2020s political history refers to significant political and societal historical events of the 2020s, presented as a historical overview in narrative format.

Chronological

2020

COVID-19 pandemic

The

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified in December 2019 in

Wuhan Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei Province in the People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the ninth-most populous Chinese city an ...

, China. The World Health Organisation declared the outbreak a

Public Health Emergency of International Concern A public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) is a formal declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) of "an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the internatio ...

in January 2020 and a pandemic in March 2020. By December 2020 the virus had extended to virtually every corner of the planet including ships at sea but excluding

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest cont ...

and a handful of small islands. As of , there were confirmed cases and deaths. The

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

, and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

have reported the most infections and recoveries, while the

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, and

have reported the most deaths. The highest death rates were reported in

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...

, and

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...

. The

leads in new cases, new deaths, active cases, and recoveries. The pandemic triggered global

social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives from ...

and economic disruption, including the largest global recession since the Great Depression. It led to the postponement or cancellation of events, widespread supply shortages exacerbated by panic buying,

famines A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including war, natural disasters, crop failure, population imbalance, widespread poverty, an economic catastrophe or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompan ...

affecting hundreds of millions of people, and decreased emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases. Educational institutions were partially or fully closed. Misinformation circulated through social media and mass media. There were incidents of xenophobia and discrimination against Chinese people and against those perceived as being Chinese or as being from areas with high infection rates. Map of countries that have altered an election date due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Map of countries that have altered an election date due to the COVID-19 pandemic

The pandemic impacted international relations and affected the political systems of multiple countries, causing suspensions of legislative activities, isolation or deaths of multiple politicians and reschedulings of elections due to fears of spreading the virus. The pandemic also triggered broader debates about political issues such as the relative advantages of democracy and autocracy, how states respond to crises, politicization of beliefs about the virus, and the adequacy of existing frameworks of international cooperation.

Recession

Second Cold War

On May 24, 2020, China Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that relations with the U.S. were on the "brink of a new Cold War" after it was fuelled by tensions over the

. In his September 2021 speech to the

United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Curr ...

, US President Joe Biden said that the US is "not seeking a new Cold War or a world divided into rigid blocs." Biden further said that the US would cooperate "with any nation that steps up and pursues peaceful resolution to shared challenges," despite "intense disagreement in other areas, because we'll all suffer the consequences of our failure."

2021

Supply chain crisis

2022

Economic conditions

2022 food crises

Effects on food security by the pandemic

Russo-Ukrainian War

By topic

International conflict

Nuclear Disarmament

The

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), or the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty, is the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons with the ultimate goal being their total elimination. It ...

, which totally bans nuclear weapons, went into effect on January 22, 2021. The treaty is not supported by NATO or any known nuclear powers.

Indian border skirmishes

Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan

On 28 April,

Tajikistan Tajikistan (, ; tg, Тоҷикистон, Tojikiston; russian: Таджикистан, Tadzhikistan), officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( tg, Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Jumhurii Tojikiston), is a landlocked country in Centr ...

and

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...

forces on the Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan border near Kök-Tash, Leilek, started the clashes, resulting in four deaths and dozens of injuries. The following day clashes resumed, with at least 41 people killed from both sides and roughly 10,000 people evacuated. The same day the foreign ministers of

and

agreed to a ceasefire at the border. On 30 April, Tajikistan acknowledged the ceasefire in a statement published by its state information service.

Nagorno-Karabakh

The

2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict in 2020 that took place in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding territories. It was a major escalation of an unresolved conflict over the region, involving Azerbai ...

took place in the

Nagorno-Karabakh Nagorno-Karabakh ( ) is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, within the mountainous range of Karabakh, lying between Lower Karabakh and Syunik, and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains. The region is m ...

region between the

Republic of Artsakh Artsakh, officially the Republic of Artsakh () or the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (),, is a breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Artsakh controls a part of the former ...

backed by

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ' ...

and

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...

from September 2020 to November 2020. It is the latest escalation of the unresolved

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians, and seven surrounding districts, inhabited mostly by Azerbaij ...

. A peace treaty was signed between Armenia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, and

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

, ending hostilities on 10 November 2020. Widespread protests in Armenia followed the treaty while it was celebrated in Azerbaijan.

