Global Scans · Democracy · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Society is expressing its discontent with current democratic processes that leave the elites struggling to convince their voters of their good intentions and competencies. Read on to see how democracy is offering both great opportunities and risks while this period of volatility shakes out.

• [New] Spreading effective democracy around the world is named as the goal of American actions, because the spread of democracy will 'bring an end to the scourge of terrorism'. Elcano Royal Institute
• [New] Partisanship and the silencing of independent voices remain a threat to democracy across the globe. The Sydney Morning Herald
• [New] The danger posed by the EU's 'democratic defence' operation is only likely to intensify in the coming months and years, especially with major elections approaching in Spain, France and Italy in 2027. Spiked
• [New] National Security and Election Integrity AI-generated disinformation has been recognized as a major threat by many federal departments like the FBI, CISA, and DHS. Dimension Market Research
• [New] The Democratic Republic of Congo's position as the world's leading cobalt producer and Africa's largest copper supplier creates unique supply chain vulnerabilities during global disruptions. Discovery Alert
• [New] The risks to Australian democracy are not limited to slow-moving challenges of media, misinformation, or polarization: geopolitical tensions, rapid technological change, and the impacts of climate change also loom large. Grattan Institute
• [New] Democratic politicians are increasingly pitching tax cuts to address cost-of-living concerns and appeal to voters ahead of the 2028 races. Family Enterprise USA
• [New] There are widespread allegations of voter intimidation, like local officials threatening to cut off a poor constituent's access to health care unless they vote for Fidesz. / Hungary Vox
• [New] Marxists participated in the African National Congress while stressing the need for independent, democratic and combative trade unions and a socialist break with capitalism if true liberation was going to be won. / South Africa Socialist World Media
• The European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs warns that Turkey's EU accession process cannot move forward without democratic reforms, as shortcomings related to the rule of law and fundamental rights remain unaddressed. 2eu.brussels
• If non-incumbent women are unsuccessful in their Senate bids, however, the number of women in the U.S. Senate could drop as a result of the 2026 election. Center for American Women and Politics
• Whether Turkey will follow in Hungary's footsteps and make a democratic correction ultimately depends less on Erdogan's mistakes than on the CHP's resolve. Turkish Minute
• If the CHP maintains its current posture and demonstrates that it has done everything possible to nominate a viable center-right challenger, it could encourage the kind of strategic voting that proved decisive in Hungary. Turkish Minute
• Nearly three-quarters of U.S. states will elect a governor this fall. State Policy Network
• Because the election system is designed to favour strong parties, a two-thirds parliamentary majority seems to have become the norm in Hungary, which contains its own dangers. Balkan Insight
• Kazakhstan will hold a parliamentary election in August, without naming an exact date. The Asia Cable
• Democrats plan to use a privileged procedure to force a vote on new resolutions in both the House and Senate under the War Powers Act to limit military action in Iran without Congressional authorization. KPMG
• Rolling, intersecting shocks on the horizon could challenge Australia's democratic resilience and may necessitate a more active role for governments. Grattan Institute
• The steady rise of anti-democratic actors around the globe threatens to spill over into Australia, including through attempts at foreign interference in political processes. Grattan Institute
• The Federal Communications Commission will vote on new rules to ensure integrity, security, and reciprocity in electronic device testing. Benton Foundation
• The Commission would vote on an order to modernize its satellite spectrum-sharing rules - a change that could unlock more than $2 billion in economic benefits for the American people and up to seven-fold more capacity for space-based broadband services. Benton Foundation
• The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote today on a resolution led by Bahrain to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Just Security
• Signed in Berlin ahead of the 2026 international law enforcement delegation to Poland, the MOU establishes a five-year cooperative framework focused on strengthening democratic policing, enhancing international coordination, and protecting vulnerable communities facing rising extremist threats. The Manila Times

Last updated: 26 April 2026