Erstellt am: 1. 2. 2012 - 15:40 Uhr

Security above democracy?

Reality Check: Why Russia is rejecting pressure for regime change in Syria, Mexico drug war, Florida primary, Facebook IPO, Hungary's controversial theatre director.

The United Nations Security Council is desperately trying to reach a consensus on Syria. They failed to reach agreement yesterday after a whole day of debate on whether to adopt the Arab League plan calling for President Bashar-al-Assad to resign. The main problem lies with Russia and China, who say the plan amounts to "regime change", and Russia has pledged to veto it if it goes to a vote.

So why is Russia apparantly pro Assad? According to our Moscow correspondent, Charles Maynes, part of it is commercial. Russia has important trade ties with Syria, including supplying arms. But it goes further than that. For Russia, and a great many Russians, stability lies at the core of government and society, not democracy. This has been Vladimir Putin's key to power, and it seems likely to get him returned to the Kremlin in the spring.

From the Russian viewpoint, non-democratic stability is preferable to democratic instability, and the instability and loss of life caused by sudden revolutions is too high a price to pay. Russia considers Libya and Iraq to be major failures, and the Russian Foreign Minister is saying the the West must drop this obsession with "regime change".

Romney secures Florida

Mitt Romney regains the momentum and takes Florida, so how do things look for the rest of the campaign for the Republican nomination? Political analyst, Stephen Hess, says that Romney would stand a good chance against Obama in November, but Gingrich would probably frighten voters away.

Reporting Mexico's drug war

7 Nobel laureates are among a host of writers using a newspapaer advertising campaign to call for an end to attacks on journalists in Mexico. Reporters who try to expose the corruption in the police and government, and the workings of the cartels are often threatened, attacked or even killed.
Malcolm Bieth is the author of “The Last Narco - Inside the Hunt for El Chapo, the World’s Most Wanted Drug Lord”. He talks to Steve Crilley about the dangers facing local reporters in Mexico

Facebook goes public

Facebook is expected to file for an initial public stock offering today, cashing in on its vast resources of personal data. It's thought that the company could soon be worth over 100 billion dollars, so what is it that makes Facebook so valuable, and will the markets be as enthusiastic as the company hopes?

Hungary's controversial theatre director

Budapest has appointed the controversial right-wing director Gyorgy Dorner to head the city's New Theatre. Our Hungary correspondent, Nick Thorpe, reports on reactions among the public, and the former director whose application for the job was turned down.

FM4 Reality Check

Monday to Friday from 12.00 to 14.00, and after the show via Podcast or fm4.orf.at/realitycheck.