The recent record of citizen uprisings in autocracies spells caution for the hope that a new wave of Iranian protests may break the regime’s hold on power.
Thomas Carothers, McKenzie Carrier
International democracy support has yet to catch up with the changing shape of global civil society. Many democracy-support donors remain uncertain about how to engage with activists, given the lack of institutionalization and accountability mechanisms.
Senior Fellow, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program
Richard Youngs is a senior fellow in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, based at Carnegie Europe. He works on EU foreign policy and on issues of international democracy.
Elene Panchulidze
Head of Research, European Partnership for Democracy
Elene Panchulidze is head of research at the European Partnership for Democracy.
Carlotta Magoga
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
The recent record of citizen uprisings in autocracies spells caution for the hope that a new wave of Iranian protests may break the regime’s hold on power.
Thomas Carothers, McKenzie Carrier
European reactions to the war in Iran have lost sight of wider political dynamics. The EU must position itself for the next phase of the crisis without giving up on its principles.
Richard Youngs
Internet service providers can facilitate internet access but also draconian control.
Irene Poetranto
New data from the 2026 Indian American Attitudes Survey show that Democratic support has not fully rebounded from 2020.
Sumitra Badrinathan, Devesh Kapur, Andy Robaina, …
New thinking is needed on how global civil society can be protected. In an era of major-power rivalry, competitive geopolitics, and security primacy, civil society is in danger of getting squeezed – in some countries, almost entirely out of existence.
Richard Youngs, ed., Elene Panchulidze, ed.