Democracy

Lula hopes older voters can help power him to victory against Flavio Bolsonaro

Aparecida Josefina de Souza, 73, who says she did not vote in the first round but plans to vote in Brazil's presidential runoff election, poses for a portrait as older voters play a growing role in the runoff, at Brasilandia neighborhood, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 13, 2026. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

News analysis

Youth protests present a new dilemma for PM Modi and India

Members of National Students’ Union of India take part in a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at in New Delhi, on Oct 13.

India shuts down iconic Delhi protest site after three decades

Police officers and paramilitary personnel stand guard outside Jantar Mantar ahead of a youth-led demonstration in New Delhi.

India detains thousands, locks down Delhi to foil election chief protest

Security personnel confronting protesters in New Delhi, India, on Oct 10.

EU Commission floats safeguards against democratic backsliding by new members

The proposals reflect a renewed interest among EU members in expanding the 27-nation bloc, driven largely by Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Field Notes from Bengaluru

My fight to remain on the voter list in the world’s largest democracy

Voters whose names have been flagged for deletion under the Special Intensive Revision in India wait at a Bengaluru school to get their identification documents verified by election officials.

How Brazil's election winner could reshape its institutions as vacancies mount

People wait in line to vote during Brazil's general election, in Salvador, Brazil, October 4, 2026. REUTERS/Antonello Veneri

Brazil's Lula skips final TV debate as rivals make last appeal to voters

Caps are stringed together at a campaign rally of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a candidate for reelection for the Workers' Party (PT), in Salvador, Brazil, September 29, 2026. REUTERS/Rafael Martins

A growing number of people think social media harms democracy, Pew survey shows

More people think social media manipulates and divides people, a Pew Research Centre survey showed.

The difficult battle for Malaysia’s democratic soul

There are two contending visions of democracy in Malaysia – one that demands equal rights for all citizens, and one that infuses democracy with the preservation of the traditional Malay-Muslim status quo.

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MDDI (P) 046/10/2025. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2026 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.