Is it just me or does it feel like democracy is somewhat under threat or at risk?

Just reading the international news headlines day in day out, it feels precarious.

Trump, over the weekend if you missed it, is suggesting that he will fix the next election. And I know he's probably joking, but you never really tell with Donald Trump.

"You won't have to do it anymore, four more years, you know what? It'll be fixed, it'll be fine. You won't have to vote anymore.

My beautiful Christians, I love you Christians."

So there's Trump and then you've got a barely functioning Joe Biden in the White House. Are these the shining beacons of democracy we can hold up as our poster kids.

I don't think so.

And then there's, if you look apart from the Olympics in France, the election result there has left them basically in limbo.

I mean, who is actually running the government you know, the Olympics is kind of the spectacle.

That's a sideshow, but really who's running the place and there's such an extreme spectrum from that vote that they had.

You've had Hungary's Viktor Orban at the weekend talking about nationalism. You know, he's Putin's mate.

He says there's a shift in global power underway, in a few decades or centuries he reckons Asia will be the centre of the world, the future big powers, China, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, the West has pushed Russia towards this block of countries.

The International Institute for Democracy and electoral assistance says half of the world's countries are suffering democratic decline.

They say things like flawed elections and curtailed rights of freedom and assembly and speech are reducing the power of democracy across the world and this is six consecutive years of declines, they say so I don't really know what the conclusion of all that is other than I suppose, just keep watching the Olympics and forget about it.

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Oranga Tamariki’s bootcamp pilot programme for serious youth offenders starts today.

The 12-month military style programme will see one-to-one mentoring with a focus on routine, physical activity and education.

Labour’s children’s spokesperson Willow Jean Prime tells Ryan Bridge the programme is experimental and is taking place despite evidence that bootcamp models do not work.

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France’s high speed rail network is expected to be back to normal tomorrow after a co-ordinated attack on the infrastructure occurred before the Olympics Opening Ceremony. It’s estimated 800,000 have been affected.

And, the UK Government is softening taxpayers up for widespread tax rises. Ministers are set to reveal a treasury audit of public spending pressures inherited by the new government.

Europe correspondent Gavin Grey tells Ryan Bridge there are claims of a “black hole” worth tens of billions of pounds.

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Sailors Isaac McHardie and Will McKenzie are first after the opening day of the men's 49er competition off the Marseille coast. The pair triumphed immediately, before posting a third and an eighth.

Meanwhile, in efforts to snag New Zealand’s first Olympic swimming medal since 1996, Lewis Clareburt faces tough competition in France’s Leon Marchand.

And, rain continues to disrupt water quality at training in the River Seine.

ZB Sports Andrew Alderson gives Ryan Bridge the latest.

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The Green Party held its annual General Meeting over the weekend – but focus remained on the Darleen Tana saga.

Party leadership has written to Tana, formally requesting her resignation and response within 21 days. Delegates will hold a vote on September 1 on whether to invoke the waka jumping legislation and kick her out of parliament.

Political commentator Brigitte Morten tells Ryan Bridge the saga is drawn out because Green party members are not fully behind party leadership.

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On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Monday the 29th of July. The Government's serious young offender bootcamp trial starts today - Ryan speaks to Labour about their thoughts on the pilot programme.

Darleen Tana has been asked again by her former party to resign from parliament. What are the next steps for the party?

It's all on in Paris - Kiwi athletes could win their first medals this morning. Andrew Alderson takes us through the latest from the Olympics.

Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Excitement is building in Paris as the Olympic Opening Ceremony draws near.

In less than 24 hours, nearly 100 boats will be floating down the River Seine for the outdoor ceremony.

195 Kiwi athletes are in France for the Games, competing across 22 sports.

Erin Routliffe is competing in the tennis doubles alongside Lulu Sun, and told Ryan Bridge that they’re excited to play together.

She said that they’re trying to figure out their identity as a team, but they’re both good players so they’ll be pretty adaptable when playing together.

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The Regulation Minister says people in Early Childhood tell them they're sick of the amount of red tape and regulation.

Labour, Te Pati Māori, and the Greens have united against the Regulation Ministry's regulatory review.

They claim the Government's making dangerous changes.

The NZEI union is also calling for it to stop.

David Seymour told Ryan Bridge it's the first time the opposition has united around something this term.

He says they say they want to stop dangerous changes but a single change hasn't yet been announced, they're still just listening to people.

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