SOUTH ASIA

India’s election: cracks start to show in authoritarian rule

Strongman leader weakened as results fall short of expectations

‘Anti-Muslim hate speech sustains polarisation that benefits the ruling party’

‘The election’s outcome wasn’t determined by expectations but rather by disillusionment’

‘The negative impacts of AI on democratic processes seem to be outweighing the positive’

‘The government curtails online expression critical of democratic and governance deficits’

‘Civil society efforts will be crucial to the quality of the elections’

Pakistan’s election outcomes leave many unhappy

Voters have signalled they want an end to army’s power

‘It doesn’t matter who casts the vote as much as who counts the vote’

Bangladesh: election with a foregone conclusion

Ruling party’s win guaranteed by pre-election crackdown

‘This is a one-sided election in which we already know who the winner will be’