Best Stephan Friedrich Podcasts (2025)

1
More Equitable Democracy with Colin Cole 1:03:28

4M ago1:03:28

1:03:28

With Colin Cole I discuss the work of More Equitable Democracy, a racial justice organization to advance racial equity by transforming electoral systems. As the US electoral systems are almost exclusively built as winner-take-all elections that serve only the two parties in power, they don’t deliver fair representation. But how can more minorities’…

1
Double Proportionality with Friedrich Pukelsheim 1:00:01

6M ago1:00:01

1:00:01

With Friedrich Pukelsheim I discuss double proportional representation. Since 2006 the Canton of Zurich in Switzerland uses double proportionality to elect its 180 members of parliament. Friedrich Pukelsheim was invited to design an electoral system that would deliver on the promise of overall proportional representation in the canton while keeping…

1
The System of International Aid with Degan Ali 46:37

9M ago46:37

46:37

With Degan Ali I discuss the system of international aid based on her inside experience of working in the sector for over two decades. She speaks truth to power and that really takes some bravery to do, and I honor that. Degan Ali shares many compelling stories from her home country Somalia, but also from several years of growing up and studying in…

1
Germany's MMP Electoral System and Its Reform with Armin Schäfer 55:18

9M ago55:18

55:18

With Armin Schäfer I discuss Germany's mixed member proportional electoral system and its current reform. We compare the old and the prospective new electoral system, and we explore what the most important and the most controversial changes are. Armin Schäfer shares not only historical context of the character of Germany’s political system but also…

1
Rules in Perspective on Ep. 42: Democracy for Busy People 9:02

1y ago9:02

9:02

In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 42 on Democracy for Busy People, a discussion I had with Kevin Elliott. My three takeaways from episode 42: 0:42 It’s important to include busy people in democracy. 3:55 Political parties and political competition are crucial. The better parliaments represent the people’s interest…

1
Democracy for Busy People with Kevin Elliott 1:04:41

1y ago1:04:41

1:04:41

With Kevin Elliott I discuss how democracy could be built for busy people based on his new book Democracy for Busy People, published in 2023 by the University of Chicago Press. I had a fascinating conversation with Kevin Elliott about his inspiration for writing the book, in which he takes the viewpoint of busy individuals who scarcely have the tim…

1
Rules in Perspective on Ep. 41: Direct Democracy in Latin America 9:46

1y ago9:46

9:46

In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 41 on direct democracy in Latin America, a discussion I had with Yanina Welp. My three takeaways from episode 41: 0:50 Direct democracy is a powerful democratic institution. 2:41 Authoritarian regimes may use "the will of the people" to consolidate power. 7:14 The devil is in the …

1
Direct Democracy in Latin America with Yanina Welp 50:14

2y ago50:14

50:14

With Yanina Welp I discuss different ways of how direct democratic institutions have been applied in Latin American countries – both in fundamentally democratizing processes but also power grabbing incidents. In particular, we talk about the cases of Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Uruguay and Venezuela, based on Yanina’s extensive research and deep knowl…

1
Rules in Perspective on Ep. 40: The Citizens' Chamber in the Canton of Vaud | By Stephan Kyburz 11:47

2y ago11:47

11:47

In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 40 on the Citizens' Chamber in the Canton of Vaud, a discussion I had with Rodan Bury and Charly Pache. My three takeaways from episode 40: 0:45 Designing complementary institutions 4:55 Citizens’ Chamber & direct democracy 8:56 Improving existing institutions Find the show notes …

1
The Citizens' Chamber in the Canton of Vaud with Rodan Bury and Charly Pache 51:02

2y ago51:02

51:02

With Rodan Bury and Charly Pache I discuss their initiative to inaugurate a Citizens’ Chamber in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland. The idea of the citizens’ chamber is to complement the existing unicameral parliament with topic-specific citizens’ assemblies, for which members are selected by sortition. Rather than being a permanent chamber of the …

1
Rules in Perspective on Ep. 39: Fixing the House with Proportional Representation | By Stephan Kyburz 9:11

2y ago9:11

9:11

Rules in Perspective is a new segment on the Rules of the Game channel. In this new segment I review and comment on my own podcast episodes. In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 39 on Fixing the House with Proportional Representation with Lee Drutman. My 3 takeaways from episode 39: John Adams' Nightmare Electoral re…

1
Fixing the House with Proportional Representation with Lee Drutman 44:18

2y ago44:18

44:18

With Lee Drutman I discuss how proportional representation can break the two-party doom-loop that is spiraling in the U.S. Lee co-founded the organization “Fix Our House” with Charlotte Hill and Eli Zupnick, that specifically campaigns for proportional representation for the U.S. House of Representatives. We spend less time talking about the proble…

