For the first time in 16 years, Hungary will be led by someone other than Viktor Orban. With Peter Magyar and his Tisza party winning a resounding victory in Hungary's April 12 election, Will Mortenson uses the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes to examine the scale of democratic backsliding under Or...

Demographics are shifting in countries across the globe, with advanced economies getting older and taking on more debt while emerging and developing economies are getting younger. Watch as Nina Dannaoui-Johnson uses data and insights from Freedom and Prosperity Center Senior Advisor Markus Jaeger...

DEMOCRACY PULSE: IN NEPAL, NEWLY-ELECTED LEADERS MUST RESTORE PUBLIC TRUST IN GOVERNMENT - On March 5, Nepal held its first elections since youth-led protests ousted the government of former prime minister Khadga Prasad Oli in September of 2025. With 35-year old former rapper and leader of the up...

DEMOCRACY PULSE: SPOTLIGHTING MINORITY RIGHTS FOR INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL JUSTICE DAY - Celebrated on February 20th, International Social Justice Day serves as a reminder of the importance of promoting social inclusion and economic opportunity for all people. Watch as Nina Dannaoui-Johnson uses data...

Conservative populist Laura Fernandez recently won Costa Rica's presidential election. While her focus appears to be on crime and insecurity, Will Mortenson uses data from the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes to show why addressing economic inequality should be a top priority for her administration...

DEMOCRACY PULSE: TRADE AND INVESTMENT FREEDOM ARE CRUCIAL FOR DEVELOPING ECONOMIES - At the World Economic Forum in Davos from January 19-23, one of the core topics of discussion was how to create economic opportunity for the nearly 800 million young people due to become working age in the next d...

With the US military's capture of Nicolas Maduro dominating recent headlines, Will Mortenson uses the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes to showcase changes in Venezuelan freedom and prosperity under Maduro's leadership and assess the country's path forward.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 01/14/26

DEMOCRACY PULSE: PROMOTING POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES AFTER HUMAN RIGHTS DAY - December 10th is designated by the United Nation as Human Rights Day to call attention to the persistent importance of protecting essential rights and freedoms. With political rights and civil liberties under...

DEMOCRACY PULSE: EXAMINING KEY CHALLENGES FOR WORLD'S LEADING ECONOMIES AHEAD OF G20 SUMMIT - The G20 Summit will take place on African soil for the first time on November 22 and 23, with South Africa hosting the annual meetings as part of its year long presidency. As leaders from the world's pre...

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...

DEMOCRACY PULSE: CELEBRATING THREE DECADES OF EXPANDING WOMEN'S ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY - Celebrated on March 8, International Women's Day highlights the vital role women play in driving economic growth, innovation, and social progress around the world. With a focus on regions where women have histo...

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...