Putin Must Abandon the Sinking Ship of Authoritarianism By : A lexan dra Pau l
P H OTO BY S E R GE Y P O NO MAR E V O N N YT IM ES
Without a doubt, the past few years have presented a unique political chaos that continues to have rippling effects around the world. Experts and democracy watchdogs alike agreed that 2016 and 2017 demonstrated an alarming global rise of authoritarianism, with the election of former United States President Donald Trump underpinning the conversation. This undemocratic ideology found a stronghold in Russia under Vladimir Putin, and his 21-yearlong regime has become notorious for its ongoing human rights violations and political manipulations. However, Putin has not gone THE OBSERVER
unopposed. Recently, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was unjustly arrested upon his return to Moscow after being poisoned, which he maintains was done at the behest of the Russian President. This sparked massive protests across Russia, with over 100,000 people participating in 109 cities. Those who flooded the streets and pelted police with snowballs are not alone in their rejection of authoritarian regimes. Across the world, similar protests exploded in response to encroachments on democracy, notably in Hong Kong and recently in Belarus. Collectively, these point to a responsive global anti-authoritarian PAGE 30