1
Rules in Perspective on Ep. 38: Political Institutions of Kuwait | By Stephan Kyburz 8:45

2y ago8:45

8:45

Rules in Perspective is a new segment on the Rules of the Game channel. In this new segment I review and comment on my own podcast episodes. In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 38 on Political Institutions of Kuwait with Luai Allarakia. My three takeaways: Re-read the constitution Procedural rules matter too Politic…

1
Political Institutions of Kuwait with Luai Allarakia 58:05

2y ago58:05

58:05

With Luai Allarakia I discuss Kuwait’s political system and institutions. He lays out the most important developments since its constitution was written in 1962, and how Kuwait – a country of 4.3 million people – tries to manage its political trajectory between presidentialism and parliamentarism. It is following its own path, that is led by a here…

1
Rules in Perspective on Ep. 37: Proportional Representation in Canada | By Stephan Kyburz 9:13

2y ago9:13

9:13

Rules in Perspective is a new segment on Rules of the Game – discussing democratic institutions. In this new segment I review and comment on my own podcast episodes. In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 37 on Advancing Proportional Representation in Canada with Réal Lavergne. My three takeaways: Broken promises Lost …

1
Advancing Proportional Representation in Canada with Réal Lavergne 38:44

2y ago38:44

38:44

The story of proportional representation in Canada is one of great hopes, changes in reform strategies, but also – unfortunately – many broken promises. So the country is still stuck with the outdated first-past-the-post electoral system at all levels of government. With Réal Lavergne I discuss the efforts of Fair Vote Canada to push for electoral …

1
Rules in Perspective on Ep. 36: Direct Democracy in Germany | By Stephan Kyburz 12:55

2+ y ago12:55

12:55

Rules in Perspective is a new segment on Rules of the Game – discussing democratic institutions. In this new segment I review and comment on my own podcast episodes. In this episode of Rules in Perspective I review the podcast episode 36 on Current Developments of Direct Democracy in Germany with Jan Renner. My three takeaways: On the people's init…

1
Current Developments of Direct Democracy in Germany with Jan Renner 51:31

2+ y ago51:31

51:31

With Jan Renner I discuss current developments of direct democracy in Germany, and especially in Bavaria, his home state. Bavaria is the most advanced German federal state when it comes to direct democracy. Jan explains the specific direct democratic tools that are available and how Mehr Demokratie, the organization he works for, tries to change th…

1
Women Facing Brazilian Institutions with Larissa Peixoto Gomes 52:13

2+ y ago52:13

52:13

Women in Brazil have consistently been underrepresented in politics. What are the reasons for this lack of women’s political power in this vast democracy? How do formal and informal institutions hinder fair representation of women? How could the political system be changed to reflect the true interest and character of Brazilian society? With Lariss…

1
Patterns of Democracy with Arend Lijphart 47:12

2+ y ago47:12

47:12

With Arend Lijphart I discuss some of the fundamental questions regarding democratic institutions based on his seminal book “Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six Countries”, that he first published in 1999 and then updated in 2012. The book contrasts majoritarian and consensus models of democracy. It teaches a lot a…

1
The State of Democracy in West Africa with Idayat Hassan 42:10

2+ y ago42:10

42:10

With Idayat Hassan I discuss the state of democracies in West Africa. She is the Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), an organization that is advocating for democratic reforms across the West African Region, and based in Abuja, Nigeria. The organization was founded in 1997 in London by Nigerians in Exile when Nigeria was stil…

1
Digital Open Local Democracy with Wietse Van Ransbeeck 43:35

2+ y ago43:35

43:35

With Wietse Van Ransbeeck I discuss citizen participation at the local government level. Wietse was discouraged by the existing possibilities to participate in local political processes in his home town in Belgium, and he didn’t want to become a politician. So he founded CitizenLab that provides digital tools and services for local governments that…

1
Let the people rule with John Matsusaka 46:28

2+ y ago46:28

46:28

With John Matsusaka I discuss direct democracy, based on his latest book “Let the People Rule: How Direct Democracy Can Meet the Populist Challenge”, that he published with the Princeton University Press in 2020. Many people feel disconnected from politics. Direct democracy is a powerful democratic institution that can reconnect people with politic…

1
New Zealand's electoral reform with Jack Nagel 52:25

2+ y ago52:25

52:25

New Zealand’s electoral reform of 1996 is an important case to know and understand for anyone interested in institutional change. With Jack Nagel I discuss how New Zealand moved from a Westminster type first-past-the-post system to a mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) system, that we find in Germany for instance. The reform changed not …

