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Leon Willems

Leon Willems

6 commentaries

Leon Willems is Director of Free Press Unlimited.

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  1. Preventing the Death of Independent Journalism
    willems6_ Eko Siswono ToyudhoAnadolu AgencyGetty Images_riot police press freedom Eko Siswono Toyudho/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

    Preventing the Death of Independent Journalism

    Dec 7, 2020 Leon Willems warns that a critical public good could be lost, undermining informed debate and political accountability.

  2. The Demonization of Journalists Must End
    willems5_FRANCOIS GUILLOTPOOLAFP via Getty Images_charliehebdomemorial Francois Guillot/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

    The Demonization of Journalists Must End

    Jan 9, 2020 Leon Willems says continued violence against members of the press represents an assault on a vital pillar of democracy.

  3. Justice for Journalists
    willems4_YASINAKGULAFPGettyImages_candlevigilwithkhashoggiposter Yasin Akgul/AFP/Getty Images

    Justice for Journalists

    Jun 18, 2019 Leon Willems suggests how to fight the culture of impunity surrounding violent crimes against reporters in many countries.

  4. Condemning Khashoggi’s Killers
    mbs g20 Nicolas Asfouri - Pool/Getty Images

    Condemning Khashoggi’s Killers

    Dec 11, 2018 Leon Willems says the apparent state-sanctioned murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi must not go unpunished.

  5. How Press Freedom Is Won
    Protesters holds placards during a rally against corruption and to pay tribute to murdered Slovak journalist Jan Kuciak JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images

    How Press Freedom Is Won

    May 2, 2018 Leon Willems urges news consumers to reflect on the successes and sacrifices of journalists around the world.

  1. stiglitz331_serggnGetty Images_techregulation serggn/Getty Images

    A Big Defeat for Big Tech

    Joseph E. Stiglitz

    Tech companies know that if there is an open, democratic debate about data security, consumers’ concerns about digital safeguards will win out. And while the industry's lobbyists tried to ensure that no such debate could ever occur, one of their more cynical moves has now been exposed and thwarted.

    details how the industry tried to slip extraordinary protections against regulation into US trade agreements.
  2. zizek27_Giles ClarkeGetty Images_jimmycherizier Giles Clarke/Getty Images

    Haiti’s Proud Boys

    Slavoj Žižek

    If we measure a failed state by the cracks in the edifice of its power, reflected in brewing ideological civil wars, deadlocked assemblies, and increasingly insecure public spaces, we must recognize that the United States is not so unlike Haiti. Both have given rise to violent gangs with political ambitions.

    warns that rich Western democracies are not immune to politically motivated gang violence.
  3. hedegaard11_y Dursun AydemirAnadolu via Getty Images_parliament elections Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu via Getty Images

    Unity Is Europe’s Greatest Asset

    Connie Hedegaard emphasizes the importance of stability amid persistent economic and geopolitical crises.
  4. qian34_PEDRO PARDOAFP via Getty Images_immigration PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images

    The Truth About US Immigration

    Nancy Qian warns that overheated campaign-season rhetoric is dangerously polarizing and ultimately self-defeating.
  5. mueller51_ David McNewGetty Images_gop trump David McNew/Getty Images

    The Zombification of Political Parties

    Jan-Werner Mueller argues that Donald Trump’s capture of the GOP’s organizational machinery recalls authoritarian tactics elsewhere.
  6. basu100_David Dee DelgadoGetty Images_newyork David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

    The Economic Consequences of Legal Behavior

    Kaushik Basu highlights the potential benefits of emphasizing adherence to the spirit of laws, if not their letter.
  7. brown106_KOLA SULAIMONAFP via Getty Images_nigeriaschool Kola Sulaimon/AFP via Getty Images

    For Nigeria’s Schools, Safety Must Come First

    Gordon Brown writes that the latest mass abduction of students underscores the dilemma facing parents throughout the country.
  8. owoo1_disabled iStock / Getty Images Plus

    Give Women with Disabilities a Chance

    Nkechi S. Owoo explains what is needed to protect and empower one of the world’s most vulnerable demographic groups.
  9. op_mkurz3_Spencer PlattGetty Images_rustbelt Spencer Platt/Getty Images

    How Capitalism Became a Threat to Democracy

    Mordecai Kurz examines the economic policies and market dynamics that have ushered in America's Second Gilded Age.

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