Israel’s highest court began hearing a case on Tuesday over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to replace one of his top intelligence chiefs — a courtroom battle that could open the door to a constitutional crisis. The attempt to fire…
Tag: Courts and the Judiciary
As Netanyahu Heads to Washington, Trump Is Already a Close Ally
Before President Barack Obama was sworn into office in 2009, Benjamin Netanyahu called the Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas out of the blue and asked for a lesson in what was essentially a foreign tongue: the language of Democrats. “I speak…
What Is the ICC? What to Know After Hungary’s Announcement
What is the I.C.C.? The I.C.C., established under a 1998 treaty, is the world’s highest criminal court. It has the jurisdiction to investigate and try people for what it describes as “the gravest crimes of concern” to the world: war…
France’s Parliament Is Set to Debate Changing Rape Law to Include Consent
Many countries require that consent be given before sex — and have written that into their rape laws. France is not among them. Now two lawmakers hope to change that, and they got a step closer Tuesday night when the…
Le Pen’s Embezzlement Charges and What They Mean for France’s Democracy
Last year, Marine Le Pen spoke menacingly of the possible fallout from her trial on embezzlement charges. “Tomorrow, potentially, millions and millions of French people will see themselves deprived of their candidate for the presidency.” After a court disqualified her…
How Trump Is Inspiring Wannabe Authoritarians Everywhere
When President Joseph R. Biden Jr. convened democracy summits at the White House in 2021 and 2023, he pointedly disinvited President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, a man he had once described an “autocrat” who deserved to be driven from…
Israel’s Internal Conflicts Return as Fighting in Gaza and Lebanon Continues
Eighteen months ago, in the aftermath of Hamas’s attack on Israel, Israelis suspended their internal conflicts to form a united military front against a shared external threat. Now, that semblance of common cause has been cast aside. Beyond its borders,…
Supreme Court Will Not Hear Appeal in ‘Juliana’ Climate Case
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal in a landmark climate case brought by 21 young people against the federal government, ending its 10-year journey through the courts. But the case provided a blueprint for numerous other…
With No-Confidence Vote, Israeli Cabinet Moves to Fire Attorney General
The Israeli cabinet passed a no-confidence motion on Sunday against the country’s attorney general to begin the process of dismissing her. Critics of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the move part of his effort to curb the independence of the…
In Turkey, Critics of Erdogan See Democracy Eroding After Istanbul Mayor’s Detention
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan entered this year facing a knot of political problems with little precedent in his two decades at the summit of power in Turkey. Voters were angry about persistently high inflation. His political party’s popularity had sunk.…