Persian Gulf

The 2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis has led to the

attack on the United States embassy in Baghdad The 2019–20 attack on the U.S. embassy occurred in Baghdad, Iraq, on 31 December 2019. Kata'ib Hezbollah militiamen and their Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) supporters and sympathizers attacked the U.S. embassy in the Green Zone in response ...

during the start of the decade, the subsequent

assassination of Qasem Soleimani On 3 January 2020, Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian major general, was killed by a U.S. drone strike at Baghdad International Airport. The drone targeted and killed Soleimani while he was on his way to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi ...

by the United States days later, the Iranian attack on U.S. forces in Iraq in revenge, as well as the accidental shootdown of

Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 (PS752/AUI752) was a scheduled international civilian passenger flight from Tehran to Kyiv, operated by Ukraine International Airlines. On 8January 2020, the Boeing 737-800 flying the route was shot dow ...

by Iran soon after.

Syrian civil war

The 2019–2020 northwestern Syria offensive, codenamed was a military operation launched by the armed forces of the Syrian Arab Republic,

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

, Hezbollah and other allied militias against Syrian opposition and allied fighters of the Syrian National Army, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Rouse the Believers Operations Room, the

Turkistan Islamic Party The Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) or the Turkistan Islamic Movement (TIM), formerly known as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and other names, is a Uyghur Islamic extremist organization founded in Western China. Its stated goals ar ...

, and other rebel and

Salafi jihadist Salafi jihadism or jihadist-Salafism is a transnational, hybrid religious-political ideology based on the Sunni sect of Islamism, seeking to establish a global caliphate, characterized by the advocacy for "physical" (military) jihadist and Sa ...

forces. By February 2020, pro-government forces had encircled several Turkish observation posts that had been established throughout Idlib. On 27 February, after intermittent deadly clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces, Turkey formally intervened in the offensive and announced the beginning of

Operation Spring Shield Operation Spring Shield ( tr, Bahar Kalkanı Harekâtı) was a cross-border military operation conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) against the Syrian Armed Forces and allied militias in the Idlib Governorate of northwestern Syria, which ...

with the aim of pushing Syrian government forces back to pre-offensive frontlines. Operation Spring Shield ( tr, Bahar Kalkanı Harekâtı) was a cross-border military operation conducted by the

Turkish Armed Forces The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF; tr, Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri, TSK) are the military forces of the Republic of Turkey. Turkish Armed Forces consist of the General Staff, the Land Forces, the Naval Forces and the Air Forces. The current Chi ...

(TSK) against the Syrian Armed Forces and allied militias in the Idlib Governorate of northwestern Syria, which began on 27 February 2020 in response to the Balyun airstrikes. Turkish National Defense Minister

Hulusi Akar Hulusi Akar (born 12 March 1952) is the current Turkish minister of defense and a former four-star Turkish Armed Forces general who served as the 29th chief of the Turkish General Staff. Akar also served as a brigade commander in various NATO e ...

said that the purpose of the operation had been within the framework of the Astana talks, to ensure a ceasefire agreement in the

Second Northern Syria Buffer Zone The Second Northern Syria Buffer Zone, part of the Sochi Agreement ( tr, Soçi Mutabakatı, russian: Сочинское соглашение), is a buffer zone in northern Syria between the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the Syrian Democratic Fo ...

and to prevent migration from Idlib towards the Turkish border. On 5 March, Turkey and

signed a ceasefire agreement in Moscow. A series of airstrikes were carried out by the

Israeli Air Force The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defens ...

on multiple Iranian-linked targets in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate of Syria on 13 January 2021. More airstrikes were launched the following February. Later that same month, the

United States military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is th ...

carried out an airstrike on a site which it believed to have been occupied by

ian-backed

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

s operating from across the border in eastern Syria. The US-led coalition continued to hit targets in Syria, as part of what it described as a war against ISIS.

Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Environment

Climate change

In 2020, the

Secretary-General of the United Nations The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. The role of the secretary-g ...

, António Guterres, declared that "The state of the planet is broken" and that "Humanity is waging war on nature. This is suicidal." The

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...

has also called

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

"the defining issue of our time", and the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of ...

said it "threatens the essential ingredients of good health - clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food supply, and safe shelter - and has the potential to undermine decades of progress in global health". 2020 was the 2nd warmest year on record, 2021 was the 7th warmest, and 2022 was the 6th warmest. 2020 started the year ENSO-neutral before transitioning to a

La Niña La Niña (; ) is an oceanic and atmospheric phenomenon that is the colder counterpart of as part of the broader El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climate pattern. The name ''La Niña'' originates from Spanish for "the girl", by an ...

conditions. 2021 and 2022 were both La Niña years. In 2020, the average of Earth's land and ocean surface temperature was 0.98 °C warmer than the 20th century average year on record, in 2021, the average was 0.84 °C warmer, and in 2022 the average was 0.86 °C higher. In 2022, the

Inflation Reduction Act The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) is a landmark United States federal law which aims to curb inflation by reducing the deficit, lowering prescription drug prices, and investing into domestic energy production while promoting clean ener ...

, the largest piece of federal climate legislation ever in the

, was passed. It invested $391 billion in provisions related to climate change and energy security.

Society

Gender equality

Out of all national parliamentarians in

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...

, 24.3% were women as of February 2019, while 11 women were serving as

Head of State A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...

and 12 as

Head of Government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, ...

in June 2019. Furthermore, 20.7% of government ministers were women as of January 2019. Katerina Sakellaropoulou became the first female

president of Greece The president of Greece, officially the President of the Hellenic Republic ( el, Πρόεδρος της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας, Próedros tis Ellinikís Dimokratías), commonly referred to in Greek as the President of the Rep ...

in January 2020.

Maia Sandu Maia Sandu (; born 24 May 1972) is a Moldovan politician who has been the President of Moldova since 24 December 2020. She is the former leader of the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) and former Prime Minister of Moldova from 8 June 2019 ...

reached the same milestone for

Moldova Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised state of Transnistr ...

in 2020 as well. In Austria, the first female-majority cabinet was sworn in in 2020.

Technology

In a January 2020 interview with ''

the Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...

'', German Chancellor

Angela Merkel Angela Dorothea Merkel (; ; born 17 July 1954) is a German former politician and scientist who served as Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021. A member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), she previously served as Leader of the Opp ...

urged Europe to develop its own technology, such as manufacturing of batteries, electric cars, and

cloud computing Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage ( cloud storage) and computing power, without direct active management by the user. Large clouds often have functions distributed over mu ...

. Europe depends mostly on Asia for electric car batteries, and it has no

hyperscale computing In computing, hyperscale is the ability of an architecture to scale appropriately as increased demand is added to the system. This typically involves the ability to seamlessly provide and add compute, memory, networking, and storage resources to ...

companies to support companies like

Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...

and

Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...

. Switzerland's neutrality was called into question when it was in revealed in February 2020 that German and U.S. intelligence services had been using coding devices manufactured by

Crypto AG Crypto AG was a Swiss company specialising in communications and information security founded by Boris Hagelin in 1952. The company was secretly purchased for US $5.75 million and jointly owned by the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) a ...

to spy on other countries.

Pandora papers

Economy

World trade

President Trump's trade disputes appear to be neutralizing as the President completed a phase 1 agreement with China and renegotiated NAFTA with the ratification of the

United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement The Agreement between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada (USMCA) Commonly known as the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) in the United States and the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CU ...

an improved, bipartisan trade agreement. Tomasz Brodzicki of

IHS Markit IHS Markit Ltd was an information services provider that completed a merger with S&P Global in 2022. Headquartered in London, it was formed in 2016 with the merger of IHS Inc. and Markit Ltd. History IHS Information Handling Services (IHS) "wa ...

predicts that world merchandise trade volume will increase by 2.7% to 14.174 billion tons (US$18.870 trillion) in 2020 and by 5% to 14.881 billion tons (US$19.795 trillion) in 2021. He forecasts the highest growth rates in 2020 for South and North America and the lowest for Africa. He predicts low trade growth for the U.S. and Canada and continuing conflicts with China, which should benefit

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

, and other parts of the

ASEAN Free Trade Area The ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) is a trade bloc agreement by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations supporting local trade and manufacturing in all ASEAN countries, and facilitating economic integration with regional and international alli ...

. He also says the paralysis of the multilateral dispute settlement system in the World Trade Organization (WTO) will probably last.Outlook for Global Trade in 2020
Author: Tomasz Brodzicki, Ph.D., Senior Economist II, IHS Markit Maritime & Trade, 2 Jan 2020 The world's largest

free trade agreement A free-trade agreement (FTA) or treaty is an agreement according to international law to form a free-trade area between the cooperating states. There are two types of trade agreements: bilateral and multilateral. Bilateral trade agreements occ ...

