The Supreme Court’s 1963 school prayer ruling finally has majority support John Sides - November 9, 2023 The politics of school prayer are changing – slowly.
Israel’s Religious Zionists gained ground in the November election Brendan Szendro - December 16, 2022 What is Religious Zionism, and why is it getting more popular in Israel?
Imran Khan dissolved Pakistan’s parliament. How did that happen? Yasser Kureshi and Asfandyar Mir - April 5, 2022 Pakistan’s Supreme Court will rule on the constitutionality of the prime minister’s moves
Peru’s ex-president Alberto Fujimori was just pardoned — again. What’s going on? Ñusta Carranza Ko - March 30, 2022 Since he was convicted of crimes against humanity in 2009, his sentence has been hotly contested
The Bevis Frond, ‘Death Trip’: The Week In One Song Christopher Federico - January 14, 2022 SCOTUS blocks federal vaccination rules for large U.S. employers.
Biden’s court commission is worried about Supreme Court ‘legitimacy.’ So what is ‘legitimacy,’ exactly? Michael J. Nelson - October 21, 2021 How the commission measures this will influence what changes it suggests – or doesn’t.
If the E.U. doesn’t wake up to what’s happening with Poland, it may sleepwalk into self-destruction Anna Grzymala-Busse - July 16, 2021 The fight over whose courts are in control threatens the foundations of the European Union’s constitutional order
El Salvador’s president launched a ‘self-coup.’ Watch for creeping corruption and authoritarianism. Steven Levitsky and Manuel Meléndez-Sánchez - May 19, 2021 Peru’s authoritarian past is a cautionary tale for El Salvador’s future
Thai protesters don’t like what the king and government are doing. Can they make them change? Kana Inata - May 17, 2021 Yes, citizens can hold even unelected leaders accountable
Can Senate Democrats pass Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief package? Ask the parliamentarian. Nikita Lalwani / Managing Editor - February 17, 2021 With an extremely narrow majority in the Senate, Democrats are
The ‘Trump Pride’ rally won’t win over LGBTQ voters. So why hold it? Zein Murib, Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte, Phillip Ayoub, and Gabriele Magni - October 26, 2020 Welcome to “homonationalism,” or justifying anti-immigrant policies by arguing that immigrants threaten gay rights.
We asked what Poles think about voting in a pandemic and the election that was scheduled for May 10 Radosław Markowski and Hubert Tworzecki - May 10, 2020 This year’s electoral irregularities were far greater than anything reported in the past
What’s behind the fight over Wisconsin’s primary? The Supreme Court’s gerrymandering ruling. Luis E. Fuentes-Rohwer and Guy-Uriel E. Charles - April 20, 2020 In Rucho v. Common Cause, the court could have curbed extreme partisanship.
A Malawi court just ordered a do-over presidential election. Here’s what you need to know. Kim Yi Dionne and Boniface Dulani - February 3, 2020 Months of investigations and protests about election tampering led to this historic ruling.
If you think the U.S. is having a constitutional crisis, you should see what is happening in Poland Daniel Kelemen and Laurent Pech - January 25, 2020 Poland’s government and Supreme Court are engaged in an epic battle.
The U.K. Supreme Court has ruled Parliament’s suspension unlawful. Will the U.K public approve? Nathan T. Carrington and Claire Sigsworth - September 20, 2019 It’s unusual for U.K. courts to be so involved in the political process.
South Korea pulled out of a military intelligence-sharing agreement with Japan. That’s a big deal. Andrew Yeo - August 26, 2019 Their diplomatic spat just expanded to defense issues.
What will Taiwan’s same-sex marriages mean in the rest of Asia? Joseph O'Mahoney and Enze Han - May 24, 2019 It’s likely to inspire activists, but other legislatures have a long way to go.
The Senate confirmed Eric Miller to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals — despite his home state senators’ objections. That’s new. Sarah Binder - February 28, 2019 Here’s what you need to know about the ‘blue slip’ — and how Republicans rejected yet another Senate tradition.
