The Spanish courts take a hand again on the Catalan issue, making compromise less likely and adding to the woes of the embattled prime minister.
Category: Party matters
Italy’s government looks a little more comfortable
Italy went to the polls at the weekend for a referendum and a number of regional elections. Results are mixed, but from the government's point of view could have been a lot worse.
Poland’s leader stands up for the animals
The Polish government is in crisis after its animal welfare legislation won more support from the opposition than from its own coalition partners.
A new leader for Japan
Japan's new prime minister, like most of his predecessors, is the choice of party factions rather than any sort of popular process. But public discontent rarely goes to the lengths of putting a different party in government.
Collective responsibility in New South Wales
A cabinet crisis in New South Wales demonstrates some truths about how responsible government works. It also shows that coalition politics in Australia is not quite what it seems.
Asymmetrical stacking
There are many similarities between the branch stacking scandals in the Liberal and Labor parties, but there's also an important difference that it's worth keeping sight of.
Third party flops in the Territory
Another Covid-influenced election produces a good result for the incumbents: the Northern Territory's Labor government is returned, and the new Territory Alliance performs poorly.
August election roundup
An occasional feature: today, electoral news from Trinidad & Tobago, Belgium, Ivory Coast and New Zealand
Party games in Germany
Germany's centre-left has chosen a moderate to lead it into next year's election. The centre-right may or may not follow suit, but both parties have similar issues to confront – as do their counterparts in other countries.
It’s Harris!
Kamala Harris, not surprisingly, gets the nod to be Joe Biden's running mate. Rarely has the vice-presidency been so important.
