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Newsletter 142 28 February 2022
Solidarity with Ukraine
Solidarity with Democrats Worldwide
As the world reels from the Putin regime's invasion of Ukraine, we stand in solidarity with Ukrainians who have been attacked for the perceived threat of moving toward a democratic society on Russia's doorstep. Putin's reprehensible attack has not only prompted a sharp international response and protests and criticism across Russia, but also raised questions about his state of mind, whether isolation during the Covid crisis plays a part, and whether his rule is now on borrowed time. We also stand with people worldwide whose democratic freedoms are being trampled, day after day, by the wolves inside the gates, with little international response. Take a look at the range of new global reports on democracy to get a sense of this combination of what Liberties calls vandalism and neglect.
- ICDR Statement 'A Call for Solidarity with the People of Ukraine'
- Multiple new reports by Freedom House, Liberties, the EIU and CFD
- New analyses of the Freedom Convoy - spotlight on Canada and New Zealand
- Beyond-Covid analyses of Hungary's upcoming elections and Tunisia's judicial independence
- Webinars this week
- Additional items in our Policy Hub
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A Call for Solidarity with
the People of Ukraine
The International Coalition for Democratic Renewal (ICDR), of which COVID-DEM Director Tom Daly is a member, has issued a statement in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, setting out practical ways people worldwide can support and stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
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Multiple New Reports on Democracy, Freedom & the Rule of Law
Amidst Omicron surges across the globe and Putin's audacious inception of war on Ukraine, academic organisations and institutions have not stalled in their efforts to generate important work. Several key indices and reports analysing the global state and progression of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, particularly in the context of Covid-19, have been released in the past month, providing vital insights into a better, enhanced approach to tackle democratic decay internationally, especially in the post-pandemic era.
Access the reports' official websites, press releases, and comment pieces:
FREEDOM HOUSE, Report: ‘Freedom in the World 2022: The Global Expansion of Authoritarian Rule’ (24 February 2022)
FREEDOM HOUSE, Press Release: ‘NEW REPORT: Authoritarian Rule Challenging Democracy as Dominant Global Model’ (24 February 2022)
LIBERTIES, ‘Liberties Rule Of Law Report 2022: EU Governments Vandalising or Neglecting Their Democracies’ (15 February 2022)
LIBERTIES, ‘Civil Society in 2021: Under Pressure’ (15 February 2022)
LIBERTIES, Press Release: ‘Emergency Pandemic Powers Have Become ‘Normalised’ In Some EU Countries - Landmark Rule of Law Audit Finds: Press Release’ (15 February 2022)
ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT (EIU), ‘Democracy Index 2021: the China challenge’ (February 2022)
ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT (EIU), 'Democracy Index 2021: less than half the world lives in a democracy' (10 February 2022)
CENTRE FOR THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY (CFD), Report: ‘The Great Reset: Public Opinion, Populism, and the Pandemic’ (January 2022)
CENTRE FOR THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY (CFD), 'Support for populist politics ‘collapsed’ during the pandemic – global report' (18 January 2022)
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Canada & NZ: Freedom Convoy Updates
On 21 February, the Freedom Convoy initiated by Canadian truckers opposing vaccine mandates, which subsequently inspired similar demonstrations in countries like France, Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, took a major turn as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act to quell the continued, disruptive protests. The invocation of the Act was met with mixed responses, with some wishing it had come sooner, others like the Canadian Civil Liberties Association criticising it for threatening the country's democracy and civil liberties. Nonetheless, the emergency powers were revoked just 10 days later as they seemingly have worked, with police clampdowns ending blockades and occupation of downtown Ottawa.
"While it remains to be seen how history will view this tumultuous period of crisis, we can draw one conclusion at present. The initiation and first week of Canada’s Emergencies Act worked according to procedural steps, with checks and balances under the law."
Jack L. ROZDILSKY, 'Emergencies Act revoked after 10 days of police clampdowns helped end blockades' The Conversation (23 February 2022)
Additional items on the Canadian Freedom Convoy and the Emergencies Act include:
Policy
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ‘A Canadian Revolt Against Vaccine Mandates’ (18 February 2022)
POLICY OPTIONS, ‘Whose Parliament Hill is it anyway?’ (18 February 2022)
POLICY OPTIONS, ‘Three deep-seated drivers of the convoy, and what we can do about them’ (18 February 2022)
JURIST, ‘Canada invokes Emergencies Act to quell ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests’ (15 February 2022)
COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS (CPJ), ‘Threats, attacks, and insults: Canadian reporters on covering vaccine mandate protests’ (11 February 2022)
COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, ‘Canada’s Trucker Protests: What to Know About the ‘Freedom Convoy’’ (11 February 2022)
POLICY OPTIONS, ‘Is it time for the Emergencies Act?’ (11 February 2022)
Blog
Bryan D. PALMER, ‘Freedom Comes to Canada’ Verso Blog (15 February 2022)
Kent ROACH, ‘“Freedom Convoy” Occupation Highlights Canada’s Security Challenges’ Just Security (14 February 2022)
Media
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, 'Trudeau revokes emergency powers after Canada blockades end' (23 February 2022)
Paul VIEIRA & Kim MACKRAEL, ‘Canada’s Trudeau Revokes Use of Emergency Powers’ Wall Street Journal (23 February 2022)
Podcast
The 2020 Network @Risk: Uncivil Disobedience in Ottawa (24 February 2022)
