2024 – the year in which nearly half of the world's population goes to the polls

2024 can be described as a “big election year.” That is when more than 40 percent of the world's population goes to the polls, that is, when more than 40 percent of the world's population goes to the polls More than 40 different countries. Together, they represent 42% of global GDP, or nearly half of all the world's products and services.

Among these countries are some of the world's most powerful countries – the United States, India, and Great Britain – and some of the economically weaker countries – South Sudan and Mozambique. Some choices are free while others are more or less limited.

In November, the United States makes its choice The next president and senators. If Republican Donald Trump wins, he will likely try to pressure Ukraine to agree to peace deals that favor Russia, according to political scientist Jan Hallenberg.

“It would be very unfortunate for Europe,” he says.

Donald Trump has made clear that he can imagine leaving NATO and investing in its own defense. Therefore, NATO can exist without the USA, which is important for Sweden. It is believed that Swedish demand is less likely to be affected.

– Sweden should be a member by then, he says.

Ukraine will likely have to postpone its presidential elections because the country is in a state of emergency. On the other hand, Taiwan, which is under intense pressure, is expected to elect a new president.

In an opinion poll from November The Democratic Party candidate and current Taiwan Vice President, Lai Ching-te, has the support of 34% of voters. Hu Yue, who represents the most pro-China Kuomintang party, comes in second place with 31 percent.

If Lai Ching-te wins, one can imagine that Beijing might conduct various military maneuvers and send warplanes and warships against Taiwan. “These elections must be monitored,” says Jan Hallenberg.

Bangladesh, Pakistan The world's fastest-growing economy – India – will go to the polls next year. The result is expected to have a major regional and global impact.

India's prime minister since 2013, Narendra Modi, and his conservative Bharatiya Janata Party won a very strong regional election last December and are expected to remain in power for another term. Modi has so far managed to get along well with both Russia and China, and US President Joe Biden has recently embraced him.

This summer, the controversial Indian leader made his first state visit to the United States, after being deported from the United States for several years. Specifically, Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat during the 2002 massacre of thousands of Muslims.

Freedom in the world has decreased For the seventeenth year in a row, according to the American Organization for Human Rights Freedom House, which maps global democracy. In Burkina Faso, Brazil and Peru, among others, rebels have tried to undermine the government. People in Turkey, Thailand and Myanmar, among other countries, continue to face repression, and their rights are severely restricted, according to the organization. Democracy Index In the world has declined somewhat in recent years.

In Russia, the presidential nominee of the incumbent government has won the election every year since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Vladimir Putin has held this position longer than any previous president since Joseph Stalin. By all accounts, and according to the official results, he will win by a good margin this time as well. The most successful opposition politician has been imprisoned on arbitrary grounds since 2019.

Other countries agree Elections at the regional and local level, including Brazil and Turkey.

Belgium, Hungary and Austria will also go to the polls next year. Finland votes to choose its next president. In June, the 27 EU countries will elect new members to the EU Parliament – 720 members are scheduled to be elected. Much suggests that nationalist parties will strengthen their positions in the EU elections, according to Marie Demker, a professor of political science at the University of Gothenburg.

– They've been getting the wind in their sails lately. She says that in many countries, the question will be the role of the European Union in their countries and to what extent they should subordinate themselves to the Union.

According to her, the results of the European Union elections could have a significant impact on global politics.

– We have elections in the United States where the situation now is that Donald Trump is likely to become president again. He has a very nationalistic point of view and wants to remove the United States from the international arena. She says it is important, then, that the EU is able to unite in the struggles we now face.