CHRISTMAS EDITORIAL
IT PASSED by in the blink of an eye – but we shouldn’t discount the seismic shifts in the global political landscape in 2021.
It all started with Joe Biden’s election in January – it came just two weeks after the Capitol Riots, which marked a new low in American political ‘discourse’.
The Trump mob descended on DC in a Day of Rage which is still being investigated. It also foreshadowed a very rocky start to the Biden presidency.
It also indicated that Redaction’s prediction that the Left may bounce back in 2021 may face choppy seas.
Redaction Weekly: 2021 – A New Hope for the Left?
February marked the beginning of the year’s Pink Tide in Latin America, however, when Andres Arauz comfortably won the first round of the Ecuadorian elections. He would go on to narrowly lose in April – but that wouldn’t be the end of socialism on the continent by any means.
Anti-Correa sentiment delayed the Pink Tide in Ecuador
The liberals gained some ground on the conservatives in the Dutch general election, but there wasn’t too much to shout about in March.
Dutch Election: Rutte victorious in a vote of few surprises
Pedro Castillo rejuvenated the global left in April though, with a stunning electoral performance in Peru.
Pedro Castillo’s seismic Peru victory signals return of the Pink Tide in Latin America
We were back to the UK in May – anything longer than a year is far too long without some sort of ballot box in Britain – for the Scottish, London and local elections.
It was a bit of a bruiser for Keir Starmer. Labour lost 327 councillors – but in Wales, the devolved Mark Drakeford went from strength to strength.
Mark Drakeford says social solidarity has been a cornerstone of Welsh Covid response
The Conservative Raisi took over in Iran in June. Thought to be extremely different from his reformer predecessor Rouhani, he hasn’t made any drastic moves yet. The focus is on combatting Covid-19 internally.
‘Hardliner’ Raisi will not ‘alter radically’ from Rouhani’s course in the Middle East
Canada was next up. Justin Trudeau was under huge pressure after calling a snap election.
It could have gone the way of Theresa May on September 20 – but he (just about) held on.
Trudeau ends Canada’s most expensive Cabinet reshuffle on top
October saw Japan finally get some opposition in their parliament.
The Liberal Democrats under Fumio Kishida may have won comfortably, but the liberal Constitutional Democratic party – found in 2017 – wrestled almost a fifth of the vote as the nation entered a post Shinzo Abe era.
Fumio Kishida: Can the new Japanese Prime Minister bring calm to the country?
But the Left finished strong. Gabriel Boric’s remarkable win arguably cemented 2021 as the year of the return of socialism to Latin America.
Gabriel Boric cements return of socialism to Latin America
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