By Marlene Zieah
As Lebanon votes for parliamentary members for the first time in nearly ten years, will it be able to maintain its sectarian-based governmental system? Proponents and opponents of the new electoral law have differing views on the effects it will have on equal representation in government and stabilizing the region.
Read MoreBy: Sarah Faris.
There is an old provision in the Australian constitution that prevents any dual citizens from holding office. In 2017, this provision was revisited and confirmed, causing the deputy prime minister to abdicate has the position because of a New Zealander father. It seems that moving forward, it could be in Australia’s best interest to revisit this provision.
Image credit: https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/336103/australian-state-premier-ignores-nz-agreement
Read MoreBy: Jeffrey Caviston.
On September 23, New Zealanders went to the polls to vote for their next government. As a result of a shifting political landscape, party leadership changes, and the country’s proportional voting system, voters elected a coalition progressive-populist-nationalist government. In contrast to the country’s pro-globalization, anti-regulation regime of the last 30 years, the new government is expected to pursue more isolationist policies, particularly in the areas of immigration and foreign trade.
Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parliament_and_Bowen_House.jpg
Read MoreBy: Morgan Lear.
For the past 50 years, Colombia has been fighting a civil war against its largest rebel group, FARC. Now that a peace accord has been signed and approved by Congress, what issues may arise? What issues still linger?
Image credit: Mijotoba, available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taganga.jpg
Read MoreBy: Max Mittleman.
Concerns over election fraud and hacking have become a world-wide concern. Kenya joins many other countries left questioning the authenticity of election results, with this issue being reviewed by that nation's Supreme Court. Has Kenyan democracy has been given a new jolt of energy which may provide for future election legitimacy?
Image attribution: By JimSlim, information available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:25332612.nairoboi013.JPG.
Read MoreBy: Alexandra Arkin.
Post-Charlottesville, Silicon Valley is rethinking how far it will go to fight hate speech. But Germany has long taken a different approach, with some of the strictest free speech and anti-defamation laws in Europe. Recent years have seen an increase in hate speech/anti-immigrant propaganda and fake news, which take on new urgency ahead of Germany’s Sept. 24 parliamentary elections. Germany is now stepping up its efforts with a new law that fines social media companies more than $58 million for failing to promptly delete illegal, racist, or slanderous comments and posts.
Read MoreBy: Jessica Baker.
Has the anti-establishment, anti-European Union, anti-Islam and immigration movement finally begun to waiver? This question is impossible to answer, but an examination of the Netherlands election held in March 2017 could provide some insight.
Read MoreBy: Brent Lockwood
One of the most infamous Supreme Court cases is Citizens United. What is less known is how this case compares to the election systems of other countries. This blog post examines how other countries deal with elections and shows how the United States is so different.
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