1
Moderated parliamentarism with Tarunabh Khaitan 1:02:20

2+ y ago1:02:20

1:02:20

With Tarunabh Khaitan I discuss “Moderated Parliamentarism”, a concept of a system of government that he describes in great detail in a paper titled “Balancing Accountability and Effectiveness: A Case for Moderated Parliamentarism”. It seeks to combine the most attractive elements of different regime types and electoral systems – checks and balance…

1
Women's representation in U.S. politics with Cynthia Richie Terrell 48:47

2+ y ago48:47

48:47

Women occupy only 24% of seats in the U.S. Senate, and 28% of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Only 18% of governors are women, and there has never been a female US president as we all know. With Cynthia Richie Terrell I discuss the representation of women in politics. She is the Executive Director and Founder of RepresentWomen, an organ…

1
18. Understanding the Rhythm: Reflections on Trauma Informed Practice 50:53

3y ago50:53

50:53

Adela Holmes reflects on learnings from her 50 year career in the care sector, we discuss why people roll their eyes Trauma Informed Practice and the elements of genuine training.By Stephan Friedrich & Adela Holmes

1
Venezuela's democratic erosion with Maryhen Jiménez 1:04:47

3y ago1:04:47

1:04:47

Since Hugo Chávez came to power in the presidential election in 1998, Venezuela has experienced a staggering democratic erosion, with increasing levels of repression. As soon as Chávez assumed office, he initiated the writing of a new constitution through a controversial process that was approved by citizens in two referendums, yet with very low tu…

1
Turkey's democratic backsliding with Esra İşsever-Ekinci 43:12

3y ago43:12

43:12

Turkey has experienced a severe erosion of democratic principles. Democratic institutions have been changed, the media heavily influenced and controlled by government forces, and opposition politicians are intimidated and persecuted. With Esra İşsever-Ekinci I discuss Turkey's democratic backsliding. She explains what steps the governing Justice an…

1
Brazil's principal democratic institutions with José Antonio Cheibub 47:09

3y ago47:09

47:09

Brazil’s democratic journey has been one of great hopes and progress, yet also one of disappointments and distrust in democratic institutions. Brazil is a vast country of 214 million people, organized in a federation of 26 states and the Federal District of Brasilia. Using a bicameral system, the Chamber of Deputies represents the people, while the…

1
France's electoral systems with Emiliano Grossman 51:18

3y ago51:18

51:18

The two-round presidential elections in France back in April created lots of discussions in the media and widespread concerns that a right-wing candidate, Marine Le Pen, would rise to power. Yet, Emmanuel Macron prevailed in the second round with 58% of the vote. Very soon, on June 12th and 19th, voters in France are going to the polls to elect the…

1
Chile's new constitution with Gabriel Negretto 56:12

3y ago56:12

56:12

The draft of the new constitution of Chile is now published. The constitutional convention met for the first time on 4 July 2021 and has now completed a draft constitution that the people of Chile will vote on in September 2022. It has been a process of inspiration and hope, but also of controversies, and especially of hard constitutional work. Wit…

1
Deliberative democracy and citizens' assemblies with Ian O'Flynn 59:18

3y ago59:18

59:18

What most people think of when they hear deliberative democracy probably are citizens’ assemblies. Deliberation is the process of thoughtfully discussing a specific topic, weighing different options, and using logic and reason to form opinions within a group, that then may lead to a decision or consensus. With Ian O’Flynn, I discuss various forms o…

1
Federalism – empowering communities 30:19

3y ago30:19

30:19

Federalism is power-sharing among regions and the central government of a country. It is the vertical division of power. It’s a joint agreement of regions, of states, of communities, that leaves the subnational governments the choice and possibility to find their own appropriate, tailor-made governance solutions for its communities. Federalism can …

1
The evolution of women's political power in Switzerland with Marlène Gerber 37:14

3y ago37:14

37:14

Women in Switzerland lacked direct political power until 1971. Up until then, women didn’t have the right to vote and the right to be elected – at least the national level –, despite efforts to introduce women’s suffrage that had started already a hundred years earlier. Yet, once full political rights were obtained, women used the available politic…

1
Kenya's devolution of government with Brenda Ogembo 1:09:21

3y ago1:09:21

1:09:21

Kenya’s 2010 constitution introduced substantial changes to the vertical allocation of political power that has been exercised at two tiers of government since then: the central government and the 47 counties. Despite the devolution of many of Kenya's government functions, the country is organized as a unitary state, and hence county governments ar…

1
The Swiss Federal Council: shared executive power with Nenad Stojanović 46:27

3y ago46:27

46:27

The Swiss Federal Council is a 7-member council that constitutes the executive branch of government. Instead of concentrating power in one person only, as in a presidential system, power is shared among 7 people, the members of the council who are also ministers of the government departments. The 7 Federal Councillors are elected by the joint-sessi…

