Rule of Law

Singapore must shift from state-led expansion to productivity-led growth

By Linda Y.C. Lim

Singapore’s GDP has tripled since the 1990s. Now the city-state needs a new social compact that matches its high-income status. Creating space for productivity, entrepreneurship, and open debate will decide whether Singapore’s prosperity benefits more Singaporeans—or becomes increasingly fragile.

Neither free nor fair: What Myanmar’s ‘sham’ elections mean for the country and its neighbors

By Rudabeh Shahid

The ongoing election staged by the ruling junta in Myanmar is structured less as a democratic exercise and more as a managed performance of legitimacy.

Trump’s quest for Greenland could be NATO’s darkest hour

By Anna Wieslander

If the United States intervenes to seize Greenland the future of NATO would be at stake. Such a development would be contrary to US national interests.

The Trump Corollary is officially in effect

The Trump administration has a unique opportunity to reimagine the contours of US hemispheric defense for years to come.

Serbia’s future depends on rebuilding rule of law and EU credibility

By Richard Grieveson

After a full year of antigovernment protests, Belgrade faces a sustained challenge to the status quo. The corruption that drew protestors to the streets also stifle growth and imperil political freedom in the country. Restoring a credible path to EU accession would be the single most powerful external incentive for change.

What will 2026 bring for the Middle East and North Africa?

By Atlantic Council experts

As 2025 comes to a close, our senior analysts unpack the most prominent trends and topics they are tracking for the new year.

States shouldn’t waste the chance to establish a Syria Victims Fund

By Kate Springs, Celeste Kmiotek

A centralized fund would better support victims of international law violations in Syria, who face unique challenges.

Delivering justice and jobs is the real test of Ghana’s storied democracy

By Joseph Asunka

Vigilant media and active civil society sustain Ghana’s democracy, but weak judicial independence erodes public trust. Rising youth joblessness calls for reforms to strengthen industry, modernize agriculture, and align skills training to labor-market needs.

A stronger, safer, and more prosperous hemisphere: The case for investing in democracy in the Americas

By Antonio Garrastazu and Henrique Arevalo Poincot

This issue brief is the fourth in the Freedom and Prosperity Center's "Future of democracy assistance" series, which analyzes the many complex challenges to democracy around the world—and highlights actionable policies that promote democratic governance.