Global Scans · Democracy · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Society is expressing its discontent with current democratic processes that leave the elites struggling to convince their voters of their good intentions and competencies. Read on to see how democracy is offering both great opportunities and risks while this period of volatility shakes out.

• [New] Unless structural reforms are undertaken to restore judicial independence, protect civil liberties, and ensure genuine competition, Uganda will remain trapped in the cycle of contested elections, a pseudo-democracy. Centre for Human Rights
• [New] American Democracy is in dire danger, with the decline of honest journalism, and with major news sources compromised. The Progressive Professor
• [New] Analysts are still debating whether Venezuela will hold an election before the end of 2026. NEXT.io
• [New] Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's likely arrest will weaken his political influence, but the far-right will remain strong, potentially threatening left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's re-election bid in 2026. Stratfor
• [New] The illegal order risks preventing millions of eligible American citizens from voting. Democrats Abroad
• [New] Uganda's law, not individual opinions or threats, would determine the outcome of the presidential election. BBC News
• [New] Uganda will hold a presidential election. Everything Briefing
• [New] 2026 will likely be a turning point in the discussion about the role law can and will play; there is no question that many of us are deeply concerned whether regulation alone can and will preserve democratic norms. / USA UNC News
• [New] Courts are set to rule on LGBTQ + rights in Japan, Botswana and Hungary, and election outcomes in Uganda, Peru, Colombia, Bulgaria, the United States and New Zealand will be significant. Context
• [New] Turkey is scheduled to hold the next general election in 2028. Turkish Minute
• [New] In 2026, elections widely seen as shaping Europe's future are expected to take place, including Hungary's parliamentary election, local elections in Germany and France, and the US midterm elections. Nhan Dan Online
• [New] A Democratic takeover could rapidly reshape U.S. policy, including toward Israel. Charisma Magazine Online
• [New] Rising inequality and declining living standards have posed a threat to democracy in several democracies, but so far not in Australia. Pearls and Irritations
• [New] The snap election is very much crystallizing in investors' minds the risks that Japan's public finances just are not going to put on a sustainable path. The Asahi Shimbun
• [New] In New Jersey's state legislature, women will hold 37.8% of Democratic and 13.2% of Republican seats. Center for American Women and Politics
• [New] As a result of the 2025 election, the number of Asian American, Black, and Latina women in the Virginia House of Delegates will increase. Center for American Women and Politics
• [New] While the number of both Democratic and Republican assemblywomen will go down from 2025 to 2026, the percentage drop among Republican women is larger than that among Democratic women. Center for American Women and Politics
• [New] In Wales, the first election under a reformed Senedd will test new institutional arrangements and could alter coalition dynamics and policy influence. Edelman Global Advisory
• [New] 2026 will see a decline in freedoms and democratic quality on a global scale. Degrowth
• [New] The US midterm elections in November will be a critical test for the resilience of American democracy. Degrowth

Last updated: 08 February 2026