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] Two-thirds of global population growth by 2050 will take place in cities and will be concentrated in seven countries: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia. The Joint Research Centre: EU Science Hub
• [New] Sidelining human rights and democracy could embolden autocratic leaders and leave the U.S. with little leverage to address abuses or promote reform. Grand Pinnacle Tribune
• [New] Taiwan is seeking to strengthen its defences to deter China, which claims the democratic island is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to annex it. ST
• [New] Safeguarding fundamental rights in the digital age will determine the future of constitutional democracy in India. Legal Service India - Articles
• [New] Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government plans to adopt a new cybersecurity strategy next month that calls for necessary measures to address foreign threats such as election interference. null
• [New] The Beyond Growth Conference Espana will be a space for democratic deliberation for a new economic model based on caring for people and the planet. Degrowth
• [New] Visa applications from Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will be refused unless their governments improve collaboration with the UK regarding the deportation of their nationals. Al Jazeera
• [New] Musk's growing influence on British politics, including endorsements of fringe candidates, poses a threat to democratic debate. EU DisinfoLab
• [New] The European Commission has unveiled its European Democracy Shield initiative, which is aimed at countering disinformation, fake news, and hybrid threats linked to foreign interference as Europe heads into key elections. EU DisinfoLab
• [New] If Proposition 50 passes, five California congressional seats are expected to become either competitive for or easily winnable by Democratic candidates. State Court Report
• [New] The Federal Communications Commission will vote in November to repeal a ruling that requires telecom providers to secure their networks, acting on a request from the biggest lobby groups representing Internet providers. Techdirt

Last updated: 07 December 2025