By Michael Allen on September 28, 2009
Egypt’s crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood is empowering radicals at the expense of more moderate voices, write Myriam Benraad and Mohamed Abdelbaky. President Hosni Mubarak’s regime has detained dozens of mid- and high-level officials, including, Abd al-Muanem Abu al-Fatouh, the leader of the movement’s guidance council who is widely considered a voice for reform and [read full story]
Posted in Backlash, Democracy assistance, Egypt, Islam/politics, Labour/labor unions, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, authoritarianism, democracy promotion, promoting democracy, protests | Tagged ayman nour, cyber-activists, GONGOs, independent labor unions, National Endowment for Democracy, Solidarity Center |
By Michael Allen on June 22, 2009
As with his recent Cairo speech, President Barack Obama should use his forthcoming visit to Moscow to send a message that re-setting relations does not entail abandoning democratic values, writes Lilia Shevtsova.
The trip could provide important hints about whether his administration’s approach to foreign policy will reflect 20th century realpolitik or blends pragmatism and values [read full story]
Posted in Eastern Europe, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, Russia, democracy promotion, promoting democracy | Tagged Carnegie Moscow Center, democratic values, Francis Fukuyama, GONGOs, Lilia Shevtsova, National Endowment for Democracy, obama administration, Obama in Moscow, President Barack Obama, rule of law, Russian civil society |
By Michael Allen on May 13, 2009
Barack Obama’s decision to deliver an address to the Muslim world from Cairo will bolster Hosni Mubarak’s autocratic regime, says a leading reformer, at a time when it is trying to close the political space it was forced to concede during the short-lived Arab spring of 2005.
The government’s media supporters were “practically ululating” at the [read full story]
Posted in Backlash, Democracy assistance, Egypt, Human rights, Islam/politics, Labour/labor unions, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, authoritarianism, democracy promotion, dissidents, promoting democracy | Tagged Arab spring, civil society, Democracy assistance, democracy promotion, Egypt, GONGOs, Human rights, muslim brotherhood, National Democratic Party, obama administration, World Movement for Democracy |
By Michael Allen on April 20, 2009
Robert Amsterdam asked some leading experts, featured in this interesting short video. Not at all, says David Satter: Medvedev is “completely dependent” on Vladimir Putin and has not even succeeded in creating his own political apparatus. Ariel Cohen notes that the president has his own team but the prime minister’s cronies control all the key [read full story]
Posted in Eastern Europe, Europe, NGOs/Civil society, Russia, authoritarianism, corruption | Tagged authoritarianism, corruption, democracy, GONGOs, medvedev, NGOs/Civil society, Russia |
By Michael Allen on April 15, 2009
Authoritarian hybrid regimes present particular challenges to democracy assistance groups, a recent meeting at the National Endowment for Democracy heard. The arch of historical development no longer appears to be on a democratic trajectory as the post-communist optimism assumed by the transition paradigm and given further momentum by the color revolutions has dissipated.
A case in [read full story]
Posted in Azerbaijan, Backlash, Democracy assistance, Eurasia, Human rights, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, authoritarianism, democracy promotion, economic crisis, foreign policy, media, promoting democracy | Tagged authoritarianism, azerbaijan, Democracy assistance, democracy promotion, GONGOs, National Endowment for Democracy, NGOs/Civil society, Obama administration's foreign policy, promoting democracy |
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