, the

Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP ) is a free trade agreement among the Asia-Pacific nations of Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Sin ...

, was signed on November 15, 2020, including the members of

ASEAN ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...

, as well as Australia, China, Japan,

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, and

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) will go fully into effect on July 1, 2020, abolishing 90% of tariffs between member states and bringing a 50% increase in trade in the next few years.What Can We Expect from Africa in the 2020s?
by Alexander Hammond, African Liberty.org, 24 Jan 2020 In June 2019 the

Mercosur The Southern Common Market, commonly known by Spanish abbreviation Mercosur, and Portuguese Mercosul, is a South American trade bloc established by the Treaty of Asunción in 1991 and Protocol of Ouro Preto in 1994. Its full members are Arge ...

(Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) reached
tentative agreement.pdf
with the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...

. They are also looking forward to similar agreements with the United States, Canada, and the EFTA bloc—made up of

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (german: link=no, Fürstentum Liechtenstein), is a German-speaking microstate located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a semi-constitutional monarch ...

, and Switzerland.

History by region

Africa

During 2020–22, coup d'état's were launched successfully in Burkina Faso (in both January 2022 and September 2022), Guinea,

Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mal ...

, Sudan, and unsuccessfully in

Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau ( ; pt, Guiné-Bissau; ff, italic=no, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫 𞤄𞤭𞤧𞤢𞥄𞤱𞤮, Gine-Bisaawo, script=Adlm; Mandinka: ''Gine-Bisawo''), officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau ( pt, República da Guiné-Bissau, links=no ), ...

and

Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesChad, the Transitional Military Council took power as a

military junta A military junta () is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term ''junta'' means "meeting" or "committee" and originated in the national and local junta organized by the Spanish resistance to Napoleon's invasion of Spain in ...

Asia

Afghanistan

China

Under CCP General Secretary

Xi Jinping Xi Jinping ( ; ; ; born 15 June 1953) is a Chinese politician who has served as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and thus as the paramount leader of China, ...

administration Administration may refer to: Management of organizations * Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal ** Administrative Assistant, traditionally known as a Secretary, or also known as an administrative officer, admini ...

, China promoted " common prosperity", a series of policies designed with stated goal to increase equality, and used the term to justify a broad crackdown and major slew of regulations against the tech and tutoring sectors in 2021. Often described as an authoritarian leader by political and academic observers, Xi's tenure has seen an increase of

censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governments ...

and mass surveillance, a deterioration in

human rights Human rights are moral principles or normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for certain standards of hu ...

including the internment of one million Uyghurs in

Xinjiang Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...

, and a cult of personality developing around him. Xi's political thoughts have been incorporated into the

party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often featur ...

and national constitutions, and he has emphasized the importance of national security and the need for CCP leadership over the country. He and the CCP Central Committee additionally passed a " historical resolution" in November 2021, the third such resolution after

Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...

and

Deng Xiaoping Deng Xiaoping (22 August 1904 – 19 February 1997) was a Chinese revolutionary leader, military commander and statesman who served as the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from December 1978 to November 1989. After CCP ...

, further consolidating his power.

=Hong Kong

= The Hong Kong protests against the

Chinese government The Government of the People's Republic of China () is an authoritarian political system in the People's Republic of China under the exclusive political leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It consists of legislative, executive, m ...

continued into 2020. A controversial new national security law was enacted on 30 June 2020 by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. In July, 12 politicians were banned from standing the upcoming elections. The elections were then postponed by a year, officially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the arrest of eight opposition politicians in November, 15 other opposition lawmakers resigned in protest, including the remaining opposition members of the

Legislative Council of Hong Kong The Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LegCo) is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong. It sits under China's " one country, two systems" constitutional arrangement, and is the power centre of Hong Ko ...

. The democracy activist

Joshua Wong Joshua Wong Chi-fung (; born 13 October 1996) is a Hong Kong activist and politician. He served as secretary-general of the pro-democracy party Demosistō until it disbanded following the implementation of the Hong Kong national security la ...

was also arrested, facing up to three years in prison in his trial. The Decision of the National People's Congress on Improving the Electoral System of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was enacted on 11 March 2021 by the

National People's Congress The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China (NPC; ), or simply the National People's Congress, is constitutionally the supreme state authority and the national legislature of the People's Republic of China. With 2,9 ...

