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Q&A

Can South Africa’s Main Opposition Party Overcome Its Internal Divisions?

The Editors Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019

South Africa’s largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, is in turmoil after a poor showing in elections earlier this year led to several senior black figures leaving the party last month. In an interview, Dirk Kotzé discusses the party’s difficulties in reconciling its internal tensions.

What Will Lula’s Release From Prison Mean for Brazil’s Left?

Laura Weiss Monday, Nov. 18, 2019

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was released earlier this month after more than 18 months in prison for corruption. His supporters cheered his release, but there are questions about whether he can help Brazil’s left overcome its divisions and challenge far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.

Africa Watch

Ethnic Violence in Ethiopia Is Putting Abiy’s Nationalist Vision to the Test

Andrew Green Friday, Nov. 15, 2019

At least three students were killed this week in the latest episodes of ethnic violence in Ethiopia. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been trying to unite the country’s ethnic groups behind a shared political party and a national identity. If he fails, it could portend broader violence across the country.

China Note

China’s Leaders and Hong Kong’s Protesters Are on a Collision Course

Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019

“Our society has been pushed to the brink of a total breakdown,” Hong Kong’s senior police superintendent said Tuesday, amid a week of citywide paralysis due to strikes and heightened violence. Neither Hong Kong’s protesters nor Beijing seem willing to budge, setting them on a collision course.

Africa Watch

With Major Attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso, the Sahel Keeps Sliding Toward ‘Chaos’

Andrew Green Friday, Nov. 8, 2019

Even for a region that has witnessed the growing entrenchment of extremist groups and skyrocketing violence, it was a particularly deadly week in Africa’s Sahel, with major attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso. Amid all the unrest, governments are attempting to reverse a relatively hapless security response.

Q&A

After an Electoral ‘Tsunami,’ What’s Ahead for Switzerland’s Greens?

The Editors Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019

Switzerland’s Greens outdid high expectations in October elections to become the fourth-largest party in the National Council, the lower house of the Swiss parliament. In an interview, Pascal Sciarini explains what drove the Greens strong finish—and the obstacles they face to join Switzerland’s executive Cabinet.

China Note

The EU Worries It Could Be the Collateral Damage of a U.S.-China Trade Deal

Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019

European leaders reportedly fear that the anticipated “phase one” trade deal between the U.S. and China will harm EU interests. “We don’t want Europe to be a collateral victim of a U.S.-China trade deal,” a French official said this week, as President Emmanuel Macron traveled to China for a two-day visit.

Q&A

Nigeria’s ‘Islamic Schools’ Crisis Is Actually Masking a Public Health Crisis

The Editors Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019

A series of recent police raids in Nigeria revealed inhumane and abusive conditions in what news reports called “Islamic schools.” In an interview, Hannah Hoechner and Sadisu Salisu Idris explain why calling these centers “Islamic schools” is misleading, and why the government’s response to the raids is inadequate.

Africa Watch

Magufuli Is Bulldozing Human Rights in Tanzania

Andrew Green Friday, Nov. 1, 2019

The space for dissent in John Magufuli’s Tanzania is closing rapidly. A new report form Amnesty International accuses Magufuli, who was elected president in 2015, of creating a “climate of mounting fear with growing restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.”

Q&A

Will Tunisia’s Popular, Outsider President Be Hobbled by a Divided Parliament?

The Editors Friday, Nov. 1, 2019

Retired law professor Kais Saied won by a landslide in Tunisia’s presidential runoff in mid-October, days after parliamentary elections resulted in a fractured legislature. In an interview, Mohamed-Dhia Hammami explains how the recent elections have reshaped Tunisia’s political landscape.

Q&A

In Local Elections, Hungary’s Opposition Punctures Orban’s Air of Invincibility

The Editors Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019

Hungary’s populist prime minister, Viktor Orban, and his right-wing Fidesz party incurred significant losses in local elections earlier this month. Péter Krekó explains how opposition parties were able to notch so many wins against Fidesz and why the election results were a personal blow for Orban.

China Note

At Its Secretive Plenum, China’s Communist Party Looks Inward

Benjamin Wilhelm Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019

President Xi Jinping convened a full meeting this week of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee amid unrest in Hong Kong, slowing economic growth and a protracted trade war with the United States. Despite these challenges, the plenum is expected to focus instead on weaknesses within the party.