1
A short history of political institutions 39:09

3y ago39:09

39:09

What are political institutions and how did they evolve over time? In this episode I tell the story of how small, local societies based on kin were integrated into monarchies, and then finally made the transition to democracy. First though, I comment on the devastating, barbaric attack by Putin on Ukraine. This is not only an insane assault on the …

1
Beyond presidentialism and parliamentarism with Steffen Ganghof 57:10

3+ y ago57:10

57:10

Presidentialism and parliamentarism are the two main forms of government used around the world. Yet, what are the characteristics and problems with these systems and may there exist other forms of government that combine the benefits of both systems – ensuring the separation of powers and avoiding executive personalism? One answer is semi-parliamen…

1
Taiwan's Direct Democracy with Yen-Tu Su 41:30

3+ y ago41:30

41:30

Taiwan’s democratic and economic development have been truly remarkable. In the process its direct democratic institutions have become a pivotal political tool for the citizen to guide major political decisions. With Yen-Tu Su I discuss the astounding development of Taiwan’s direct democracy since its early days, and its crucial revisions and impro…

1
Single transferable vote for the Swiss Council of States 31:01

3+ y ago31:01

31:01

In this episode I propose to change the Swiss constitution to implement a single transferable vote electoral system to elect the members of the Council of States (called Ständerat in German). The Council of States is the Senate of Switzerland, the upper of two co-equal chambers, representing the 26 Cantons (states) in the federal government structu…

1
Directer Democracy with Roslyn Fuller 43:09

3+ y ago43:09

43:09

Can there be too much democracy? What are anti-democrats and how do they undermine democracy? How can direct democratic instruments give people more decision making power? Are citizen assemblies a way to strengthen democracy? I discuss these and many more questions with Roslyn Fuller who has written extensively on defending democracy. Democracy nee…

1
Proportional representation in America? with Jack Santucci 46:38

3+ y ago46:38

46:38

Reforms of US electoral systems both at the local and national level would fundamentally change US politics. The two parties, that are a consequence of the single-seat plurality voting, fully control all democratic institutions. Only by making the electoral systems more proportional could outsider parties compete fairly against the Republican and D…

1
Parliamentarism vs. presidentialism with Tiago Santos 41:42

3+ y ago41:42

41:42

There are broadly speaking two forms of government: Parliamentarism and presidentialism. The main difference is that in a parliamentary system the government is subordinated to the parliament and accountable to that parliament. While a president in a presidential system is elected by the people for a fixed term and does not depend on parliament, bu…

1
Nigeria's voice: pressuring government for change with Greg Anyaegbudike 40:29

3+ y ago40:29

40:29

Nigeria’s youth is creative, vibrant and energetic. Nigeria’s youth has tremendous potential and wants to thrive. My guest Greg Anyaegbudike shares how Nigerians strive and struggle to make their voices heard, and to keep governments at all levels accountable. With Greg I discuss how Nigeria’s grass-roots political movements and NGOs try to build p…

1
Not a democracy 29:51

3+ y ago29:51

29:51

What makes a political system a democracy? Should we be surprised when people lose faith in a system called democracy that is not democratic? What makes a political system more balanced and robust to extremist views? In this episode I want to take a step back and present some of my thoughts about the state of democracy around the world. I try to an…

1
Chile – from street protest to a new constitution with Claudia Heiss 48:16

4y ago48:16

48:16

Chile is in the process of drafting a brand new constitution. The current constitution is rooted in the dictatorship of Pinochet and does not serve modern Chile. My guest, Claudia Heiss, recounts the fear and tension during her childhood in the years of repression, and how that shaped her motivation to become a researcher of democracy. She shares w…

1
Nigeria – a federation mediating its democracy with Myani Bukar 1:09:18

4y ago1:09:18

1:09:18

Nigeria has had varied journey of democratic accountability and federal governance since its transition to a civilian rule in 1999. Most political attention is centered around the presidency and the powerful state governors, while the country's oil wealth generating immense tax revenues make holding political office a lucrative venture. As the Nige…

1
Q&A: Trauma Informed Practice in Schools 37:40

4y ago37:40

37:40

Stephan answers questions by teachers following a presentation at school introducing Trauma Informed Practice in the school environment. Special thanks to all teachers in attendance, and all teachers everywhere for the courageous and compassionate role you play in the lives of children living with complex trauma. It may not feel like it, but yes, y…

1
Power-sharing institutions in multicultural societies – the case of Switzerland with Sean Müller 49:06

4y ago49:06

49:06

How can political power be shared in a multicultural society? And what institutions can make multicultural societies more inclusive, balanced, and give people more control over political decisions and local public goods? Together with Sean Müller, I discuss power-sharing institutions as a crucial element of the success of Swiss democracy. The devel…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Stephan Friedrich Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen