2022 elections in France, Hungary, Brazil, Korea: where to vote in the world this year
New faces and old legacies in the electoral landscape of 2022. In the year that begins, several countries around the world will be called to the polls to elect their political representatives, from Serbia to South Korea, from Brazil to the Philippines. In Europe spotlights on the French presidential elections and the general elections in Hungary, where the respective leaders in office, Emmanuel Macron e Victor Orbán, could see their re-nomination put to the test. Attention also to the Portugal, who after the government crisis finds himself re-electing parliament a year and a half early. Important appointments also among the Balkan countries, with the legislative in Serbia, Slovenia e Bosnia and Herzegovina. Calendar as always packed in Africa, but with some uncertainty between the postponement of the presidential in Libya and the complex democratic transition promised by the elections in Mali e Somaliland (not recognized by virtually any country in the world). In Asia instead, the change of leadership in South Korea and in Philippines could open up new scenarios for balances in the Pacific while at the level municipal will be to keep an eye on the elections in Thailand and the local ones of Taiwan. In the Americas we will have to wait until the end of the year for the midterm in United States and the presidential ones to the south in Brazil e Colombia.
Elections Europe 2022: Macron seeks an encore, Orban risks in Hungary
The flagship event of the European electoral calendar 2022 is certainly linked to the presidential elections in France, scheduled for April 10 (with second round on 24th). The vote will take place just before the legislative, scheduled for June 12th. Early polls show a possible head-to-head between Emmanuel Macron e Marine the Pen, but with a more fragmented political landscape than in 2017. The far-right journalist is also running for the Elysée Eric Zemmour. The candidate from the center-right is also in contention Valerie Pécresse, while the left camp still appears fragmented among the leader of the radical left Jan-Luc Melenchon and the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo.
Voting is also taking place in Portugal, with early elections on January 30th after the rejection of the budget law for 2022, which sanctioned the break between the minority government led by the Socialist Party (PS) of Antonio Costa and its former allies on the radical left. It will be the third time that Portugal will go to the polls in a year, after the presidential elections last January and the administrative elections in September.
The February 13, instead, in Germany the Federal Assembly will vote to elect the new President of the Republic, who will follow the outgoing Frank Walter Steinmeier.
Moving east, test bed in Hungary for the leadership of Victor Orbán with the general elections from April. Opposing the prime minister could be the conservative Péter Màrki-Zay, supported by a coalition of opposition parties. The hope is to join forces to oppose Orbán, after the 2020 reform of the electoral system made it more difficult to challenge the majority.
In the Balkans instead, referendum ballot boxes for the Serbia, that the January 16 it is called to decide on a ratification of the Constitution. At the center of the referendum constitutional, the strengthening of the judiciary, an important element for a possible future admission of the country to the European Union. In spring then the electoral appointments are packed for Belgrade, with the presidential scheduled for 3rd April, followed by elections policies e administrative. Election year also in Slovenia, where is the April 24 we go to vote for parliamentarians, mentre a end of October the new President of the Republic will be chosen. In Bosnia and Herzegovina then, the 2nd October we vote for the renewal of the Parliamentary Assembly and for i three members from the Presidency.
Among other events in Europe, in the United Kingdom thenorthern Ireland go to vote on May 5th for the renewal of the Assembly andSept. 11 in Sweden we go to the polls to elect the 349 members of the Riksdag. In Austria, also in September, the presidential elections are scheduled, while in Latvia the October 1st vote for the renewal of the Saeima.
Elections Africa 2022: unknown Libya, risk of chaos for Mali and Tunisia
Shaky election calendar for the African continent. There are many uncertainties about the scheduled appointments and the last minute postponements, such as that of the Libya, which postponed the presidential and political elections scheduled for last December 24th. Among the candidates were the general Khalifa Haftar, which has official and unofficial support from several countries including France, Russia and Turkey, Seif al-Islam, one of the sons of al-Gaddafi, and Abdul Hamid Dbeiba, the premier of the government of national unity. The new date has been set for January 24, but the situation in the country remains tense and so far there has not been a real election campaign.
Similar situation in Mali, where is the February 27 should be kept presidential and legislative elections. The international community awaits the return to democracy in the country after the overthrow of the president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. Mali has experienced two coups in two years, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has expressed doubts about the intentions of the military junta, fearing that the electoral appointment could be skipped.
Ad April instead it is up to the Gambia with the parliamentarians, while in the summer they go to the vote Angola, where incumbent president João Lourenço seeks re-election, Kenya (9 August), with the presidential race of Vice President William Ruto, but also Senegal e Republic of the Congo. Follow to September le legislative in Chad, Lesotho it’s at October Sao Tome e Principe. The presidential elections are crucial for the democratization process of the country November 13 in Somaliland.
Uncertain situation on the December legislative elections in Tunisia, after the president Kais Saied centralized his powers, downsizing the role of the government and suspending parliament. The appointment with the general elections in the Middle is also in doubt Lebanon, scheduled for March 27, which could be postponed due to the political crisis and disputes over the electoral law.
Asia 2022 elections: geopolitically crucial vote in South Korea, back to the future in the Philippines
In Asia and the Korea of the South to lead the way for the 2022 electoral program, with the presidential elections of March 9 in which the successor of Moon Jae-in will be elected. The incumbent president cannot stand for another term and the confrontation for his successor will be between the candidate of the Democratic Party, Lee Jae-myung and the Conservative of National Power, Yoon Seok-youl. At the moment, however, neither of them seems to have convinced public opinion and the economic crisis born in the heart of the pandemic has fueled discontent. An electoral campaign with strong tones is underway between the two rivals, in which both candidates must defend themselves from accusations of corruption. A minimum preference gap is expected between the two and a destabilized electorate on both sides.
It also votes in Nepal with the legislative to replace 19 members of parliament, a Taiwan with local elections (also known as nine in one) and in Thailand, where the new governor of will be chosen Bangkok.
The other major electoral event on the Asian continent is that of May 9 in Philippines, where the presidential elections will be held. Citizens of the Southeast Asian archipelago will go to the polls to decide who will rule the country after leaving Rodrigo Duterte, in a result that could be relevant for the positioning of the country in the dispute between the United States and China. Among the contenders for the leadership of Manila, the favorite is Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator of the same name, who he chose as his deputy Sara Dutertedespite not having the support of his father. To challenge him in the presidential race are the activist and current vice president Leni Robredo, Senator Panfilo Lacson, former boxer Manny Pacquiao and former actor Francisco Domagoso.
American elections 2022: Biden to the test of the Midterm, Bolsonaro one step away from the ko in Brazil
Even in the American continent, many will go to the polls. In Canada, Ontario e Quebec will hold general elections respectively on June 2 and the October 3. L’November 8 instead they are expected i midterms Americans, to elect part of the Senate and new members of the House of Representatives. There is undeniable concern on the part of the Democrats, who risk uncomfortable defeats in this round. Historically, the opposition party over that of the incumbent president sees its candidates as favorites and President-elect Joe Biden’s moment of unpopularity could turn into an advantage for Republicans.
Moving to Central America, in Costa Rica the 6 February are expected general elections in a climate of general stability and with the pandemic relatively under control. For all candidates the common front is the issue of immigration from the neighbors of Haiti. Here, the elections initially scheduled for November 7, 2021, have been postponed at a date to be defined. The situation remains unstable in the Caribbean republic, after the assassination of the president Joevenel Moses and the incessant popular protests.
Leadership changes also expected in South America, starting with Colombia, where you go to the polls on March 13 for the parliamentarians and the May 29 for the presidential elections. The incumbent president Ivan Duque Marquez will not be able to carry out another mandate and among his eligible successors is Gustavo Petro, former mayor of Bogota.
In Brazil instead the general elections will be held ad October, with a vote that could sanction the exit of the incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro. According to the latest polls, in fact, the former head of state and founder of his rival Workers’ Party, Lula da Silva, could win in the first round in the race for Highland. Among the notable candidates also Sergio Moro and Simone Tebet. Joao Doria, governor of the state of Sao Paulo, is also in the running.
Elections Oceania 2022
Transition year for many Pacific countries. It starts from Cook Islands, to the vote to April, followed by Papua New Guinea with the legislativeJune 11th. In Australia state elections will be held in South Australia (March 19) and Victoria (November 26), while in New Zeland l’October 8 the administrative will take place. We also vote for the presidents of Samoa and Vanuatu and for the legislative a Nauru e Fiji.