Trump wants to change the rules of citizenship. Here are three reasons his proposal might be unconstitutional. Robinson Woodward-Burns - October 31, 2018 [caption id="attachment_79634" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A woman in the country illegally
Poland’s plan to get rid of independent judges has just hit a roadblock Daniel Kelemen and Laurent Pech - October 25, 2018 [caption id="attachment_79372" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People enter the Supreme Court in
Academic ideas are supposed to thrive on their merits. If only. Henry Farrell - October 24, 2018 [caption id="attachment_79310" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Scientists are reflected in a window
Brazil’s most popular politician, Lula, won’t be on the October presidential ballot. Here’s what comes next. Brett Kyle and Andrew Reiter - September 5, 2018 [caption id="attachment_77375" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Supporters of former Brazilian president Luiz
There were huge protests in Romania — but what happens next? Daniel Brett - August 21, 2018 [caption id="attachment_76934" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Riot police use a water cannon
Breaking border laws is as American as it gets Peter Andreas - July 3, 2018 [caption id="attachment_75142" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Independence Day fireworks explode over the
Will the Supreme Court really lurch rightward with Trump’s next appointment? Michael Bailey - July 2, 2018 Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s announced retirement has led many to
Why gerrymandering is going to get even worse Richard Pildes - April 26, 2018 [caption id="attachment_72699" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Demonstrators rally with cutouts of congressional
Forget Congress. Facebook’s real problem is in Europe. Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman - April 12, 2018 [caption id="attachment_72154" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Founder and CEO of Facebook Mark
Republicans are calling for the impeachment of Pennsylvania judges. It’s nothing new. Meghan Leonard - March 5, 2018 [caption id="attachment_64714" align="aligncenter" width="960"] (David Goldman/AP)[/caption] Last month, the Pennsylvania
The crisis in the Maldives, explained Nayma Qayum - February 12, 2018 [caption id="attachment_69103" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Opposition supporters shout slogans during a
Pennsylvania has to draw new congressional districts, but getting rid of gerrymandering will be harder than you think. Jonathan Cervas and Bernard Grofman - February 9, 2018 [caption id="attachment_64714" align="aligncenter" width="960"] (David Goldman/AP)[/caption] On Monday, the U.S.
Sierra Leone goes to the polls on March 7. Here are the 5 things you need to know. Luisa Enria and Jamie Hitchen - February 7, 2018 [caption id="attachment_68931" align="aligncenter" width="960"] In this 2012 photo, voters in
Democratic elections in Poland face a new threat Mary Stegmaier and Kamil Marcinkiewicz - January 11, 2018 [caption id="attachment_68012" align="aligncenter" width="960"] On Nov. 24, 2017, people protest
Poland’s in crisis again. Here’s what you should know about the far right’s latest power-grab. Monika Nalepa - November 28, 2017 [caption id="attachment_66620" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People in Warsaw protest proposed changes
Why do some elections in Africa turn violent? Meshack Simati - November 22, 2017 [caption id="attachment_66541" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Jubilee Party supporters cheer Nov. 20
The Senate just made it a lot easier for Trump to appoint federal judges, over Democrats’ objections Sarah Binder - November 20, 2017 [caption id="attachment_66461" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E.
Kenyans’ support for democracy and rule of law offers hope despite electoral upheaval Winnie Mitullah and Abel Oyuke - October 27, 2017 The day after an unprecedented presidential election rerun with a
Kenyans vote again today. Here’s what they think about the current election crisis. Jeremy Horowitz, Eric Kramon, and Brandon Bartels - October 26, 2017 Kenyan voters are at the polls again today for the
Republicans are the party of ideological inconsistency William Myers, Robert Lupton, and Judd Thornton - October 2, 2017 After months of trying to work with congressional Republicans to
Kenya’s Supreme Court just declared the Aug. 8 elections invalid. Here’s what this means. Ken Opalo - September 5, 2017 In a ruling that shocked the world, the Kenyan Supreme
Why is Poland’s Law and Justice Party trying to rein in the judiciary? Radoslaw Markowski and Hubert Tworzecki - July 26, 2017 [caption id="attachment_61486" align="alignleft" width="982"] People take part in a “Chain
