DEMOCRACY PULSE: EXAMINING PROSPECTS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN CAMEROON AFTER PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION - With Paul Biya set to be president of Cameroon until the age of 99 after winning a disputed presidential election, Will Mortenson uses the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes to examine freedom trends and th...

October 17th is designated by the United Nations as International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. With income growth being at the core of poverty alleviation strategies in developing countries, Annie Lee uses the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes to examine trends in GDP per capita around the wo...

On September 28, Moldovan voters gave the Pro-European Union Action and Solidarity Party a parliamentary majority in national elections. With Moldova reaffirming it's commitment to democracy and a future within the EU despite alleged Russian vote-buying and disinformation campaigns, Will Mortenso...

Beginning on September 8, Nepal's Gen Z protesters responded to government bans on social media and long-standing frustrations with unemployment and government corruption by taking to the streets. With the government palace scorched by fire and the country's first female prime minister now offici...

The 4th International Conference on Global Entrepreneurship Summit took place in Toronto on August 19-20, highlighting the importance of economic policies that foster entrepreneurial activity around the world. With the global economy undergoing a period of change, Nina Dannaoui-Johnson uses the F...

Pro-Jair Bolsonaro crowds took to the streets in early August to protest the Supreme Court's coup trial, which could land the former president in prison for more than a decade. With Bolsonaro placed under house arrest and the US prepared to stamp a 50% tariff rate on Brazilian goods in support of...

DEMOCRACY PULSE: ASSESSING DANIEL ORTEGA'S STEADY EROSION OF FREEDOM IN NICARAGUA - Since President Daniel Ortega took office in 2007, he has methodically eroded freedom and entrenched his autocratic power in Nicaragua. As he continues to find new ways to exercise his brand of repressive authori...

On June 21, Belarusian political opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was reunited with her husband, Siarhei Tsikhanouski (a fellow leader of the opposition to the authoritarian Lukashenko regime), after he spent five years as a political prisoner. With the release of Tsikhanouski and other...

DEMOCRACY PULSE: EXAMINING WORLDWIDE INCOME TRENDS AFTER INTERNATIONAL WORKER'S DAY - With International Worker's Day being celebrated on May 1, Nina Dannaoui-Johnson uses the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes to spotlight notable trends in income levels across the world.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 05/29/25

ROMANIA'S NEW PRESIDENT FACES MANY CHALLENGES AFTER SURPRISE ELECTION VICTORY - In Romania's presidential election on May 18, the liberal mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, won a surprise victory over right-wing nationalist candidate George Simion. With Dan set to be inaugurated after months of con...

DEMOCRACY PULSE: FIVE YEARS AFTER ONSET OF COVID, GLOBAL POLITICAL FREEDOM KEEPS DECLINING - The World Health Organization officially declared COVID a global pandemic on March 13, 2020. Just over five years since this declaration, Will Mortenson uses the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes to examine ...

Celebrated on April 7, World Health Day calls attention to the importance of improving global health standards and the critical work that health workers do in every corner of the globe. With foreign aid now being reevaluated, Nina Dannaoui uses the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes to examine health...

With Germany's Christian Democratic Union party topping the polls in the national elections on Februrary 23, Friedrich Merz is in line to become the country's next chancellor. Will Mortenson uses the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes to breaks down the challenges he will face while promoting his fre...

It has been just over five years since Brexit became official and nearly eight years since negotiations between the United Kingdom and European Union began. With January 31 formally marking the five-year anniversary of Brexit, Will Mortenson uses the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes to examine Brex...

DEMOCRACY PULSE: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE HIGHLIGHTS REDUCED INCOME INEQUALITY IN LATIN AMERICA - Securing equal access to economic opportunity is a critical piece of creating just societies across the world. In recognition of International Day of Social Justice being celebrated on Feb...

A key aspect of fostering global development is ensuring that all people have access to quality educational opportunities. In honor of International Education Day being celebrated on January 24, Nina Dannaoui uses the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes to highlight thirty years of global progress on ...

Justin Trudeau's recent resignation came amidst intensifying debates in Canada about a host of key policy issues. With elections set to be held this year, Will Mortenson examines the challenges ahead for Canada's new leadership.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 01/16/25

John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress has won Ghana's election, and is set to return to the Presidency in 2024 after his first term from 2012-2017. As he prepares to address the country's economic crisis, James Storen examines trends in both Ghana's economic and political freedom.

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The recent election in the United States highlights the importance of safeguarding democratic institutions across the world. Will Mortenson breaks down recent trends in our political freedom subindex, which provides a look at democratic standards in 164 countries.

Ruling party Georgian Dream was declared the winner of Georgia's October 26 Parliamentary elections, but international election observers reported voter intimidation and coercion. In the wake of this pivotal election, James Storen breaks down trends in Georgia's political and overall freedom in t...

Celebrating International Day of Rural Women, Nina Dannaoui highlights the role women in rural areas play in creating economic prosperity in this edition of Democracy Pulse. Sub-Saharan Africa has seen impressive growth in women's economic freedom in the past 30 years, with Zimbabwe leading the w...

Protests broke out after Parliament met to attempt to overturn a Constitutional Court ruling on election laws. James Storen breaks down Indonesia's trends in both rule of law and judicial independence and effectiveness in the latest episode of Democracy Pulse.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 09/06/24

Indian voters are heading to the polls from April 19 to June 1, in what will be the largest election in history.

As Prime Minister Modi runs for another term, the rights of religious minorities and political opposition are called into question.

The Atlantic Council's Freedom and Prosperity C...

World Press Freedom Day, celebrated each year on May 3, is an important reminder that independent media is key to building informed and accountable societies.

The Atlantic Council’s Freedom and Prosperity Center tracks freedom across the globe, and a free press is a key component of political a...