.S. Republican Party still unified behind Donald Trump? Rachel Blum on the challenge of interpreting new primary-election results and signs of change in elite opinion.

How does the end of a right to abortion change the politics of the issue in the U.S.? Joshua C. Wilson on state legislatures, activist networks, and ambiguity in the American public.

Why are two opposing legal systems forming in the United States? Philip Rocco on how networks of Democratic and Republican activists are reshaping America at the state level.

What is happening with the U.S. Supreme Court? Christopher W. Schmidt on an unprecedented moment in the history of the American judiciary.

What did he hope to get out of the war? Anatol Lieven on nationalist ambitions, historical narratives, and Moscow’s fraught relationship with the West.

Why is the far right winning ground in France? Marc Weitzmann on how fear and national trauma are shaping the politics of the Fifth Republic.

Why aren’t non-Western countries joining the sanctions against Russia? Richard Gowan on food, guns, and global uncertainty.