Professor Nic Cheeseman writes on 'Democratic backsliding'

Nic Cheeseman has written an article for Open Democracy (24 February) entitled 'Parliaments and the defence of democracy'.  In it he explores the reaons why "(s)ome of the most repressive policies introduced in recent times were debated and passed by elected parliaments."

He writes, "Parliaments do not always take a leading role in the introduction of repressive legislation, but at times they fail in their duty to protect constitutional and democratic norms. This was the case in Kenya, where the national assembly passed a law that significantly undermined media freedom."

The full article can be read here: http://blog.politics.ox.ac.uk/parliaments-and-the-defence-of-democracy/