Stories about Politics from April, 2023
Australia’s Safeguard Mechanism legislation will force big polluters to cut carbon emissions
"Implementation of the safeguard mechanism bodes well for Australian #climate policy and may also pave the way for carbon pricing beyond the industry sector."
Montenegro on the edge: Let down by the West
The new Montenegrin president, Jakov Milatović, promises EU membership within his five-year mandate, a revived economy, and to unite the country. It sounds good, but if you look behind the hype, a worrying picture emerges.
Azerbaijan-Iran tensions escalate
The tensions have been simmering since January 2023, after a gunman stormed the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran, killing the security chief and wounding two guards in the embassy.
Russian decolonisation and Eurasia: An imperial legacy? Risks and opportunities for Tatarstan
Public attention to political and economic inequality in Russia’s regions, stirred by the debate on decolonisation, represents a welcome and much-needed development
New study finds internet censorship in Turkmenistan reaches over 122,000 domains
"One of the worst blocking rules in Turkmenistan is that the government blocks every website that ends with w.org, which is Wordpress, used by activists and bloggers."
As deep-sea mining decision still hangs in the balance, young Jamaican activists continue to campaign
Dishearteningly for the campaigners, the talks ended with no clear conclusion, despite strong and growing concerns. The International Seabed Authority Council meets again on July 10, a critical date.
The designer of the ‘Thanks to Erdoğan’ sticker campaign lands in the president's crosshairs
The stickers read: "This product is expensive because of us. Remember this when you vote," accompanied by pictures of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his political ally Devlet Bahçeli.
‘I was overwhelmed.’ Ukrainians recall the first hours of the full-scale Russian invasion
In February 2023, Global Voices asked Ukrainians to share how they spent the first minutes and hours after they learned that Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
How internet shutdowns in Myanmar have been endangering lives and affecting humanitarian work since the coup
The internet blackout has made it difficult for locals to both send and receive information on the conditions in the region, report human rights abuses committed by the military regime, or raise funds for humanitarian business.
In Azerbaijan, residents pay a heavy price to have access to water
Since March 13, residents of at least three villages in Saatli, have taken their demands for stable water access onto the streets.
Thai political parties sign election code of conduct, pledge to uphold human and digital rights
"Political parties agreed that, regardless of who forms the government, it is crucial to work together to create stability, restore democracy, and promote economic development that leaves no one behind."
‘A great day to be a journalist in Fiji’ as Parliament repeals ‘draconian’ media law
"Some of Fiji's best journalists left the industry as a result and the media still carry the mental scars today from that very disturbing period."
Thailand's upcoming general election is fundamentally flawed, say rights groups
HRW and over 50 Thai and international civil society groups highlighted the shrinking spaces for freedoms and democratic processes in Thailand in joint letters to 25 of Thailand’s democratic allies and trading partners.
The ‘New Uzbekistan’ budget battle: Democracy in action or a flawed system?
'People are amazed that they can get some small roads paved with asphalt by voting... What if they realise they could even change the governments by voting? Hard to imagine…'
In Turkey, will one man continue to rule them all? The May 14th elections hold the answer
The stakes are high, and there is a growing sense among the general public that if the current leadership stays in power, the country's future is grim and uncertain.
The rubble after Turkey's earthquake may have a disastrous environmental impact
Two months after the earthquake, officials are facing challenges over where to dump the waste and rubble from the destroyed buildings and roads and how to dispose of it.
Wagner recruitment of volunteers in the Western Balkans region prompts debate
Politicians from neighboring countries have been warning of spreading of PMC Wagner group influence via Serbia, where recruitment advertisement scandal was hushed up.
The leader of the largest Amazonian Indigenous organization, now divided, believes that women can unify it
One of the most important Indigenous organizations is fragmented. Fany Kiuru believes that women can strengthen it.
The Myanmar junta’s war against Facebook
Social media platforms have an oversized influence on political events such as elections, and they have a responsibility to advance democracy.
Mongolians celebrate and fear for an 8-year old boy as Dalai Lama names him their next spiritual leader
Mongolia has got not only a spiritual leader but a powerful trump card with which it can influence relations between Tibet and China.
Twitter wars: Latin American presidents’ feuds threaten regional unity
Latin American governments have gotten into bitter disputes, many of them via Twitter, at a time when the region is poised to form common fronts on issues such as climate change, migration or the exploitation of new raw materials.
