Advertisement

Readers like you keep news free for everyone.

More than 5,000 readers have already pitched in to keep free access to The Journal.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can help keep paywalls away.

Support us today
Not now
Monday 25 September 2023 Dublin: 14°C

# Democracy

All time
Seanad abolition: Where do the parties stand?
The government has committed to abolishing the upper house but where do the parties stand on whether it should stay or go? We asked them and here is what they told us…
Aaron McKenna: The Constitution is ours – so why aren’t we writing it?
Real people power would look very different to this fiction of engagement.
Constitutional Convention aims to begin discussions next month
132 members of the public have been identified to participate – 66 of whom will be direct substitutes for the others.
Aung San Suu Kyi awarded with the US Congress’ highest civilian honour
Burmese democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi has been presented with the US Congress’ highest civilian honour – which she was awarded while under house arrest in 2008.
How does the new public petitions system work?
The new system will allow citizens to get their issues “into the centre of parliament” – here’s more on how it works.
Burma's government ends direct media censorship
Under the new rules, journalists will no longer have to submit their work to state censors before publication.
Clinton urges Egypt to commit to "strong democracy"
Clinton met with the country’s new president, Mohammed Morsi, this weekend, as well as other prominent Egyptians.
Annan warns 'history will judge' the world's failure on Syria
The former UN chief has convened a meeting of foreign ministers to try and broker a deal on Syria – but it’s looking unlikely.
Fine Gael TD calls for elections and referenda to be held at weekends
Alan Farrell wants polling days to be held on Saturdays or Sundays in order to prevent school disruptions and allow for more people to vote.
Video: Aung San Suu Kyi making speech in Dublin
See the video from within Bord Gáis Energy Theatre where she paid tribute to Ireland’s highlighting of her case.
21 years later: Aung San Suu Kyi accepts Nobel Peace Prize
The Burmese pro-democracy campaigner finally delivered her Nobel Lecture in Oslo this afternoon.
What effect might the turnout have on the Fiscal Compact referendum?
Voting started slowly today… but does it ultimately matter? Here are the lessons learned from our previous referendums…
Where’s my polling station? Do I need ID? How to cast your vote today
Ireland’s 3.13 million registered voters have the opportunity to cast their votes in hundreds of polling stations across Ireland’s 43 constituencies today.
PHOTOS: People living on Donegal islands go to the polls
Some of the 750 voters on the islands off the Donegal coast cast their ballots in the referendum today, three days before the rest of the country.
Egypt goes to the polls in first post-Mubarak election
Millions of Egyptians have been queuing to vote today, less than two weeks before Mubarak is due to be sentenced.
Explainer: Does Dublin need a directly-elected mayor and how likely is it?
It has been suggested for years, it even came close to happening two years ago but what chance a Boris Johnson or a Micheal Bloomberg for Dublin and Ireland’s other cities. TheJournal.ie investigates…
Aung San Suu Kyi boycotts Burma's parliament over oath
Meanwhile, the EU has announced lifting sanctions against Burma after year of political reform.
Japan to forgive €2.8 billion of Burma's debt
Japan is to take steps to forgive about 300 billion yen (€2.8 billion) of Burma’s debt and resume development aid in a bid to support democratic and economic reforms in the country.
Aung San Suu Kyi claims victory in Burma election
The long-persecuted opposition leader could be set to take office in the isolated country for the first time.
President warns of democratic and intellectual crises
Michael D Higgins told the audience at the LSE that if Ireland had retained some of the elements of its national revival, the economic collapse may not be as bad as it is.
Mugabe says he is "fit as a fiddle" and compares himself to Jesus
The Zimbabwean president, speaking on his 88th birthday, also gave tips on how to live a long life.
Column: Politicians can’t fix Ireland – ordinary people must take the lead
The financial crisis was sparked by a broken system. If we’re going to fix this we can’t leave it up to politicians, write Bronagh Geraghty and John Hughes.
Syria sets date for referendum on draft constitution
Read President Assad’s rambling statement on the future of the country. Plus, rare non-government images from inside Syria.
Column: Don’t trust the government? Then let’s put local people in power
Call them gombeens if you want – but handing money and power to local councils would help fix our democracy, writes Aaron McKenna.
TDs play down report of possible ‘email filter’
TDs have dismissed newspaper suggestions that they are looking at ways of blocking some emails from the public.
Varadkar: Referendums are not "very democratic"
He’s not a fan.
Column: Ireland has moved on, and we need a new Constitution
When Ireland reframes its founding document it must be for everyone, not just politicians – writes Labour TD Dominic Hannigan.
The story behind the giant banner on St Stephen's Green
You may have seen the picture of Abdulhadi Al Khawaja – but do you know why a three-storey-high banner of him is hanging from a building in the centre of Dublin?
Praise for Burma's release of political prisoners
Some 651 political activists, bloggers, a former prime minister and heads of ethnic minority groups were released yesterday under a presidential pardon allowing them to take part in “nation-building.”
Column: Abolish the Seanad? Here's a better idea to fix our political system
Parish-pump politics is crippling our democracy – so Simon Tuohy offers a radical new proposal to fix the system.
Explainer: How are Ireland's constituencies being redrawn?
The Constituency Commission is cutting the number of TDs and redrawing our electoral map. Here’s everything you need to know about what will happen…
Column: UCC’s Nick Griffin invitation is a game – and fascism is the winner
The invitation to the BNP leader will spark a predictable cycle of outrage – but nobody involved is considering the real victims, writes Gavan Titley.
More than 440 wounded during clashes in Egypt
Military police have been shown in video footage dragging women by the hair, even stripping the shirt off one veiled woman, and ferociously beating, kicking and stomping on protesters.
Column: We need a new politics – and here’s how it might work
Any new system must transform public anger at politicians into real engagement. Senator Fiach Mac Conghail writes about how We The Citizens did it.
Huge day of protest against vote fraud begins in Russia
Tens of thousands of Russians are due to attend protests today over allegedly fraudulent parliamentary elections.
Egypt goes to the polls - amid turmoil on the streets
The parliamentary elections are significant as it is the first time Egyptians have voted since the overthrow of former president Hosni Mubarak in February.
Column: Ireland, we need to talk about Europe
Future EU measures could mean a total fiscal union. If that’s the case, we may as well give up democracy altogether, writes Fine Gael TD Eoghan Murphy.
Aung San Suu Kyi to run in Burma elections
The pro-democracy leader has announced that she is to formally end her political boycott and run in elections.
Fans bring a halt to Stamford Bridge move
Roman Abramovich’s plan to move Chelsea to a new, 60,000-seat stadium has been put on indefinite hold after a fractious meeting with the Chelsea Pitch Owners.
Plans for Sharia-based law in Libya unveiled
Libya’s interim rulers have begun laying out their plans for their two-year transition to democracy – and said that Islamic Sharia law would be the “basic source” of legislation.