Cyprus seldom appears in Europe's rule of law debates. While Brussels scrutinises Poland and Hungary for dismantling judicial independence , the Republic of Cyprus quietly maintains the façade of a well-governed democracy, small, stable, and uncontroversial. Yet beneath this appearance of order lies a legal system defined by concentration of power, minimal oversight, and selective accountability. The 2025 EU Rule of Law Report commends "further progress" ,  but its diplomatic

Newly elected leader of the Green Party, Zack Polanksi, has taken British politics by storm. The self-proclaimed ‘eco-populist’ has resurrected the Green Party’s reputation amongst voters and driven the Greens’ takeover of the Conservatives as the third largest political party in the UK. And it’s not only membership that has spiked; broadcast coverage  of the Greens has increased by 44% since early September. With the party currently holding just four seats in the House of Co

In a result that few expected, the centrist-liberal D66 has won  a plurality of seats in this year’s Dutch elections, narrowly fending off the far-right PVV. Many publications internationally have hailed  the results as a victory for the centre ground and, correspondingly, a defeat for the far-right. Delve closer into the results and the broader Dutch political context, however, and this analysis seems dubious. The snap vote follows elections held in 2023, which the PVV won  

When it comes to political crises in Latin America, Peru is always on everyone's lips. The country suffered yet another political earthquake early last month, ending the presidency of Dina Boluarte . The now former president, like her immediate and myriad other predecessors, was removed by Congress after a brief stint. Peru has had eight presidents in the last ten years, with Ollanta Humala (2011-2016) being the last to complete his term. Since then, instability has gone from

Halloween sees droves of endearingly-costumed kids break down our doors, yet there is another annual tradition that I am somewhat less looking forward to this year. Remembrance Day is normally a time of reflection, one that is about celebrating the bravery of those who have fought and died for us. On remembrance day, I might wear a white poppy for peace, and may also wear a red poppy.  One of these symbols has sadly been linked to the far-right,  despite the British Legion’s

On the 19th of October this year the first round of the local elections in North Macedonia were held. This country is home to one of the fastest growing left-wing parties in Europe: Levica (the Left). Since its founding ten years ago it has experienced a gradual rise in its number of elected officials. In the 2020 parliamentary elections two MPs from its ranks, including the party leader Dimitar Apasiev, took office, and in the 2024 parliamentary elections they expanded the p

October 4 th  saw a landslide victory for the Georgian Dream Party, securing them sixty-four out of sixty-four districts on only forty-one percent voter turnout, signalling significant corruption at work.  Over the summer, Tbilisi has been rocked by protests, but in the wake of last year's October election, it is apparent that the Georgian Dream is showing little tolerance for dissenting opposition. Strong economic performance, with GDP rising 7.9 percent  this past year, has

Nepal has one of the highest social media usages per capita in South Asia, so when the government announced its plans to ban 26 social media platforms including X and Facebook, the nation erupted. Primarily youth protesters flooded the streets to vent their anger. After two days of political unrest and smoke-filled cities, a new interim Prime Minister was elected to serve at the hands of the people. Many are hopeful for change, but the unrest will merely be redoubled if prote

Though AI safety is often perceived as an overly nihilistic field of study, it has become an increasingly prevalent feature  of international policy debates ranging from its use in courts and parliaments to the defence industry. AI safety has entered public discourse in the context of spurring on unemployment, AI misuse, and the potential for critical systems failures or bias. In a European context, the EU is explicitly seeking  to develop a uniquely European approach to deve

Though I cannot recall quite how, I recently stumbled across a fascinating POLITICO  article by former Harvard lecturer John F. Muller titled “ Halloween Is More Political Than You Think ”. It discusses trick-or-treating in America, focusing specifically on Milwaukee, and the surprising observations Halloween brings to the table in discussions on both racial and class divisions. Muller explores how poor, inner-city ethnic minorities often travel to affluent white suburbs duri

For the Senate Judiciary Committee to work, there must be a gap between the requisite information and the Senate’s ultimate decision. The committee should have a concentrated body of senators to discover information about a candidate to make a just decision. Pam Bondi’s recent hearing  would need to reveal something the Senate did not already know, and that new knowledge would have to play a decisive role in the political judgment.  As expected, this did not occur. Instead, w

Introduction In a country positioned at the crossroads of East and West, the battle for hearts and minds is increasingly fought not on the battlefield, but in the media. Once the frontrunner of the so-called “Associated Trio,” Georgia now finds itself among the most vulnerable to foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) and broader information disorders, as media freedom and freedom of speech face growing threats. Amid ongoing protests, political unrest, and s

Czech billionaire turned populist politician and former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has won a plurality in this month's elections  in the central European country, defeating incumbent Prime Minister Petr Fiala's centrist coalition and falling 20 seats short of an overall majority. Nicknamed the ‘Czech Trump’, Babiš made his return on the back of the Czech Republic's economic woes.  The central European state had seen one of the worst inflation rates  in Europe and had borne t

Until September, Angela Rayner was a key figure in the British government, serving as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and Deputy Prime Minister. This was until Rayner resigned  after she was found to be underpaying a property tax on her second home. By American standards, the scandal is relatively minor. In fact, Rayner is one of several British politicians to have stepped down over matters that would barely

A generation born online, coming of age under curfews, censorship  and increasingly choosing exit over engagement. Some books really fit the evolving dynamics of a country, and Stephen P. Cohen’s The Idea of Pakistan  is one such work. Building an argument that Pakistan’s political future cannot be forecasted without reckoning with the oversized role of its security establishment, Cohen also intertwines the long shadow this system casts over civilian life. The idea in between

Given the limelight on Donald Trump’s oration this year at the UN General Assembly, one would be forgiven for thinking it will not go down in history books as a stage from which was delivered a rousing paean to multilateralism, democracy, and the rule of law. Yet to the world assembled in New York that day, the session began with exactly that , from Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, president of Brazil, who preceded Trump onto the stage to give the first oration of the Assembly’s mo

It often seems that the next general election is a matter of months away, with seemingly no escape from Nigel Farage’s 24/7 media coverage and gleeful references to Keir Starmer and Labour’s abysmal polling. Elon Musk continues to interfere with UK politics, most recently by appearing via video link at the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march and proclaiming that parliament must be dissolved . Meanwhile, Starmer's government endured a late-summer of internal crises  and the Prime Minist

In the shadows, Putin’s intelligence services have been leaving civilian casualties, sabotaged infrastructure, burnt out buildings and downed planes in their wake for over three years. A ravaged Europe lies almost completely unresponsive. For sixty heartstopping minutes, a full-to-capacity Falcon 900LX jet circles above Bulgaria in a state of panic. The pilots and security detail are frantically scrambling over paper maps and charts, desperate to plot a safe route to the grou

The public murder of Charlie Kirk rattled the American political establishment , and was met with a variety of responses from its pundits, journalists, and elected officials. For many in the Republican Party and on the right of American politics more broadly, Kirk’s death was the pretence required to pursue an official clampdown  on freedom of speech, as opposed to the less systematic, yet no less brazen , attacks the White House had been carrying out up to that point. Citize

A few months ago, I published part one of this article , when Spain’s housing reforms were still nascent. I am glad now to see that, fulfilling previous promises, the Spanish PM has honoured his word and taken substantial steps towards implementing public housing policies. From making the purchase of houses for non-residents more difficult, to facilitating young people’s renting and buying of residences, and unifying countrywide and regional initiatives, much has been done re