On the EDP wire, we post and discuss a range of issues that emanate from our research and that are important to us. Here you will find – in English or German – opinion pieces, book reviews, conference reports, and important announcements. Are you interested in becoming a guest contributor? Get in contact with us!
Most Recent EDP WIRE Posts
What does it mean for protecting digital rights and democracy when governments move from disruptive internet controls toward subtler, more targeted, and legally embedded forms of online repression? In this EDP Wire, Maurice P. Schumann summarizes the findings of his dissertation on the changing nature of internet control and discusses three potential implications for protecting digital rights and democracy.
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Local elections can quietly reshape post‑conflict peace: This study shows how Mozambique’s municipal elections improve representation and strengthen citizens’ sense of belonging, even though authoritarian constraints sharply limit their impact. The findings highlight why these often overlooked institutions matter for …
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With the upcoming transfer of power from leftist president Gustavo Petro to his newly elected radical-right successor Abelardo de la Espriella, Colombia faces a decisive shift in its approach to peace and violence. The implications extend not only to the …
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How can the international community protect democracies under threat? Julia Leininger pioneered the concept of democracy protection in 2022, laying the groundwork for a growing field of research. Her new article builds on this framework, offering fresh insights into what …
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This EDP Wire is based on Policy Brief 34/2025 published by the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), which summarises the contributions to our special issue “Democracy promotion in times of autocratization” published with Democratization. Over the last decade, …
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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.
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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.
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The US government under President Donald Trump has announced a comprehensive shakeup of the US development aid agency USAID. The talk ranges from restructuring or integration into the State Department to the complete closure of the organization. Immediately after the …
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‘Under certain circumstances‚ a dictatorship is the better form of government.’ Only six out of ten people eligible to vote in Germany reject this statement outright. More than 20% at least partly agree, as a representative survey has shown. A …
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In this essay Benjamin Schütze discusses Germany’s support for Israel’s onslaught in Gaza following the January 26, 2024 ICJ ruling, the emergence of several “red lines” in German discourse surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict and the role of German Middle Eastern …
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