Demographics and politics

A nascent far-right movement has exploited concerns about high immigration and a housing shortage. And despite poor electoral results, it remains a force in Irish politics, writes Shane Harrison.

Incoming Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has called for snap elections in a bid to increase his mandate and put his party’s finance scandal to rest.

Jordan’s parliamentary election on 10 September promises to be the most consequential vote since democracy was reintroduced to the kingdom in 1989.

Tim Walz has been embraced by both moderates and progressives in the Democratic party, but what impact will Kamala Harris’s VP pick have on the outcome of the race?

Efforts to co-opt opposition and externalize blame are familiar tools in Kenyan politics, but may be ill-equipped to address the demands of a new youth protest phenomenon and the realities of Kenya’s fiscal struggles.

New foreign minister Ronald Lamola is a rising political force. He will likely focus more on foreign relations serving domestic economic issues, taking a lower profile than his predecessor.

Passing his first reform bill is a major victory for the president, but continuing economic pain may yet erode his remarkable popular support.

Centrists like Mette Frederiksen are talking tough on migration. But adopting right-wing policy may make it harder to manage the issue.

Some hoped the war would pivot Astana’s foreign policy towards the West – but economic ties with Moscow have deepened.

How Republican and Democrat opponents tackle the Trumpist radicalized right will determine whether democratic norms survive, writes Leslie Vinjamuri.

The day Hugo Chávez was elected president on 6 December, 1998, many dared to hope. Instead, he launched 25 years of repression and chaos, writes Francisco Toro.

From major elections to the AI boom, here are the issues six of our expert contributors expect to make the news in the year ahead.

‘The Future of Foreign Policy is Feminist‘ makes a good case for the necessity of FFP, but is vague on how to bring it about, writes Eirliani Abdul Rahman.

A solid bloc of Eurosceptic parties in power is cause for concern.

New Zealand is using a Māori foreign policy to differentiate itself from other Western countries.

New peace talks are finally inching forward, but the fate of the population caught up in the centre of the conflict remains a key concern.

Why the government and international partners should work with Ukraine’s civil society organizations (CSOs) in recovery planning, oversight, and implementation.

The UK government rushing its Illegal Migration Bill will not stop small boats but will damage the country’s reputation as a reliable international partner.

From Poland to Uganda, the politicized backlash against sexual and gender minorities is a bellwether for rising authoritarianism, writes Ari Shaw.

In Poland and other eastern European countries, Ukraine’s queer refugees face political intolerance and social exclusion, writes Joanna Jaworska.

It was meant to prompt a reconsideration of LGBTQ Qataris. Instead, international coverage of the tournament entrenched local distrust, writes Christina Paschyn.

Antony Loewenstein argues persuasively that Israel profits from surveilling Palestine, but should have spoken more to those it’s watching, writes Mairav Zonszein.

By broadening feminist representation in peacebuilding to include LGBT voices, Colombia is redefining intersectionality, writes Jamie Hagen.

Pro-LGBTQ legislation needs upholding, particularly in an era of conservative repression, writes Graeme Reid.

On June 5, 1981, the first account of what became HIV/Aids appeared. But a prompt medical reaction was undermined by political apathy, writes Harold Jaffe.

In the last three decades of the 20th century, the LGBTQ community came out of the shadows and into focus, a liberation aided and captured by photography.

A clampdown on private enterprise means ever more young Chinese are competing for prized but scarce civil service jobs, writes Yu Jie.

For some, it’s an annual celebration, for others a struggle of constant advocacy. The future of Pride depends on reconciling the two, writes Daniel Conway.

Progress in Thailand and Singapore contrasts with an anti-LGBTQ moral panic in Indonesia and the legal legacy of British imperial rule, writes Anthony Langlois.

The Canadian Foreign Service officer tells Mike Higgins about queer diplomats’ difficult postings and the perception that LGBTQ rights are a western imposition.

Despite legislative efforts and cooperation with the EU, migration through Niger and Libya to Europe has grown significantly in recent years. This paper examines the transnational drivers of this phenomenon, including insecurity in Libya and the mobility economy in Niger.

After decades of fragmented expansion, Algeria’s social protection system is under financial strain. With rising demand across the region, strategic reforms are needed to boost fiscal space in order to improve social welfare outcomes for the country’s citizens.

This paper explores the opportunities in China for innovative approaches to climate action that incorporate gender equality and social inclusion.

This paper explores the ever-shifting identity and political strategy of Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and offers a sociological analysis of his voter base.

For Hezbollah, having hybrid status is ideal for maintaining its objective of possessing and exercising power without responsibility to the Lebanese people, writes Lina Khatib.

Corruption has led to the near collapse of the state in Lebanon. While the introduction of legal measures to tackle this issue is a positive step, the effectiveness of these reforms remains uncertain.

This paper explores how political parties compete and cooperate for power in formal institutions in the Iraqi state, notably through appointing senior civil servants to do their bidding.

This paper examines the rise of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) and whether it still has a role in Libya’s future.

Ukraine’s media sector faces a wide range of challenges – not least the influence of oligarchs and politicians. This paper explores efforts to improve professional standards and public trust.

This paper explores European populist movements and their impact on the liberal international order.

Future reform efforts in Iraq must be guided by strategies that better understand the nature of PMF networks and their links to state power structures.