
Downing Street clashes with UK foreign secretary over Israel’s Gaza actions
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/downing-...ns/3513372
NEWS: Downing Street has publicly rejected UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s assertion that Israel violated international law by blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza, marking a rare censure of the senior official. While Israel’s actions in Gaza pose a risk of breaching international humanitarian law, they do not fully align with Lammy’s Monday assessment, British media reported, citing a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The dispute comes just hours after Israel launched a fresh round of airstrikes on Gaza, renewing concerns about the humanitarian crisis in the region. Lammy, in a statement to the House of Commons, had declared that Israel’s ongoing blockade of aid was a clear breach of international law.
A spokesperson for Starmer in his post as Labour leader emphasized that the party’s position is consistent with the government’s, stating that Israel's actions in Gaza "are at clear risk of breaching international humanitarian law."
The spokesperson urged Israel to adhere to its international obligations but stressed that “it is up to courts to make judgments” on such matters. Asked if Lammy had overstepped the government’s position, Starmer’s spokesperson referred the question to the Foreign Office, but added there had been no policy change.
The controversy centers on Israel’s blockade of essential aid to Gaza, including food, fuel, and medicine, announced at the beginning of this month. However, the UN, humanitarian groups, and numerous countries have expressed concern over the dire conditions in Gaza, where hospitals are struggling to care for large numbers of casualties.
Gaza's Health Ministry reports that over 400 people were killed in overnight airstrikes, marking the end of a two-month ceasefire. In his comments on Monday, Lammy condemned Israel’s actions as "unacceptable, hugely alarming, and very worrying," particularly the fact that aid has been blocked for over two weeks.
He called for a return to pre-blockade levels of aid, which had seen more than 600 aid trucks entering Gaza. "Palestinians need the necessary humanitarian support that they need at this time," Lammy added.
Diverging views of democracy fuel support for authoritarian politicians (ND study)
https://news.nd.edu/news/diverging-views...udy-shows/
PRESS RELEASE: Why do people living in democratic countries vote for political candidates who openly violate democratic standards? A new study by a University of Notre Dame researcher found that diverse understandings of democracy among voters can lead to votes for authoritarian-leaning political leaders.
“A considerable variety in democratic views leads part of the electorate to overlook violations of democratic norms such as minority rights protection or restraints on executive power,” said Marc Jacob, assistant professor of democracy and global affairs at Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs. “These varied attitudes represent an important vulnerability for the democratic system as they can enable authoritarian political candidates to access and retain power.”
The study, which was published in the British Journal of Political Science, found that voters' differing conceptions of democracy shape their ability to recognize democratic violations and, in turn, affect their voting choices.
Jacob and co-authors Natasha Wunsch of the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and Laurenz Derksen of ETH Zurich conducted a candidate choice experiment in Poland, a democracy where elections remain competitive despite some democratic backsliding over the past several years. (Democratic backsliding occurs when existing democracies slip backward toward autocracy and is currently taking place in every region of the world.)
The researchers found that respondents who supported democracy in principle but adhered less strongly to liberal democratic norms, such as minority rights protection and constraints on executive power, tolerated democratic violations more readily.
“Where liberal democratic commitment is weak or unevenly distributed across the electorate, voters cannot reliably act as safeguards against democratic backsliding,” Jacob said. Conversely, voters who subscribed more strongly to a liberal understanding were more likely to vote against non-liberal candidates, even those from their own political party.
Jacob said that additional survey-based research and qualitative approaches such as focus groups may provide further insights into citizens’ divergent understandings of democracy. To counter further democratic backsliding, the researchers recommend extensive and deliberate investment in civic education of citizens that highlights how each individual benefits from democratic governance, especially in more recent democracies.
“Democracy education often features big, abstract ideas, but it’s just as important to show people how civil liberties, power-sharing and the rule of law directly benefit them — and to remind them that their votes play a crucial role in keeping those values alive.”
The study was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/downing-...ns/3513372
NEWS: Downing Street has publicly rejected UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s assertion that Israel violated international law by blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza, marking a rare censure of the senior official. While Israel’s actions in Gaza pose a risk of breaching international humanitarian law, they do not fully align with Lammy’s Monday assessment, British media reported, citing a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The dispute comes just hours after Israel launched a fresh round of airstrikes on Gaza, renewing concerns about the humanitarian crisis in the region. Lammy, in a statement to the House of Commons, had declared that Israel’s ongoing blockade of aid was a clear breach of international law.
A spokesperson for Starmer in his post as Labour leader emphasized that the party’s position is consistent with the government’s, stating that Israel's actions in Gaza "are at clear risk of breaching international humanitarian law."
The spokesperson urged Israel to adhere to its international obligations but stressed that “it is up to courts to make judgments” on such matters. Asked if Lammy had overstepped the government’s position, Starmer’s spokesperson referred the question to the Foreign Office, but added there had been no policy change.
The controversy centers on Israel’s blockade of essential aid to Gaza, including food, fuel, and medicine, announced at the beginning of this month. However, the UN, humanitarian groups, and numerous countries have expressed concern over the dire conditions in Gaza, where hospitals are struggling to care for large numbers of casualties.
Gaza's Health Ministry reports that over 400 people were killed in overnight airstrikes, marking the end of a two-month ceasefire. In his comments on Monday, Lammy condemned Israel’s actions as "unacceptable, hugely alarming, and very worrying," particularly the fact that aid has been blocked for over two weeks.
He called for a return to pre-blockade levels of aid, which had seen more than 600 aid trucks entering Gaza. "Palestinians need the necessary humanitarian support that they need at this time," Lammy added.
Diverging views of democracy fuel support for authoritarian politicians (ND study)
https://news.nd.edu/news/diverging-views...udy-shows/
PRESS RELEASE: Why do people living in democratic countries vote for political candidates who openly violate democratic standards? A new study by a University of Notre Dame researcher found that diverse understandings of democracy among voters can lead to votes for authoritarian-leaning political leaders.
“A considerable variety in democratic views leads part of the electorate to overlook violations of democratic norms such as minority rights protection or restraints on executive power,” said Marc Jacob, assistant professor of democracy and global affairs at Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs. “These varied attitudes represent an important vulnerability for the democratic system as they can enable authoritarian political candidates to access and retain power.”
The study, which was published in the British Journal of Political Science, found that voters' differing conceptions of democracy shape their ability to recognize democratic violations and, in turn, affect their voting choices.
Jacob and co-authors Natasha Wunsch of the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and Laurenz Derksen of ETH Zurich conducted a candidate choice experiment in Poland, a democracy where elections remain competitive despite some democratic backsliding over the past several years. (Democratic backsliding occurs when existing democracies slip backward toward autocracy and is currently taking place in every region of the world.)
The researchers found that respondents who supported democracy in principle but adhered less strongly to liberal democratic norms, such as minority rights protection and constraints on executive power, tolerated democratic violations more readily.
“Where liberal democratic commitment is weak or unevenly distributed across the electorate, voters cannot reliably act as safeguards against democratic backsliding,” Jacob said. Conversely, voters who subscribed more strongly to a liberal understanding were more likely to vote against non-liberal candidates, even those from their own political party.
Jacob said that additional survey-based research and qualitative approaches such as focus groups may provide further insights into citizens’ divergent understandings of democracy. To counter further democratic backsliding, the researchers recommend extensive and deliberate investment in civic education of citizens that highlights how each individual benefits from democratic governance, especially in more recent democracies.
“Democracy education often features big, abstract ideas, but it’s just as important to show people how civil liberties, power-sharing and the rule of law directly benefit them — and to remind them that their votes play a crucial role in keeping those values alive.”
The study was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.