François Fillon, whether you think of him as a liberal or conservative, is now the odds-on favorite to be the next president of France.
Author: Charles Richardson
Another Republican primary, this time in France
France's centre-right opposition is voting to select a presidential candidate, amid differing views on how to deal with the threat from the far right.
An unusual president, but not an unusual election
Much commentary on the US election misses the point completely. The predecessor that Trump most closely resembles is not Ronald Reagan but Mitt Romney.
The upside of Trump
There's no reason to expect anything good from a Trump presidency. The best we can do is find some reasons why it might not be quite as bad as feared.
We need more democracy, not less
Donald Trump's victory comes courtesy of the electoral system, not the voters' choice. And that's not something unusual.
Election preview: United States
Election day is finally here, with the US set to elect its first female president. Here's what to watch for.
Responsibility for Trump: Part II
Only so much responsibility attaches to party leaders; ultimately the voters are the ones who decide. In America they have decided to mostly stick with their respective parties, and nobody really seems to know why.
Responsibility for Trump: Part I
Far too few conservatives have spoken out against Donald Trump, and even those that have need to look more searchingly in the mirror.
Putin’s parliament
Russia's Vladimir Putin secures, unsurprisingly, a large parliamentary majority, but courtesy of the electoral system as much as public opinion.
Spain, being Spain
Spain's politicians continue their comprehensive failure to work with the parliament that voters have given them.
The World is Not Enough 