(NPC), the ''

de jure In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally ...

'' legislative body of the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

(PRC), to rewrite the electoral rules, imposing a much restrictive electoral system on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) for its Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Chief Executive (CE) and the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, Legislative Council (LegCo), claiming to ensure a system of "patriots governing Hong Kong." Police later arrested five executives of the ''Apple Daily'' newspaper as the newspaper warned that press freedom in the city was "hanging by a thread". The Stand News raids and arrests occurred on 29 December 2021, when ''Stand News'', one of the few remaining Pro-democracy camp (Hong Kong), pro-democracy media outlets in Hong Kong following the passage of the Hong Kong national security law in 2020, was raided by the National Security Department (Hong Kong), National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force. Media executives and journalists were arrested on the charge of "conspiring to publish Sedition, seditious publications" on a large scale. As a result of the raid, ''Stand News'' ceased operations, the organisation's website and social media became inactive, and all of its employees were dismissed. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, along with leaders in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and United States, condemned the raid.

Kazakhstan

2022 Kazakh protests, Protests broke out on 2 January 2022 after a sudden sharp increase in gas prices which, according to the Government of Kazakhstan, Kazakh government, was due to high demand and price fixing. The protests began in Zhanaozen, a city built on an oil field, but quickly spread to other cities in the country, including the largest city, Almaty. Growing discontent with the government and former president Nursultan Nazarbayev also influenced larger demonstrations. As there were no popular opposition groups against the Kazakh government, the unrest appeared to be assembled directly by citizens. In response, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a state of emergency in Mangystau Region and Almaty, effective from 5 January. The Mamin Cabinet resigned the same day. In response to the unrest, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) – a military alliance of post-Soviet states that includes

, Belarus,

, and Kazakhstan itself – agreed to deploy peacekeeping troops in Kazakhstan. The local police reported that "dozens of attackers were liquidated", while former President Nazarbayev was removed as the Chairman of the Security Council of Kazakhstan. Tokayev later announced a series of reforms to the Parliament of Kazakhstan, national parliament, including re-establishing the Constitutional Court, reducing the membership requirement for establishing List of political parties in Kazakhstan, political parties from 20,000 to 5,000, reducing the number of parliament deputies appointed by the president, and restoring three Regions of Kazakhstan, regions that were merged during the 1990s. He says that the purpose of these reforms is to move the current political system from "superpresidential" rule to a presidential republic with a strong parliament.

Kyrgyzstan

The 2020 Kyrgyzstani protests began on 5 October 2020 in response to the October 2020 Kyrgyz parliamentary election, recent parliamentary election that was perceived by protestors as unfair, with allegations of vote rigging. The results of the election were Annulment, annulled on 6 October 2020. On 12 October 2020, President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, Jeenbekov announced a state of emergency in the capital city of Bishkek, which was approved by Parliament the following day. Jeenbekov Resignation, resigned on 15 October 2020. In January 2021 a 2021 Kyrgyz referendum, referendum on the form of government was held alongside 2021 Kyrgyz presidential election, presidential elections (won by Sadyr Japarov), with voters asked whether they would prefer a presidential system, a parliamentary system, or opposed both. Just over 84% voted in favour of a presidential system. Work began on drafting a new constitution, which was debated in the Supreme Council (Kyrgyzstan), Supreme Council in February 2021. The draft new constitution replaces the parliamentary system with a presidential one, with presidents limited to two five years terms instead of a single six-year term. It also reduces the number of seats in the Supreme Council from 120 to 90 and establishes a constitutional court.Kyrgyzstan to hold constitution referendum on April 11
Interfax, 11 March 2021 In March 2021 members of the Supreme Council passed a bill, scheduling a referendum on the new constitution for 11 April, the same day as 2021 Kyrgyz local election, local elections. The result was 79.31% in favour.

