insert_link Opinion Pieces US election: does it matter who is the vice-presidential pick? In Tim Walz’s case, yes By David Hastings Dunn, University of Birmingham The fanfare and publicity surrounding Tim Walz for his first fortnight as Kamala Harris’s vice-presidential pick has sparked renewed interest as to whether the second person on the ticket makes any difference when it comes to the result of the election. The conventional wisdom on the role and significance of the US vice-presidential office – in the words of Franklin […] todayAugust 14, 2024 17
insert_link World Trump’s post-conviction windfall shows democracy is increasingly a pay-to-play game By Daniel Drache, York University, Canada and Marc D. Froese, Burman University In the hours immediately following Donald Trump’s recent hush-money conviction in a Manhattan courtroom, his presidential campaign raked in US$53 million from small donors. Why are regular people without deep pockets throwing so much money at a convicted felon? In the United States today, as in many other countries with a populism […] todayJune 10, 2024 15
insert_link South Africa South Africa elections: Zuma’s MK Party steals the ANC’s thunder with provocative rhetoric and few clear policies By Mashupye Herbert Maserumule, Tshwane University of Technology Former South African president Jacob Zuma surprised many by leading a new party to rival the ruling African National Congress (ANC), a party he used to lead, in the pivotal 29 May 2024 general election. The upstart uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MK Party) caused a major upset for the ruling ANC, especially in Zuma’s heartland, KwaZulu-Natal province, […] todayJune 3, 2024 29
insert_link World UN migration chief warns about populist electioneering With 2024 set to see more elections worldwide than any previous year, Amy Pope, who last year became the first woman to head the UN's International Organization for Migration, says increasing anti-migrant rhetoric from politicians seeking to score points is harming societies. Pointing out that the fear-mongering is rarely rooted in what is happening on the ground, Pope told the AFP news agency that some countries where anti-migrant rhetoric is […] todayMarch 22, 2024 6