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.
This week: Cultural exchange between the US, UK and Argentina. New power for new presidents in Sri Lanka and Senegal. Plus, Italy’s Meloni hits a rock in the road.
The List
1. USA – World shaker
Trump’s presidential Cabinet is beginning to take shape, following a victory that shook the world. RFK Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Elon Musk, Matt Gaetz, Dr. Oz — some of the most controversial names from Trump’s “weird” coalition have seen their tickets punched to lead powerful agencies in government or new policy initiatives. While the confirmation process is nowhere near certain, given a thin margin of error in the Senate, predictions of a more radical Trump Term II are already coming to fruition.
2. Argentina – Cultural exchange
Argentina’s president is a key player in the new Trumpworld, attempting to influence US policy with his anarcho-capitalist worldview. Despite reportedly worrying of a snub after a week without contact from the President-elect, Javier Milei has been embraced by the incoming administration, as Trump publicly describes Milei as his “favorite president.” Milei, for his part, was spotted at Mar-A-Lago with Trump’s coterie, including Elon Musk, who he is said to be influencing through his new “Department of Government Efficiency” (yes, a reference to the meme-based cryptocurrency “DOGE”).
3. Senegal – New power
Senegal’s left-wing government is set to ratify their power with a landslide victory in legislative elections. With an agenda to reverse the “bad choices and bad practices of elites since independence,” the recently-elected President Bassirou Diomaye Faye will now have a strong hand to push forward his governing vision. While the full results are not yet known, opposition leaders have already conceded.
4. Sri Lanka – People’s Power
Thousands of miles away, a similar situation has unfolded in Sri Lanka, as parliamentary elections will give a majority to a new president from a historically Marxist party. The National People’s Power alliance, which includes the communist-rooted JVP party, swept to victory across Sri Lanka in snap legislative elections held following the victory of JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The NPP, which has campaigned against corruption and austerity in Sri Lanka, will now be expected to deliver on promises after years of political turmoil.
5. Ghana – AI network
A bot network has roiled Ghana’s presidential election with an AI-powered influence campaign. 171 social media bots have been deployed using ChatGPT technology, promoting Ghana’s ruling right-wing NPP party. “The primary goal of the network appears to be to amplify pro-NPP messaging,” said one researcher who helped uncover the findings. Ghana’s presidential election is in December, featuring a hotly-contested matchup between a former president and the incumbent vice president.
6. Ireland – Not immune
Ireland is “not immune” to the far-right movement that has swept other European nations, writes one Irish affairs columnist. Far-right groups are “no more or less prominent” in Ireland than in many other countries, according to Global Project Against Hate and Extremism founder Wendy Via. Despite the failure of right-wing extremists to win office, their presence is still significant, and there are indications that a breakthrough for an anti-immigrant party could be on the horizon — as soon as this election.
7. Japan – Trumpian politics
A Japanese regional governor accused of rampant “power harassment” won re-election in “Trumpian” fashion despite being ousted by the legislature. Motohiko Saito, governor of Hyogo until recently, secured a close victory to return to office following allegations of abusing employees and soliciting bribes. The allegations were revealed after the suicide of a former employee in Saito’s administration, prompting an investigation and his eventual dismissal by the regional legislature. Saito won with help from a divided opposition and support from the controversial politician, conspiracy theorist and Youtuber Takashi Tachibana.
8. Italy – Meloni problems
Italy’s prime minister Meloni suffered a shock defeat in Umbrian regional elections, as her tenure looks increasingly rocky. Meloni’s honeymoon in office is long over since taking power in 2022, and her approval ratings are now those of a typical Italian politician. Defeat in Umbria is particularly stinging, given that the left has been shut out of power in the region since 2010. Anticipating Trump’s re-election, Meloni has been angling to position herself as a bridge between the US and EU. Her recent conflict with Italy’s judiciary suggests she may see Trump’s win as a green-light to turn right.
9. UK – British Trump
Former UK prime minister Liz Truss has called for a “British Trump” to lead the UK. “Frankly, I think we need a British Trump. The only question is who that individual might be,” Truss said at an event in New Delhi. Truss resigned as prime minister after falling to catastrophically low approval ratings, and lost her seat in parliament at the last election. The former PM elaborated that the UK was looking for a candidate to embody Trump’s “revolution,” and that it’s the “type of approach we now need” to see “change” in the country.