Malaysia

In early 2020, officials from the Malaysia's Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said that Malaysia has recovered US$322 million stolen from the sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, a fraction of the more than US$4.5 billion US prosecutors say was looted. In April, the US Department of Justice returned US$300 million in funds stolen during the 1MDB scandal to Malaysia. Former Prime Minister Najib Razak was found guilty of one count of abuse of power, three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money laundering, a total of seven charges for the SRC International trial. On 24 February 2020, Malaysia entered the 2020 Malaysian political crisis for almost a week after the resignation of the 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad. Immediately that afternoon, the King of Malaysia re-appointed Mahathir Mohamad as the Interim Prime Minister to solve the political crisis. On 29 February 2020, Yang Dipertuan Agong, King Abdullah of Pahang agreed to appoint Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the 8th Prime Minister of Malaysia, and he was sworn in at the Istana Negara, Jalan Duta, Istana Negara on 1 March 2020. Malaysia declared a 2021 Malaysian state of emergency, State of Emergency in January 2021 amid the worsening COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, COVID-19 pandemic, suspending parliament and all elections until August. The declaration attracted political controversy; a number of MPs from major coalition party Umno, UMNO withdrew support for the government in disapproval, temporarily leading to a minority government and destabilising the coalition. On 8 July 2021, the President of United Malays National Organisation, UMNO announced that the party had withdrawn support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin over the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, COVID-19 pandemic although others in UMNO later affirmed their support, splitting the party and putting the government's status into question. After losing majority support and attempts to regain it were unsuccessful, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Muhyiddin and Muhyiddin cabinet, his cabinet resigned on 16 August 2021 with Muhyiddin remaining as caretaker Prime Minister. Four days later, UMNO's Vice President Ismail Sabri Yaakob was appointed Prime Minister by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after receiving support from most of the MPs.

Myanmar

2020 Myanmar general election, General elections were held in Myanmar on 8 November 2020, in which the National League for Democracy won 396 out of 476 seats in parliament, while the military's proxy party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, won only 33 seats. In the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, democratically elected members of the ruling National League for Democracy were detained and/or deposed from their offices by the Tatmadaw; Myanmar's military. The Tatmadaw declared a year-long state of emergency and declared power had been vested in the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Min Aung Hlaing. The coup d'état occurred the day before the Assembly of the Union, Parliament of Myanmar was due to swear in the members elected at the November 2020 general election, preventing this from occurring. President of Myanmar, President Win Myint and State Counsellor of Myanmar, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi were detained, along with Cabinet of Myanmar, ministers and their deputies and Assembly of the Union, members of Parliament. Domestic civil resistance efforts in Myanmar, known locally as the 2021 Myanmar protests, Spring Revolution ( my, နွေဦးတော်လှန်ရေး), began in opposition to the coup d'état on 1 February. , at least 550 civilians, including children, have been killed by military or police forces and at least 2,574 people detained. The National Unity Government of Myanmar, National Unity Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar was formed by the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, a group of elected lawmakers ousted in the coup d'état. It included representatives of the National League for Democracy (the deposed ruling party of former State Counsellor of Myanmar, state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi), List of insurgent groups in Myanmar, ethnic minority insurgent groups, and various List of political parties in Myanmar, minor parties. The NUG has sought international recognition as the government of Myanmar. On 5 May 2021, the NUG announced the formation of "People's Defense Force of Myanmar, People's Defense Force" as its armed wing to launch an armed revolution against the military junta.

Mongolia

2020 Mongolian legislative election, Parliamentary elections in June 2020 resulted in a victory for the ruling Mongolian People's Party. The Prime Minister Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh resigned on 27 January 2021 following a minor protest against the mistreatment of a hospital patient.

Nepal

In July 2021, the Supreme Court of Nepal, Nepalese Supreme Court declared that the dissolution of the Federal Parliament of Nepal by Prime Minister of Nepal, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in May was unconstitutional, reinstating the Parliament and removing the duties of Oli. The Supreme Court also designated leader of the opposition Sher Bahadur Deuba as the new Prime Minister.

Pakistan

A Political crisis, political and constitutional crisis emerged in Pakistan when, on 3 April 2022, National Assembly of Pakistan, National Assembly Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri dismissed a No-confidence motion against Imran Khan, no-confidence motion against Prime Minister of Pakistan, prime minister Imran Khan during a session in which it was expected to be taken up for a vote. Moments later, the President of Pakistan, president dissolved the National Assembly of Pakistan, National Assembly on the advice of prime minister Imran Khan. This created a constitutional crisis, as effectively, Imran Khan led a Constitutional Coup, constitutional coup to remain in power. Four days later, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled that the dismissal of the no-confidence motion and subsequent dissolution of the National Assembly were unconstitutional, and overturned these actions. The Supreme Court further held that the National Assembly had not been prorogued and had to be reconvened by the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Speaker immediately. Shortly after midnight on 10 April, the National Assembly voted and passed the No Confidence motion removing prime minister Khan from office immediately upon passing of the resolution and making him the first prime minister in Pakistan to be so removed from office.

