Category: IAD Op-Eds
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American Democracy Threatened by Increasingly Dangerous Rhetoric from Politicians
White House lawn (long tightly cropped) by Daniel Schwen Written by Charles Cooper, Public Relations Lead, International Association for Democracy (IAD) While some Americans may find themselves increasingly attracted to the use of violence for political ends, it is clear that the vast majority of Americans want nothing to do with such practices. It is…
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The Rise of the Radical Right is a Threat to (Liberal) Democracy as we Know it
Just last year, two radical right-wing populist parties won major elections in both Argentina and the Netherlands. Those are not isolated cases: Hungary, Italy, Israël and India are already led by radical right parties, and the radical right is also represented within the Finnish government. Moreover, the radical right’s popularity continues to grow in countries…
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A Choice Between Democracy and Autocracy: Turkey2023 Elections
It is no exaggeration to view the elections in Turkey as one of the most significant in a generation. The long-term future of the country is at stake. Amid polarising government policies, the abolition of the Istanbul Convention, a severely struggling economy with skyrocketing inflation and strained relations with the international community the outcome of…
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EU Member States must fully comply with EU sanctions on Russia
The International Association for Democracy (IAD) calls on EU Member States to fully comply with EU sanctions packages, without granting exceptions on a case-by-case basis. The unprovoked and unjustified Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to unprecedented losses in Ukraine, and any further exception from existing rules can lead to further losses, including human lives. The…
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Western capital, celebrities and officials are complicit in sportswashing Qatar’s dictatorship
Qatar has used the World Cup to stifle criticism of its authoritarian monarchy, with the help of Western investors and public figures – a boycott is the only ethical option. On November 20 the World Cup in Qatar will begin, in a display of political and economic soft power, and a demonstration of the country’s…
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Business is as usual for 236 global companies in Russia
Eight months after Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine began, 236 global companies still conduct business-as-usual in Russia. Shortly after Russia began its illegal invasion of Ukraine, on 28 February 2022, the Chief Executive Leadership Institute at Yale University published a list monitoring well over 1,200 global companies and their presence in Russia. Initially a simple list of…
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Why arresting journalists is an attack on democracy
A month after the death of Mahsa Amini, people continue to protest against the Iranian authorities. They call for democracy and for the abolishment of the moral police. Iranian authorities have answered with violence. Among the many unjust responses from the regime are the arresting of several journalists. A report from the Committee To Protect Journalists shows…
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EU: Economic self-interest over democracy and international law?
Since the start of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the European Union (EU) has paid over €63bn to Russia for fossil fuels (source). In the same period, the EU has provided Ukraine with only €1.5bn in military support, pledging only another €500 million at the end of May 2022 (source). The EU is therefore funding…