ASD contributes long and short form research products and analysis to inform and engage our audience on a range of issues related to malign foreign interference. In addition, we develop policy recommendations and strategies to close vulnerabilities and safeguard institutions from authoritarian threats.
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March 2024
What’s at Stake in the EU Elections: The Rise of the Hard Right
The European Parliament elections in 2024 will shape the political direction of the EU over the next five years and, therefore, constitute a defining moment. In this series, GMF experts discuss the impact the elections will have on EU policy in key [...]
An Exception, No More: Portugal Seduced by the Far Right
Almost half a century after its Carnation Revolution that led to the end of the country’s dictatorship, Portugal’s political landscape is once again marked by the remarkable rise of the far right. Last Sunday’s election saw the ruling left-leaning S [...]
Russian Presidential Campaign Hints at Renewed Support for War
The presidential campaign season in Russia has shown a stark turn from the themes that dominated—and were absent from—last September’s regional elections in Russia. With the war then at a stalemate, even the ruling United Russia party avoided any me [...]
From Russia With Spin: How Content From Russian State Media is Laundered by Polish Blogs
Researchers from two European universities with support from ASD have uncovered evidence that a small network of Polish news blogs—Lega Artis, News na Dziś, and Daily Blitz—may serve as pathways for Russian state media and pro-Kremlin media to reach [...]
February 2024
Recognizing the Strategic Value of Data: The Executive Order to Protect Americans’ Sensitive Information
Introduction On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, US President Joe Biden’s administration issued an executive order that directs the Departments of Justice (DOJ), Homeland Security, Health and Human Services (HHS), Defense, and Veteran Affairs to take a [...]
The Role of Search Engines in Contesting or Reinforcing Election Fraud Narratives
“Look up SMARTMATIC and tweet me what you think?” tweeted Rudy Guiliani, then-US President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, in the weeks after the 2020 US presidential election. It was part of a broader campaign to delegitimize the election by castin [...]
Russia Is Still Finding Willing Partners Throughout Europe
While the news cycle is still abuzz with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s interview of Russian President Vladimir Putin, flying under the radar are new details about Russian intelligence’s role in cultivating ties with political parties in Euro [...]
The ASD AI Election Security Handbook
Introduction The typical local election official in the United States is a white woman who is older than 50, earns more than $40,000, does not have a college degree, and is less likely today than in the past to have extensive experience in electio [...]
South Korea as a Case Study in US Techno-Economic Statecraft
My travels to South Korea as part of a “Next Generation Leaders” delegation, sponsored by the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) and the Korea Foundation, highlighted the robustness of the US-South Korean alliance and the challenges facing demo [...]
January 2024
The World According to CGTN Africa
Introduction In January 2012, the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s state-owned broadcaster CCTV opened an African branch headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. Shortly thereafter, CCTV Africa—later rebranded as CGTN Africa—began publis [...]
Voting in Beijing’s Shadow: The People’s Republic of China Interferes in the 2024 Taiwanese Elections
The recent Taiwanese elections provide important insights into the tools and tactics the People’s Republic of China (PRC) might use when election results matter to its leadership. Similarly, Taiwanese authorities’ vigilance and responsiveness to Bei [...]
What to Watch: ASD at GMF Experts Weigh in on the 2024 US Presidential Primaries
This year’s US presidential primaries will determine who will lead the country come January 2025 amid growing autocratic threats to American democracy. Experts from the Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund are monitoring and a [...]