Iraqis have just gone to the polls in a pivotal parliamentary election that could redefine the country's political trajectory. What do the results tell us about the state of Iraqi democracy? What happens next? And is there still space for meaningful democratic reform? In this episode of Rethinking Democracy, Gonul Tol speaks with Renad Mansour, Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House and Director of the Iraq Initiative, to unpack the election's aftermath, Iraq's deeply fragmented political landscape, and the entrenched system of corruption, elite bargaining, and ethno-sectarian power sharing.

Recorded November 14, 2025

For much of the past eighty years, the United States has seen itself — and often acted — as a global champion of democracy. Through the power of example, and through its diplomacy, security alliances, and aid programs, Washington has sought to strengthen democratic institutions and push back against authoritarianism.

The record, of course, has never been perfect. The US has at times backed autocratic leaders in pursuit of strategic or economic gain. But overall, it has been a net force for democracy worldwide.

Today, that legacy is in question. A new administration is challenging democratic norms at home while dismantling the very tools once used to support democracy abroad.

Thomas Carothers, director of the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins the program to look at how the Trump administration is reshaping global democracy — and what scholars and analysts should be watching to understand the full impact of Trump's policies on democratic trends around the world.

Once hailed as a rare democracy in the Middle East, Lebanon has now slipped into the ranks of closed autocracies. Decades of corruption, sectarian rule, and foreign meddling have left the country reeling — and the past year brought assassinations, mass displacement, and Israel's full-scale war against Hezbollah in the south. With its economy in free fall and its political system on life support, Lebanon stands at a crossroads: could shifts in regional power, efforts to disarm Hezbollah, and a change in leadership pave the way for recovery, or will instability deepen?

Featured Guests:

Randa Slim Senior Non-resident Fellow, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced and International Studies (SAIS) Foreign Policy Institute

Ayman Mahanna Executive Director, Samir Kassir Foundation (SKF)

Turkey's main opposition, the CHP, is facing its toughest test yet: mass arrests, sham court rulings, and the ouster of key leaders—including Istanbul's mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Erdoğan's chief rival. With trials looming that could replace CHP leadership with government loyalists, the party warns of a legal 'coup.' What does this crackdown mean for Turkey's fragile economy, its 2028 elections, and the future of democracy itself? We break it down in this episode of Rethinking Democracy with featured guests Selva Demiralp, Professor of Economics at Koç University, and Seda Demiralp, Assistant Professor of Politics and International Relations at Işık University.

Recorded September 8, 2025

Could this be the beginning of a new chapter for Iran's foreign policy—and for its pro-democracy movement?

With Bashar al-Assad ousted and Syria entering a new political chapter, what comes next for a country ravaged by war, repression, and sectarian divisions? Gonul Tol speaks with Steven Heydemann (Smith College) and Radwan Ziadeh (Arab Center Washington DC) about the challenges of transitional justice, prospects for democratic reform, and the role of Syria's new de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharah. Can a centralized government model provide inclusive governance? What kind of support—or interference—should Syrians expect from foreign powers? And is the international community serious about democracy, or merely stability?

Recorded June 12, 2025

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has announced it will disband and end its decades-long armed insurgency. Is this a turning point in Turkey's century-long conflict with its Kurdish population—or a political maneuver to secure President Erdogan's grip on power? Gonul Tol is joined by Kurdish MP Ceylan Akca and political scientist Murat Somer to unpack the stakes of this historic shift, the demands for constitutional recognition, and whether peace is possible in a country where democracy itself is under threat.

President Donald Trump's recent visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE reignited debate over U.S. ties to authoritarian regimes. But the controversy underscores a deeper question: why has democracy struggled to take root in the Arab world? In this episode of Rethinking Democracy, host Gonul Tol sits down with Dr. Fawaz Gerges, Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and author of "The Great Betrayal: The Struggle for Freedom and Democracy in the Middle East," to unpack the cultural, structural, and geopolitical forces that continue to block democratization across the region.