China has no plan for who will succeed Xi Jinping – leaving the nation and the world in uncertainty

Feb 02, 2022 08:53 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Since becoming Chinas paramount leader in 2012, Xi Jinping has overseen enormous economic growth and solidified Chinas standing as an economic and geopolitical superpower. He has also centralized his power over domestic...

The African Union at 20: a lot has been achieved despite many flaws

Feb 02, 2022 08:48 am UTC| Politics

Theres a widespread view that the African Union and its bureaucracy are glorified servants of African governments. This view is supported by scholars and by the media. But is it accurate? I address this question in a...

South Africa is in a state of drift: the danger is that the ANC turns the way of Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF

Feb 02, 2022 08:48 am UTC| Politics

The dismal fate of Zimbabwe under the stewardship of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) government has long stood out as a warning to South Africas governing party, the African National Congress...

Boris Johnson pledges to 'fix' Downing Street after partygate – but this is a failure of his leadership

Feb 02, 2022 08:47 am UTC| Politics

I get it and I will fix it, declared Boris Johnson in parliament as he delivered his response to the initial findings from an inquiry into partying at Downing Street during pandemic lockdowns. After weeks of frenzied...

It's no surprise liberal democracy is giving way to authoritarianism

Feb 02, 2022 08:46 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

In recent years, discussion of politics in the west has been peppered with ominous warnings - democratic backsliding, authoritarian populism, neofascist movements and the end of liberal democracy. This is of particular...

Why the Winter Olympics are so vital to the Chinese Communist Party's legitimacy

Feb 02, 2022 08:43 am UTC| Politics

Aside from fake snow and COVID-19, the Beijing Winter Games are controversial for many reasons. They are a potent political symbol of the Chinese states ambitions and authority. Held just a year after the triumphalist...

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Vladimir Putin may face serious backlash should invasion happen

Feb 02, 2022 08:34 am UTC| Politics

With Russian troops remaining at the borders with Ukraine, NATO countries, including the US, have been warning that sanctions would be placed should an invasion occur. An analyst has suggested that Russian President...