Politics and Government | Council on Foreign Relations

Sudan

Sudanese Protesters Insist on End to Military Rule

Sudanese pro-democracy protesters have been more resolute in calling for an unconditional end to military rule than many Western democracies, which have been all too willing to condone a return to the status quo ante.

Blog Post by Michelle Gavin January 26, 2022 Africa in Transition
Middle East and North Africa

Yemen’s Tragedy: War, Stalemate, and Suffering

Yemen’s internal divisions and a Saudi-led military intervention have spawned an intractable political, military, and humanitarian crisis.

Backgrounder by Kali Robinson January 25, 2022
Burkina Faso

Coup in Burkina Faso Bodes Ill for Stability in West Africa

Putschists in West Africa should not interpret initial popular support for coups as an indication that citizens no longer desire responsive, accountable governance.

Blog Post by Ebenezer Obadare January 25, 2022 Africa in Transition

Experts in this Topic

Jendayi E. Frazer

Adjunct Senior Fellow for Africa Studies

James M. Lindsay

Senior Vice President, Director of Studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg Chair

Zimbabwe

Identity Crisis Undermines Zimbabwean Opposition

Zimbabwe's largest opposition party finds itself fighting for survival amid a slew of legal challenges.

Blog Post by Michelle Gavin January 20, 2022 Africa in Transition
Southeast Asia

How Inequality and Democratic Regression Have Made COVID-19 Worse

Why are some large democracies struggling to contain COVID-19?

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick January 20, 2022 Asia Unbound
Nigeria

Twitter Ban Shows Limits of State Power in Nigeria

The Nigerian government's ban of Twitter led many users to simply switch platforms or circumvent the ban with VPNs, an illustration of the difficulty of clamping down on online activities.

Blog Post by Ebenezer Obadare January 18, 2022 Africa in Transition

State and Local Governments (U.S.)

Understanding the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

Heidi Crebo-Rediker, adjunct senior fellow at CFR, will discuss the provisions in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and implications for infrastructure projects at the stat…

Webinar by Albert H. Cho and Heidi Crebo-Rediker January 13, 2022 State and Local Webinars
Argentina

Argentina: A South American Power Struggles for Stability

Argentina is one of Latin America’s largest economies and most stable democracies, but the country has struggled with political dysfunction and financial crises in recent decades.

Backgrounder by Diana Roy January 13, 2022
Europe

European Parliament’s Presidential Election, COVID-19 Case Rates Surge, and More

The European Parliament elects a new president, COVID-19 case rates surge across the globe, and diplomacy continues over Russian security demands in Europe.

Podcast with Robert McMahon and Matthias Matthijs January 13, 2022 The World Next Week
Politics and Government

Renewing America Series: The Growing Divide—Polarization in the United States

On the one-year anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol, our panelists examine polarization in the United States and the threats it poses to U.S. democracy. This meeting is part of the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Project on the Future of Democracy. CFR’s Renewing America initiative shines a spotlight on the domestic underpinnings of U.S. competitiveness to find ways to bolster U.S. international strength and influence. This project is made possible by the generous support of the Bernard and Irene Schwartz Foundation.

Virtual Event by Edward B. Foley, Barton Gellman and Lilliana Mason January 6, 2022 Renewing America
Democracy

U.S.-Russia Talks, Capitol Insurrection Anniversary, and More

Top officials from the United States and Russia meet in Geneva to discuss nuclear arms control and the crisis in Ukraine, Americans mark one year since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and the CES trade show wraps in Las Vegas.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Robert McMahon January 6, 2022 The World Next Week
Terrorism and Counterterrorism

A Year After January 6, Is Accelerationism the New Terrorist Threat?

Far-right extremists are attempting to incite an insurrection to hasten the downfall of what they see as a deeply corrupt U.S. government. Some could resort to deadly acts of terrorism.

In Brief by Bruce Hoffman January 5, 2022 National Security and Defense Program
South Africa

Reflections: Former Asst. Sec. for Africa Walter Kansteiner on the George W. Bush Administration's Zimbabwe Policy

Former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Walter Kansteiner reflects on his dealing with former South African President Thabo Mbeki in formulating U.S. policy toward Zimbabwe from 2001 to 2003.

Blog Post by Michelle Gavin January 5, 2022 Africa in Transition
Democracy

TPI Replay: Democratic Crises in U.S. History, With Suzanne Mettler

In this special series of The President’s Inbox on the future of democracy, James M. Lindsay speaks with experts to discuss whether and where democratic governance is faltering around the world. This week, Suzanne Mettler, John L. Senior professor of American Institutions in the Government Department at Cornell University, places the current crisis of American democracy in historical perspective. This episode is part of the Council on Foreign Relations’ Diamonstein-Spielvogel Project on the Future of Democracy.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Suzanne Mettler January 4, 2022 The President's Inbox
2021 in Review

Ten World Figures Who Died in 2021

Ten people who passed away this year who shaped world affairs for better or worse.

Blog Post by James M. Lindsay December 29, 2021 The Water's Edge