The Agenda with Steve Paikin Is Canada Exporting the Trucker Convoy Protests? (17 February 2022)
Lawfare Podcast The Trucker Convoys and Domestic Unrest in Canada (11 February 2022)
Policy Options Podcast So-called “Freedom Convoy” is a symptom of a deeply unequal society (8 February 2022)
Video
WILSON CENTER, ‘An Update on the Canadian Trucker Protest’ (11 February 2022)
See also new items on analogous anti-vaccine convoys in New Zealand:
Policy
ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT (EIU), ‘New Zealand loosens pandemic restrictions amid soaring cases’ (16 February 2022)
Blog
John A.Z. MOORE, ‘Liberal New Zealand versus the protesting “mob”’ Democracy Project NZ (21 February 2022)
Former VUWSA student, ‘“Once were radicals”’ Democracy Project NZ (16 February 2022)
Media
Tess MCCLURE, '‘So many rabbit holes’: Even in trusting New Zealand, protests show fringe beliefs can flourish' The Guardian (25 February 2022)
Tess MCCLURE, 'Anti-Covid vaccine mandate protesters chase New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern outside school' The Guardian (24 February 2022)
CHANNEL NEWS ASIA, 'Riot police clash with New Zealand anti-vaccine protesters' (22 February 2022)
Praveen MENON, 'New Zealand's Ardern labels anti-vaccine mandate protests 'imported' as crowds defy calls to leave' Reuters (14 February 2022)
Podcast
RNZ: The Detail Politicians and the protest at Parliament (25 February 2022)
RNZ: The Detail On the ground at the Parliament protest (24 February 2022)
RNZ: The Detail Covering the protest at Parliament (17 February 2022)
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Hungary: Parliamentary Elections in April
This year's parliamentary election in Hungary is a monumental one as the nation's autocratic leader, Viktor Orbán is facing a unified opposition for the first time since he resumed power in 2010. The main opposition parties have rallied behind Péter Márki-Zay, a small-city Catholic mayor with support across the political spectrum for his conservative, anti-corruption platform, in hopes of ending Orbán's 12-year long rule. Having turned into a corruption-ridden "illiberal democracy" and wreaked havoc on the EU's democratic image and credentials, the Hungarian vote will be a crucial one for democracy and the rule of law. But with the incumbent government's strong hold over both the media and judiciary as well as a gerrymandered electoral system, there is fear and anticipation of a rigged election. European institutions and other member states would be wise to use this time to prepare for and safeguard free and fair elections come April.
See also a brief analysis of upcoming elections in other countries including South Korea, France, Philippines, Australia and more:
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Tunisia: The End of Judicial Independence?
As the world focuses on Ukraine, it is important not to ignore crises elsewhere (even if they are of a different scale and nature). Earlier this month (February 2022), Tunisia's President Kais Saied announced the abolition of the Supreme Judiciary Council and announced a decree establishing a new, "reformed" judicial body, granting him additional powers to control the country’s top judicial organisation. This is the first formal move the president has made against the judiciary's institutional independence since his July 2021 suspension of parliament, and it has been met with outrage by his opponents and democratic allies, with citizen protests ensuing in its capital city Tunis.
Critics say President Saied’s seizure of judiciary powers erodes one of the remaining pillars of Tunisia’s democracy, while human right organisations have called on President Saied to cease all acts that may threaten judicial independence and/or violate people’s right to a fair trial.
Policy AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, ‘Do Old Habits Spell the End for Tunisia's Democratic Experiment?’ (16 February 2022)
Policy DEMOCRACY DIGEST, ‘Tunisia: From nascent democracy to nascent dictatorship?’ (14 February 2022)
Policy AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, ‘Tunisia: President’s moves to shut down High Judicial Council pose grave threat to human rights’ (8 February 2022)
Media Alessandra BAJEC, 'Does new decree mark the end of judicial independence in Tunisia?' Al Jazeera (17 February 2022)
Media AL JAZEERA, ‘Tunisia: President issues decree to create new judicial watchdog’ (13 February 2022)
Media DEUTSCHE WELLE, ‘Tunisian president dissolves Supreme Judicial Council’ (6 February 2022)
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Webinars
Several events are taking place this week, particularly beyond-Covid ones - follow the links for registration/more info.
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Policy Analysis
Additional items uploaded to our Policy Hub in February include:
Asia
ASIAN NETWORK FOR FREE ELECTIONS (ANFREL), ‘Malaysia: Elections During Covid-19: Reforms Can Cure Ailing Democracy’ (22 February 2022)
EAST ASIA FORUM, ‘Pandemics, protests and policymaking in Central Asia’ (17 February 2022)
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, ‘Cambodia: Covid-19 Used to Justify Crackdown on Union’ (15 February 2022)
Europe
EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF JOURNALISTS (EFJ), ‘Finland: EFJ condemned violence against journalists during convoy protest’ (10 February 2022)
CARNEGIE EUROPE, ‘Boris Johnson’s Partygate Has Echoes of Al Capone’s Downfall’ (7 February 2022)
North America
CUBA ARCHIVE, ‘World Health Organization approval for Cuba’s COVID vaccines would greatly strengthen the Cuban dictatorship’ (4 February 2022)
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COVID-DEM is You
Every day we work with people worldwide to build this platform for helping us understand how the pandemic is challenging and re-shaping democracy globally, and the many ways we can defend and improve our democracies. Our sincere thanks to every one of you who has helped us to develop COVID-DEM into what it is today. Don't hesitate to send us your work and suggestions, to coviddem@gmail.com or through our online form.
Dr Tom Gerald Daly
Director
Find out more about Tom here.
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