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International election observers: the watchdogs with no bite
Most elections are now monitored by international election observers, whose presence is intended to deter vote-rigging and who report on whether the vote was ‘free and fair’. But after the Kenyan Constitutional Court nullified the recent elections there despite observers having approved them, the value of these missions has been questioned. Sophie Donszelmann (LSE), Cristoforo […]
A tale of two referendums, but similar Remainers: 1975 and 2016
The British public has voted on membership of the EU on two occasions. In 1975, based on a turnout of 64 per cent, two-thirds voted to stay in the EEC, cementing Britain’s place for the next four decades. In 2016, on a turnout of 72 per cent, 52 per cent of the public voted to […]
Can the young save democracy from the grip of neoliberalism and populism?
Populism is not just a symptom of older people’s nostalgia for traditional values, writes Henrik P Bang. It is a rejection of a global neoliberal creed that pits individuals against each other. The hard-won social capital and notions of fairness that older generations prize have been replaced by a race for success in which human relationships exist […]
2017: the first General Election where online news overtook TV
Until recently, television was the single most popular source of news. Now online sources have overtaken it as younger generations turn to apps and social media. Research from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism shows only the BBC has a bigger reach than Facebook. Rasmus Klein Neilsen explains how trust in journalists and journalism, particularly […]
Not without prejudice: LGBT politicians talk about how Parliament has changed
This month the Constitution Unit at UCL hosted a panel discussion on LGBT candidates in UK elections, exploring the UK parliament’s evolution to include more openly LGBT politicians than any other state legislature. The panel, chaired by Dr Jennifer Hudson, consisted of Professor Andrew Reynolds and four of the UK’s most prominent LGBT politicians: Angela Eagle, […]
Watch | Religious intolerance and its impact on democracy – Asma Jilani Jihangir & Amartya Sen
‘It is a question of tolerating intolerance’: Asma Jilani Jahangir and Professor Amartya Sen discuss the impact of religious intolerance on democracy in a lecture at the LSE. Jahangir is a Pakistani human rights lawyer and social activist who co-founded and chaired the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. Sen is Thomas W. Lamont University Professor, and […]
It’s distasteful – but giving a despot an easy way out can stop further bloodshed
In this exclusive extract from Brian Klaas’ new book, The Despot’s Accomplice, he argues that – however distasteful it may be to the principle of justice – offering despots a way out can prevent further bloodshed. This is because they frequently know they have nothing to lose by fighting to the death. Furthermore, research shows […]
How can we find out whether people are really turning against democracy?
Democracy is in decline – or so a growing consensus suggests. Paul Schuler sets out the evidence for claims that people are turning to autocratic alternatives, and asks whether they necessarily show a loss of faith in democracy. He proposes some alternative measures that could establish whether people are genuinely willing to trade freedom for a […]
How Australian activists used Obama-style micro-targeting in the 2016 elections
Micro-targeting, or data-driven fieldwork, was pioneered by Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns and has now spread to Australia. Stephen Mills explains how activists in different parties and pressure groups used it to target voters in the 2016 elections. Volunteers’ enthusiasm for this form of campaigning marks a turning point in Australian politics. Similar PostsAustralian politics shows why […]
The Decline of Policy Mandates in Australia
Ruling parties often make reference to having a ‘mandate from the people’ for their actions, but refrain from mentioning this concept while in opposition. Ross Stitt analyses data showing that less and less Australian voters are participating in primary elections. As the primary vote of incoming governments declines, so too does the level of any potential policy […]
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