16. December 25 | News

The EDP Has a New Member: Welcome, Christine Hackenesch!

We are happy to announce that Christine Hackenesch has joined the EDP Network as a member and are looking forward to working with her. Christine is a Project Leader and Senior Researcher at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability …

10. July 25 | News

Reflections on the Research Workshop: International Democracy Promotion at Times of Global Autocratization

On April 14-15, the University of St. Gallen (HSG) hosted our research workshop International Democracy Promotion at Times of Global Autocratisation. The event marked the launch of a new phase of the External Democracy Promotion academic network, which over the …

29. June 25 | News

Brigitte Weiffen Participates in Workshop on the Role of External Actors in Young Democracies

Brigitte Weiffen was an invited participant in the workshop “Democracy at 10: Understanding the Role of External Actors in Young Democracies” on 22 April 2025 in Lisbon. The workshop was organized by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in cooperation …

1. June 25 | News

Sonja Grimm Advances Research on External Influences in Democratization: International Workshop Leadership in Prague

Sonja Grimm and her Chair of International Relations at the Institute of Political Science and Sociology at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg made another contribution to international research through their participation in the ECPR Joint Sessions, held from 23 to 25 May 2025 …

In: Democratization,  33 (1), 85-108.

In: Journal of Peace Research, 62(5), 1411-1427

In: Democratization (32/7), 1617-1639

In: Holly Ann Garnett, and Toby S. James (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Integrity

5. February 26 | Jonas Wolf, Solveig Richter

Between Window Dressing and Political Perspective: Regime Change in the Controversy over the US Intervention in Venezuela

22.01.2026 The argument that the US military strike could lead to a democratic transition in Venezuela does little to lend legitimacy to the US intervention, which violates international law. Nevertheless, many Venezuelans hope for a democratic opening as an indirect consequence of the intervention. This deserves international support, including from Europe.

27. January 26 | Anika Oettler, Stefan Peters, Jonas Wolff

Venezuela after the US intervention: A democratic transition is possible, but demanding

15.01.2026. Anika Oettler, Stefan Peters, and Jonas Wolff explore why democracy cannot simply be transplanted from abroad. In the light of the recent events in Venezuela, they argue that lasting democratic change depends on internal social forces, institutions, and power balances.