McCain Institute Senior Director of Global Democracy Programs Laura Thornton highlights the deepening democratic decline in Georgia following the October 4, 2025, local elections.

YouTube video by European Platform for Democratic Elections EPDE

Analysis Pre-Election Mission to Moldova September 1-5, 2025 By Laura Thornton Introduction Moldovans head to the polls on September 28 to elect all 101 members of parliament, an election that will de...

In a new op-ed, “Russia Isn’t ‘Influencing’ Moldova’s Election,” McCain Institute's Laura Thornton warns that Russia's disinformation and financial campaigns in Moldova are more than just “influence o...

powervertical · THE BATTLE FOR MOLDOVA Another election, another geopolitical crisis. Moldovans go to the polls this weekend to elect a new parliament in a critical vote that will determine whether…

On September 28th, Moldovan voters went to the polls in parliamentary elections to choose between competing visions for their country's future. Despite intense efforts by the Kremlin to influence the ...

Georgians will fight for their democracy. The ruling party is now one more paranoid, insecure dictatorship that knows its days are numbered.

Department Statement: At McCain Institute, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfe...

YouTube video by Zócalo Public Square

Countries with positive economic growth and happy citizens share traits in governing. The actions of the current Trump administration do not reflect these governing pillars that other safe, thriving c...

As coalitions, partnerships, and allegiances shift and emerge, Zócalo and an alliance of partners will convene two back-to-back panels to discuss how we might best ally to survive this moment in histo...

Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, ex

Following the October 2024 elections in Georgia, which were deemed neither free nor fair by reputabl

The Trump administration’s action undermines bipartisan efforts to support freedom fighters, and it enables corrupt autocrats.

The Trump administration’s action undermines bipartisan efforts to support freedom fighters, and it enables corrupt autocrats.

Op-ed about the President of Georgia who was recently selected as the McCain Institute’s 2025 Kissinger Fellow and why supporting countries on the front lines of democracy is essential to fighting the...

Georgia has seen widespread protests against the government’s decision to suspend EU accession and the passage of laws targeting civil society, and the U.S. and EU should respond with consequ…

A sobering report released by UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Monday reveals that in 2023, 140 women and girls died every day at the hands of their partner or a close relative...

President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick to be the director of national intelligence has raised alarms among national security officials.

Georgia stands at a crossroads. The parliamentary elections on Oct. 26 were presented as a choice between a creeping authoritarianism and a drift into the Kremlin's orbit on one hand, and Georgia's E...

With two months left in office, the president for the first time authorized the Ukrainian military to use the system known as ATACMS to help defend its forces in the Kursk region of Russia.

On October 26, the country of Georgia held parliamentary elections, which, according to the results of the government-appointed Central Election Commission (CEC), granted the Georgian Dream (GD) gover...