Russia will hold a general election in December. ‘United Russia’, the party in power, has to win and will do all it can to ensure that it does. There are many tricks in the book, lawful and unlawful, but the recent Putin-Medvedev announcement has raised levels of discontent and the voter is always
The signs of improvement in Bamiyan province in Afghanistan's central highlands are evident in transport, agriculture and everyday livelihood, says Marco Niada. But the common root is good leadership that encourages education - especially that of women.
It's not easy being an American Muslim in search of effective political engagement, finds Mehrunisa Qayyum.
South Africa's president has outgunned his young, ambitious rival and cleared the road to re-election. But the struggle between them casts an unforgiving light on aspects of the country's governance, says Roger Southall.
The official results in Nicaragua's election on 6 November 2011 found that Daniel Ortega was re-elected president by a clear margin. But the procedures surrounding the vote leave Sergio Ramírez in no doubt that a great fraud - and a great farce - was perpetrated.
The vigorous protests in Tahrir Square against Egypt's interim military rulers express the serious concerns of many Egyptians over the process of post-authoritarian change. Alina Rocha Menocal maps the problems of democratic transition and suggests how they can be overcome.
The slaughter of citizens in Norway in July 2011 was more than the act of an individual: it emerged from a political and intellectual atmosphere that now pervades European public life. This deeper reality must be understood and addressed if Europe is to save itself by living up to its own ideals,
The global demonstrations of 2011 both highlight the reality of economic system-failure and reveal its linkage to the crisis of resource constraints. The result is a measure of the scale of change needed over coming decades.
The severe economic upheaval in Europe has not been matched by a political resurgence of the radical right. Cas Mudde asks why - and whether the dog could yet bark.
The Palestinians' current political impasse offers them only difficult choices, says Ghassan Khatib.
