Global Scans · Democracy · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Society is expressing its discontent with current democratic processes that leave the elites struggling to convince their voters of their good intentions and competencies. Read on to see how democracy is offering both great opportunities and risks while this period of volatility shakes out.

• [New] In a volatile Middle East, Israel's 2026 election will shape both regional stability and its international legitimacy. Politics UK - The Home of UK Political News
• [New] Israel's 2026 elections might be the last chance to save key democratic institutions that have been under sustained assault by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Week
• [New] Democratic backsliding will likely accelerate in weaker states like Ethiopia, where security conditions and state capacity render genuine competitive contestation impossible. Foreign Affairs Forum
• [New] Russia will hold its first parliamentary election since launching its invasion. SKY
• [New] Further east, Hungary's parliamentary election will act as a referendum on the durability of illiberal governance within the European Union, with consequences for democratic norms and European cohesion in 2026. Politics UK - The Home of UK Political News
• [New] 2026 will be an election-heavy year, with national ones in Colombia (March and May), Hungary and Peru (April), Lebanon (May), Sweden (September), Brazil and Israel (October), the US (November) and likely Japan, and local ones with potential national ramifications in France (March) and UK (May). economic-research.bnpparibas.com
• [New] Democratic resilience will prove more decisive in established democracies like Sweden and the United States, where institutional checks and independent media retain significant capacity to constrain executive overreach. Foreign Affairs Forum
• [New] Democracy might even be restored to Venezuela. The Conversation
• [New] Imagine Canada's quarterly analysis points to potential GDP declines of 5.6% due to U.S. tariff threats, combined with federal political instability following Prime Minister Trudeau's resignation and the subsequent federal election. KDP CONSULTING INC.
• [New] There could be a bloody, perhaps decades-long struggle before Iranians fulfill their democratic aspirations. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• [New] China's Communist Party has never ruled democratic Taiwan, but Beijing claims the island of 23 million people is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to annex it. Sino Daily
• [New] For fixed-income managers based in the US, the fear of a rapid US dollar appreciation following the US Presidential election manifested itself in a surge in forward US dollar buying that took their hedge ratio on their foreign bond holdings to a peak of near 80%, a 25-year high. State Street
• [New] Inclusive institutions - including democratic participation, the rule of law, and broad access to economic opportunities - are a major contributor to shared prosperity in all parts of the world. NobelPrize.org
• [New] In 2026, the story of AI will be less about dazzling new capabilities and more about whether democratic institutions can meaningfully steer the technology. Tech Policy Press
• [New] The 2026 congressional elections will pose the next big test of the democratic system, and we can expect increasing challenges to voter rights and ballot counts. / USA Toda Peace Institute
• [New] Even if American democracy survives, continuing polarization will be a major source of instability. Toda Peace Institute
• [New] Labour has already proposed a capital gains tax on homes beyond the family home for Election 2026, which National, New Zealand First and Act will campaign against. The Kaka by Bernard Hickey
• [New] The Zandanshatar government will need to prioritize democratic and technologically advanced third neighbours such as Japan, South Korea, the United States, India, Germany, France, and Australia. The Diplomat
• [New] As Uganda's January election nears, UN officials and rights groups sound alarms over mass arrests, violence at opposition rallies, and escalating threats to press freedom. Grand Pinnacle Tribune
• [New] Americans who oppose Trump fear fresh erosions of democratic accountability in 2026. CNN
• [New] The battle for control of state legislatures across the United States is heating up as the 2026 midterm elections approach, with Democratic strategists eyeing key opportunities in Arizona, Kansas, and California. Grand Pinnacle Tribune
• [New] The United National Movement government of Kamala Persad Bissessar could become increasingly popular for its alignment with the United States on Venezuela, particularly if the U.S. acts decisively producing a restoration of democracy in Venezuela with minimal adverse effects on Trinidad and Tobago. IndraStra Global

Last updated: 11 January 2026