The News
Welcome to the Global Hot List, our subjective, dynamic ranking of the races and political developments you should be paying attention to right now, compiled by world elections expert Brad Glasser.
In today’s edition: Bangladesh puts an anti-poverty icon in charge, a presidential “drug war” continues in the Philippines, and a misogynist YouTuber appears in Chilean polling.
The List
1. Bangladesh – Nobel laureate
Bangladesh’s military met student activists’ demands by installing Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as interim leader. The protestors previously forced Bangladesh’s longtime leader Sheik Hasina to flee the country, and showed signs of continued influence by pressuring the generals now in control to tap 84-year-old Yunus to take the helm of the country. Yunus, nicknamed the “banker to the poor” for his signature advocacy of microloans, was the receipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. “It’s not my dream, it’s their dream,” said Yunus of the protesters’ push to reform society. “So I’m kind of helping make it come true.”
2. USA – Trump revanchism
As Kamala Harris sees mostly positive signs in polling, an injured Trump campaign is now clearly seeking a course-correction. Enlisting JD Vance as their “attack dog,” the Trump campaign is targeting the service record of Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz with claims of “stolen valor,” hoping to drag down the popular governor’s approval ratings by highlighting objections to his National Guard retirement from some members of his unit who later went on to deploy in Iraq, as well as examples of imprecise language around his service record. Trump’s highly-publicized interview with Elon Musk also represented an opportunity to recapture the news cycle, but was marred by technical difficulties which Musk claimed resulted from a “DDOS attack.”
3. Philippines – Cocaine and cash
The vice president of the Philippines, Sara Duterte-Carpio, is carrying out attacks against the president’s administration, warning officials not to succumb to bribery. “Leaders should not be motivated by cash, cocaine or champagne,” said Duterte-Carpio, as tensions between her family and the family of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. continue to simmer. Duterte himself has launched accusations of drug use at Marcos, and his daughter’s remarks were viewed as a not-so-subtle nod to a debunked video being shared on pro-Duterte social media that purports to show the president using the substance.
4. Thailand – People’s Party
Thailand’s Move Forward Party was officially dissolved by courts over its stance against lese majeste laws, but a new party has already stepped in as a replacement. Move Forward, a progressive party, was the first-place vote-winner in last year’s election, and its targeting for dissolution has been identified as an example of continued democratic backsliding in Thailand. All of Move Forward’s elected officials joined the new People’s Party, which is a continuation of the party in virtually every way.
5. Chile – Johannes Kaiser
A Chilean legislator and former Youtuber, infamous for questioning whether women should be able to vote, is working on a longshot presidential bid. Johannes Kaiser’s comments caused outrage in Chile, with the country’s Women’s Minister publicly condemning the legislator at the time of his election. “It is unacceptable that women’s right to vote is called into question,” Minister Monica Zalaquett weighed in. Kaiser left the far-right Republican Party and plans to run for president in 2025, appearing at 7% in the latest poll.
6. Rwanda – 99% support
Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame was sworn into another term, after a vote in which he supposedly claimed 99% of all ballots cast. Kagame has been described as a “brutal dictator,” and the vote serves as another marker of his cemented rule in the relatively-smaller country. The election, in which Kagame “smashed” his own record for total votes, was an example of “Rwanda’s lack of democracy,” according to observers.
7. Vanuatu – Historic win
Jenny Regenvanu was elected mayor of Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila, becoming the first woman to serve in the role. Regenvanu, a member of the Land and Justice Party, takes office for a two-year term after winning the support of city council, and will serve alongside Marie-Louise Milne of Vanuatu’s Green party as deputy, who is also the first woman nominated to that position.
8. Lithuania – Shock poll
A new party led by an antisemitic legislator hit double-digit polling in Lithuania. Remigijus Zemaitaitis was investigated by parliament for antisemitic statements, which resulted in his legal immunity being waived by lawmakers. Social media posts showed that Zemaitaitis falsely attributed a World War II massacre committed by the Nazi SS to “Jews and Russians.” Zemaitaitis ran for president in May, taking 9% of the vote. His new party, Dawn of Nemunas, recently appeared at 17% in a poll.
9. Estonia – Far-right split
Likewise, in Estonia, a new far-right party is emerging. The Estonian Nationalists and Conservatives (ERK), a splinter group from the Conservative People’s Party (EKRE), stood at 3% of the vote in a recent poll, compared to the latter at 11%. ERK claims they will pursue a path between the increasingly extremist EKRE and the more standard right-wing party Isamaa, though one political expert doesn’t see much room for them. “If it’s EKRE light, people still want the real EKRE,” he explains.