It is a month since Italy's long-term prime minister resigned. But his pervasive influence on Italy's public life and the infirmity of the country's political class mean that it is too early to call this the post-Berlusconi era, says Geoff Andrews.
For years, a pact of loyalty in exchange for roubles fostered the growth of a largely apolitical middle class in Russia. On Saturday, that middle class turned against their creator. They are, however, some way off uniting behind a single opposition candidate, write Irina Borogan and Andrei Soldato
Such complex situations cannot be resolved satisfactorily by only addressing numerical data or even the historic socio-economic and geopolitical factors that underpin them, without some understanding of the mindsets of the people involved. A reply to Vassilis Fouskas.
The high ambition of getting global agreement tends to lead to an unambitious convergence on the least demanding positions and commitments. How did Busan fare?
A citiziens' initiative seeking a reform of Poland's abortion law is facing a crucial test in parliament. This is the latest phase of a long struggle over women's reproductive rights. It is also part of a changing Poland's wider debate about what kind of country it should be, says Agnieszka Mrozik
On International Human Rights Day, 10 December, dozens of British human rights organisations issued an open letter defending the country's human rights legislation - under attack from those who brand it a European imposition.
The UK gambling industry wants problem gamblers.
Apparent fraud in Russia’s parliamentary elections has unleashed an unprecedented display of anger against Vladimir Putin’s United Russia Party. Many Russians who had been happy to go along with the political status quo finally decided that they had had enough. Last Monday, Alexandra Krylenkova at
The government of India’s decision to roll back legislation that would allow FDI in multi-brand retail is ill-advised. However, in the grand scheme of things it is but a hiatus that at worst merely derails the momentum of reforms.
The latest British Social Attitudes survey makes depressing reading for those who believe in social justice - and New Labour's clandestine approach to pursuing it must take the blame. Ed Miliband will struggle to convince the sceptical public.
How does the debate on Scottish independence fit into the wider economic crisis and the conflation of 'economics' with 'business'? Gerry Hassan considers what an independent Scotland might look like and how its democracy could function.
