Elections and Covid-19: making democracy work in uncertain times
Erik Asplund and Toby James discuss the dilemmas countries around the globe face about holding or postponing elections during the pandemic, and set out some guidelines to follow in ensuring democratic participation remains fair and open during the crisis. Photo by Tedward Quinn on Unsplash One of the defining characteristics of a democracy is that it…
Israel’s democracy is at a crossroads, as Benny Gantz given chance to form a government
After Israel’s third election in a year in early March, parties opposing Benjamin Netanyahu – the Israeli prime minister known as Bibi – secured a small majority in parliament. In a blow to Netanyahu, on March 15 these parties informed the Israeli president, Reuven Rivlin, that his rival Benny Gantz –…
Politics and the Media with Iain Dale
A special episode hosted by LBC presenter and UEA alumnus Iain Dale interviewing two former Norfolk MP's Norman Lamb and Keith Simpson on the interplay between politics and the media now, and in the past.
Israeli Democracy is Under Strain
Eitan Tzelgov, Lecturer in Politics, discusses the results of yet another Israeli election and their implications for the future of democracy in Israel. Israel held its third election within since April 2019 earlier this week, and the electoral campaign was characterised by unprecedented levels of personal, negative campaigning. Blue and…
Cities of the New Silk Roads
What forms will the new "Belt and Road Cities" take? These are cities still finding their form, and subject to the flux and flow of geopolitics. China has embarked on a grand strategy to revitalize the ancient Silk Roads for the twenty-first century. This geopolitical play, known as the Belt…
Voter fraud isn’t the problem: painting an accurate picture of a British election day
William Hogarth’s painting The Polling is the iconic depiction of an election day in Britain. Painted in the 18th century, it was one of four canvasses that formed a series called The Humours of an Election (1754-5), all inspired by an Oxfordshire election, where the Whigs took on a safe…
November 17: youth uprisings in Greece then and now
This authoritarian vision starts with education, an education promoted by the Minister of Education Niki Kerameos, based on religiosity, nationalism and hatred towards anyone different. In November 1973, thousands of Greek students occupied one of the largest universities of Athens, the National Polytechnic, demanding the end of the military dictatorship…
What kind of chaos do you want?
The UK was supposed to leave the EU on 31 October 2019 but instead we’ve got a General Election on 12th December. So where are we with Brexit now and how could it be affected by the General Election? Politics Professor Hussein Kassim and EU Law expert Dr Nikos Skoutaris try…
Shinzo Abe’s latest cabinet reshuffle could transform Japan
With just two years until he will likely step down, the time left to Shinzo Abe, Japan’s very soon-to-be longest serving postwar prime minister, is limited. But if his latest cabinet reshuffle is anything to go by, it seems Abe is bent on realising his goal of historic constitutional reform – whether as…
Mayors of 94 cities are taking the Green New Deal global, as states fail to act on climate crisis
At the seventh World Mayor’s Summit in Copenhagen, leaders of 94 cities embraced a global Green New Deal, in an attempt to make the 2020s the defining decade in the fight against climate change. The major new initiative commits to limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, halving emissions by 2030.…