Democracy

The Berlin election has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, with the fringes gaining strength whilst the centre erodes. Surprisingly, The Left has emerged as the strongest force. The Greens have fallen short of their election target and lost key districts, but are playing a central role in the formation of the government.

The candidate makes all the difference; the CDU finds itself outside parliament for the first time the Greens secure their place in the state parliament and are highly likely to become a governing party. The AfD becomes the strongest force and the sole opposition party.

The state election reflects a deep-seated division. The far right narrowly missed securing the absolute majority it had sought, thereby triggering a political earthquake. Forming a government is likely to prove difficult.

The federal takeover of DC was just the beginning. National Guard troops are mobilizing to more Democratic cities while immigration raids create widespread terror. As protests become pretext for more troops, democracy continues to erode.

The Trump Administration’s new budget law is a back door to implementing major portions of the MAGA agenda. It could become one of the most destructive, anti-climate, anti-poor, and anti-working class pieces of legislation in US history and risks the country’s long-term economic stability.

At WorldPride in DC, Namibian activist Omar van Reenen shares how drag, defiance, and solidarity fuel queer resistance—and why global support must move from charity to solidarity to confront rising anti-LGBTQIA+ backlash.

On World Refugee Day, the US stands at a crossroads: once a global leader in refugee protection, it now faces rising rights violations, legal erosion, and harsh immigration policies that threaten both vulnerable communities and democratic principles. 

This Pride Month, defending democracy means defending trans rights. As anti-trans laws surge and political attacks escalate, the rollback of LGBTQIA+ freedoms is becoming a core strategy of authoritarianism both in the US and abroad.