So Poland’s president surprised everyone, vetoing two bills that threatened the courts’ independence. Here’s what that means. Mary Stegmaier and Kamil Marcinkiewicz - July 25, 2017 [caption id="attachment_61426" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People in Warsaw on July 24
The attack on Poland’s judicial independence goes deeper than you may think. Here are 5 things to know. Monika Nalepa - July 23, 2017 http://www.washingtonpost.com/video/world/poland-poised-to-ratify-supreme-court-overhaul/2017/07/22/af345f96-6ef6-11e7-abbc-a53480672286_video.html Major news outlets have erupted in recent days over
Poland appears to be dismantling its own hard-won democracy Mary Stegmaier and Kamil Marcinkiewicz - July 21, 2017 A bill now in Poland’s Parliament would destroy the judicial
Why the Women’s March may be the start of a serious social movement Emily Gade - January 30, 2017 This is the fourth post in our series on what social
This is what the gradual erosion of rule of law looks like in Poland Monika Nalepa - January 23, 2017 [caption id="attachment_52816" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Opposition party Nowoczesna leader Ryszard Petru,
Here’s how we’ll know if Trump engages in secret surveillance William Bendix and Paul Quirk - December 15, 2016 [caption id="attachment_51255" align="aligncenter" width="960"] President-elect Donald Trump and musician Kanye
What comes next under a President Trump? E.J. Graff - November 24, 2016 [caption id="attachment_50062" align="aligncenter" width="960"] President-elect Donald Trump waves as he
Donald Trump may have accidentally helped Americans oppose deportation. Here’s how. Karthick Ramakrishnan, Jennifer Merolla, and Chris Haynes - August 31, 2016 [caption id="attachment_45814" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks
20 years on, here’s how welfare reform held back immigrants’ children — in some states Meghan Condon, Amber Wichowsky, and Alexandra Filindra - August 22, 2016 Twenty years ago today, President Bill Clinton signed into law
Lots of Americans agree with Donald Trump about ‘rigged elections’ Joseph Uscinski - August 8, 2016 [caption id="attachment_44328" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Donald Trump speaks at the Republican
6 things you need to know about Venezuela’s political and economic crisis Michael McCarthy - May 18, 2016 Venezuela is a powder keg. Once a rich country held
How many cases will the Supreme Court put off till next term? Maybe none. Timothy Johnson, Tom Pryor, and Valerie Hoekstra - March 25, 2016 [caption id="attachment_36037" align="aligncenter" width="908"] The bench chair of late Supreme
Here’s what Donald Trump gets wrong about immigration Karthick Ramakrishnan - August 19, 2015 [caption id="attachment_28705" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] (Gregory Bull/AP)[/caption] This past weekend, Republican
Here's what Donald Trump gets wrong about immigration - August 19, 2015 [caption id="attachment_28705" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] (Gregory Bull/AP)[/caption] This past weekend, Republican
Despite meltdowns, a tsunami and public opposition, Japan may soon restart a nuclear power plant — or several Jennifer Sklarew and Daniel Aldrich - July 20, 2015 [caption id="attachment_27413" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Tanks of radiation-contaminated water are seen
The trials and tribulations of prosecuting heads of states: Kenyatta and the ICC Karen Alter - December 19, 2014 [caption id="attachment_19336" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta appears before
Another Zambian president dies in office. What happens now? Kim Yi Dionne - October 29, 2014 Late Tuesday night, Zambian president Michael Sata died while in
The case that might cripple Facebook Henry Farrell - June 20, 2014 [caption id="attachment_12164" align="aligncenter" width="620"] (Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images)[/caption] An Irish judge
The rocky relationship between Russia and the European Court of Human Rights Courtney Hillebrecht - April 23, 2014 [caption id="attachment_9736" align="aligncenter" width="460" special=""] The European Court of Human
How U.S. state legislatures are polarized and getting more polarized (in 2 graphs) - January 14, 2014 Boris Shor is an assistant professor at the Harris School
The Supreme Court’s Many Median Justices Andrew Gelman - March 28, 2012 Ben Lauderdale and Tom Clark wrote a paper in which
Expert Analysis: Tymoshenko Verdict in Ukraine Joshua Tucker - October 12, 2011 Yesterday in Ukraine, the country's most prominent opposition leader -
Culture Wars in the Netherlands Erik Voeten - June 28, 2011 I am spending the summer in the Netherlands and I
Coding Bias: US Supreme Court Judicial Database Joshua Tucker - October 7, 2009 In honor of the "Supreme Court's opening session":http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/package/supremecourt/index.html, I thought
Does Electing Judges Undermine Judicial Legitimacy? - March 24, 2008 The ideal court system in a democratic society is supposed