Author: Owen Paul Lippert
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A NDI Starting Point: How to be The Opposition
Readers of the Opposition International blog will note a current topic in Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, Brazil, and Nigeria is what should an opposition party do. The National Democratic Institute has done work and written on just about every topic in democracy. Lord Mark Malloch Brown complained once that when he left 10 Downing Street to […] -
A Tour d’Horizon of Opposition Politics in South Asia
The South Asia program of the Carnegie Endowment has just published a series of articles on the State of Opposition. Congratulations to Paul Staniland and Milan Vaishnav. “The dominance of powerful regime incumbents in South Asia, from the BJP in India to the Awami League in Bangladesh and the military in Pakistan, should not obscure […] -
How Oppositions can better stave off repressive laws: A new paper by Nic Cheesman And Susan Dodsworth
“Defending Civic Space: When are Campaigns against Repressive Laws Successful?” offers useful strategic advice on how under-resourced opposition parties and civil society agents of change can at least slow down efforts by autocratic governments to use “first mover” technology to stifle dissent and harass dissenters. Opposition International will look into specific examples that fit the […] -
NED Series on Urban-based Digital Surveillance and Authoritarian Control
The series came out on December 15, 2022 and did not cut through the end of the year rush. I finally found time to go through it. Far more substance than usual Internet scaremongering, “The Russians are Coming” and “”Beware of the Red Peril.” Some of it really is scary! DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT As […] -
Proportional Representation in Myanmar? A View from In-Country by U Win
It is with gratitude that Opposition International welcomes U Win (a pseudonym for safety reasons) as a contributor. U Win is a researcher and human rights activist from Myanmar, with 10 years’ experience working and writing about politics, human rights and the criminal justice system of Myanmar. U Win’s research interests include access to justice […] -
Nigerian Election Results 2019: is the Past a Sure Guide to 2023?
Change from one year or one election from the one before is often exaggerated. We perceive changes more readily than how things stay the same. Politics in particular tends to advance by increments, at least for most generations. Nigeria may test the stasis hypothesis in the upcoming July 2023 election. However, the changes may be […] -
Mo Ibrahim foundation report: African governance ‘backslides’ on democracy
Mo Ibrahim foundation report: African governance ‘backslides’ on democracy Mo Ibrahim foundation report: African governance ‘backslides’ on democracy — Read on hicginewsagency.com/2023/01/27/mo-ibrahim-foundation-report-african-governance-backslides-on-democracy/ -
Tundu Lissu returns to Tanzania
Tundu Lissu returns to Tanzania Tundu Lissu returns to Tanzania — Read on owenlippert.ca/2023/01/30/tundu-lissu-returns-to-tanzania/ -
Good piece on upcoming Nigerian Election
Uche, who follows Opposition International on LinkedIn, just published an article asserting that with the election in flux, the opposition parties may be in the strongest position ever. Most interesting. -
Cambodia’s Opposition Grassroots Not Pleased with Leadership “walk back” of protest against CPP harassment
The saga of the Government’s legal actions against Candlelight party leader Thach Setha takes an odd twist. After a flurry of threats from PM Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party, some in the Candlelight leadership issued a statement “correcting” its accusations. The Candlelight grassroots are in no mood for kowtowing. They are the front line. They […] -
Insecurity, violence, vote-trading threaten 2023 elections — Yiaga – Tribune Online
Yiaga Africa, an election monitoring organisation, has called for immediate action from the security agencies and stakeholders to see to the increase in — Read on tribuneonlineng.com/insecurity-violence-vote-trading-threaten-2023-elections-yiaga/ -
IRI Releases Publication on Supporting Peaceful Political Transitions
IRI Releases Publication on Supporting Peaceful Political Transitions https://www.iri.org/news/iri-releases-publication-on-supporting-peaceful-political-transitions/ — Read on www.iri.org/news/iri-releases-publication-on-supporting-peaceful-political-transitions/ -
Prof Nic Cheeseman and The Africa Report: required reading
Professor Cheeseman’s article on ideas and ideologies stands out as guide to the deeper currents of democracy and opposition in Africa. A professor at the University of Birmingham, he founded www.democracyinafrica.org To examine the role of ideas in Africa, a new research group has started. Here’s a telling Cheeseman passage that suggests the role of […] -
Have a Safe and Prosperous Lunar New Year (Chinese)
A time to reflect and eat well. From all of us at Opposition International -
Opposition International
Another stab at a mission statement. Clarity and accuracy rarely mix well. Alex Chaufen in his Forbes magazine column on nonprofits recommends to keep revising until you find your Minimal Viable Product (MVP). Comments and corrections welcome. I will post in our highly secure Element chat app on Matrix.org. Invitation — “Hey, talk to me […]