A case of misplaced emphasis on sovereignty could derail the transition to democracy in Tunisia, writes Radwan A. Masmoudi, President, Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy.

Two days ago, Dr. Iadh Ben Achour, head of the Tunisian High …

Is Egypt undergoing a counter-revolution by stealth or simply experiencing the messiness that characterizes every democratic transition?

Many of the country’s democracy advocates are convinced that the ruling military junta is planning a restoration of the old order by insisting …

The optimism prompted by the Arab awakening should not blind us to the resilience of authoritarian regimes and the intimidating, precarious circumstances in which democracy advocates and human rights defenders continue to work. Just as democrats worldwide are drawing inspiration …

The defection of Libya’s former foreign minister and intelligence chief Mussa Kussa is a major blow to the morale of the Qaddafi regime and may prompt further debilitating defections. Western democracies are encouraging other regime insiders to turn.

“The Qaddafi…

After a decade of democratic regression and backlash, there is a refreshing optimism afoot that the Arab world – for so long a stubborn redoubt of authoritarian rule – may at last see the flowering of freedom and the …

President Bashar al-Assad’s address to the Syrian parliament today failed to deliver even a hint of much-anticipated reform, disappointing some observers while confirming the skepticism of dissidents convinced of his inability or disinclination to effect gradual change.

In an obdurate …

“Ever since the democracy protests in the region began three months ago, the Obama administration has struggled to balance America’s national security interests against support for democratic principles,” claims The New York Times.

But its framing of the dilemmas …

Forget Libya – the course and outcome of the Arab awakening will be determined in Riyadh and Cairo, writes Ray Takeyh, a Mideast specialist at the Council on Foreign Relations.

“Throughout the post-colonial period, Egypt has established the political …

Twenty years after seceding from the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan is now a beacon of democracy and stability, claims Erlan Idrissov, the country’s ambassador to Washington:

As an obvious achievement in this on-going quest for democratization, Kazakhstan served last year …

With less than two weeks before Peru’s April 10 elections, the latest opinion polls are giving cause for concern to the country’s human rights and civil society activists. Splits within the democratic center are polarizing politics to the advantage of …