30 January 2026
New Constitution, Anyone?
On 8 February 2026, Thai voters will be asked to decide whether their country should get a new constitution – without seeing a single draft. The deceptively simple referendum question exposes a deeper struggle over who truly wields constitutional power in Thailand: the people or the institutions that claim to act in their name. Beneath the promise of participation lies a familiar pattern of “anti-popular constitutionalism,” where formal democracy conceals enduring control from above. Continue reading >>
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07 February 2025
The End of the Centre
The Political Landscape before the Bundestag Elections Continue reading >>
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06 August 2024
Making the Unacceptable Acceptable
Over the last days, England and Northern Ireland have witnessed a wave of racist violence and destruction. These riots, which have thrown the country into chaos, included attacks on mosques, burning of cars, and confrontations with the police. The racist nature of the events is made clear by the racist chants that are sung amid them, by posters shown by participants, and by the selective targeting of minorities. Given how shocking these scenes are, one naturally wonders what is causing them. Research suggests that elite rhetoric in recent months can have made these events more likely, by making far-right individuals feel that acting on their views is more acceptable. Continue reading >>28 June 2024
From Constitutional Crisis to Poisoned Chalice
The national elections to the UK Parliament in Westminster are scheduled for 4 July 2024, and are consequential for the constitution. Continue reading >>
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21 June 2024
Taiwan’s Constitutional Showdown
A stress test for Taiwan's democracy. Continue reading >>
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18 June 2024
A New Constitutional Order in South Africa
The dominant party era in democratic South Africa is over. After winning absolute majorities in six consecutive national elections spanning thirty years, on 29 May 2024 the African National Congress (ANC) fell below 50% of the vote for the first time. The ANC remains the largest party. On the evening of 14 June, the National Assembly elected ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa for a second term as the country’s president. But South Africa politics, and its constitutionalism, have changed fundamentally. Continue reading >>
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05 April 2024
Argentina’s Dangerous Experiment
Improvisation, Irrationality, and Provocative Cruelty. Continue reading >>19 October 2023
Post-populist Populism
Good news for democracy from Poland? It appears that in the recent general elections, the right-wing populist Law and Justice party (PiS), won most seats but not enough to allow it to form a coalition. Donald Tusk's Civic Coalition has a better chance of forming a coalition, which might put an end to PiS' eight years of rule. This, prima facie, seems like a victory of democracy over populism. While this is certainly true, in this post we wish to flag certain warning signs that this possible democratic rotation is not the end of the struggle for democracy but merely the beginning of this process. This is because even when populists are voted out of office, their legacy - at least partially - persists. Continue reading >>
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08 June 2023