Why Filipinos have just elected a new “dictator”

Rodrigo Duterte has just been elected president of the Philippines:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36253612

Five days ago, Miguel Syjuco explained why he was likely to win:

There is much food for thought in Mr. Syjuco’s analysis — none of it very comforting.

Some have complained about my perception of similarities between the emergence of Trumpism and the rise of European fascism in the 1920s and 1930s.  Accordingly, I won’t mention the parallels that I see between the recent election in the Philippines and the current American presidential campaign.

Meanwhile, another story to watch is Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s continuing consolidation of ever more autocratic power in Turkey.  With the resignation of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, another barrier to Mr. Erdogan’s will has been removed.

Authoritarianism is on the rise in a number of countries.  Perhaps not least — but most shockingly — in my own.

Posted from Venice, Italy