Sri Lanka

;economic crisis ;Political crisis ; Protests

Turkmenistan

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow stepped down as president on 19 March 2022, after a non-democratic 2022 Turkmenistan presidential election, snap presidential election, in which his son Serdar Berdimuhamedow won, becoming the next President and establishing a political dynasty.

India

The Citizenship Amendment Act protests occurred after the enactment of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) by the Indian government on 12 December 2019, which triggered widespread ongoing protests across India and abroad against the act and the associated proposals to enact a National Register of Citizens (NRC). The Amendment created a pathway to Indian citizenship for illegal migrants belonging to Hindus, Hindu, Sikhs, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsis, Parsi, and Christians, Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

, who had entered India before 2014 fleeing religious persecution.Citizenship Amendment Bill: India's new 'anti-Muslim' law explained
BBC News, 11 December 2019. The Amendment does not provide the same pathway to Muslims and others from these countries, nor to refugee Sri Lankan Tamils in India, Rohingyas from Myanmar, or Tibetan refugees in India, Buddhists from Tibet. The proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be an official record of all legal citizens of India; individuals would need to provide a prescribed set of documents issued before a specified cutoff date to be included in it. The amendment has been widely criticised as Religious discrimination, discriminating on the basis of religion, in particular for excluding Muslims. Protestors against the amendment demand that it be scrapped and that the nationwide NRC not be implemented. Protesters in Assam and other Northeast India, northeastern states do not want Indian citizenship to be granted to any refugee or immigrant, regardless of their religion, as they fear it would alter the region's demographic balance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi dismissed 12 cabinet ministers, including Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan (Delhi politician), Harsh Vardhan, following intense criticisms over his COVID-19 pandemic in India, handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ravi Shankar Prasad, who held multiple concurrent positions as Ministry of Law and Justice (India), Law, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Information Technology, and Ministry of Communications (India), Communications Minister, also resigned.

Indonesia

An Indonesian general was killed by Free Papua Movement, West Papuan separatists in April 2021.

Japan

On 8 July 2022, Shinzo Abe, a former prime minister of Japan and a serving member of the House of Representatives (Japan), House of Representatives, was Assassination of Shinzo Abe, assassinated while speaking at a political event outside Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Nara, Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. While delivering a campaign speech for a Liberal Democratic Party (Japan), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) candidate, Abe was shot from behind at close range by a man with a Improvised firearm, homemade firearm. He was transported by medical helicopter to Nara Medical University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Thailand

In Thailand, 2020–2021 Thai protests, protests began in early 2020. Beginning first as demonstrations against the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, it later included the unprecedented demands for reform of the Monarchy of Thailand, Thai monarchy. The protests were initially triggered by the dissolution of the Future Forward Party (FFP) in late February 2020 which was critical of Prayut, the changes to the Constitution of Thailand, Thai constitution in 2017 and the country's political landscape that it gave rise to.

Uzbekistan

Europe

The

reduced in member states from 28 to 27 with the exit of the United Kingdom on January 31, 2020. The response to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a rift between Northern and Southern European member states over spending, with the former demanding more stringent measures to curb overspending, while the latter argued for more financial support in order to overcome the crisis. A key issue of contention was the issuing of so-called Eurobond (eurozone), corona bonds. After a historic debt-sharing deal for economic stimulus was agreed to by the remaining countries,

and Poland threatened to veto both it and the EU's budget unless a clause demanding the upholding of the rule of law by member states was dropped. A compromise was reached to pass the deal, which involved delaying the implementation of the clause.

Middle East

As a result of the Arab Spring which began in 2011, which evolved into what some considered the Arab Winter, much of the region was riven by massive instability and conflict, with the Syrian civil war, Syrian, Second Libyan Civil War, Libyan and Yemeni Civil War (2014–present), Yemeni Civil Wars continuing into the 2020s. The 2018–2022 Arab protests in Algeria, Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt were seen as a continuation of the Arab Spring.

Armenia

Following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, Armenian forces were to withdraw from Armenian-occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh by 1 December. An approximately 2,000-strong Russian Peacekeeping, peacekeeping force from the Russian Ground Forces was to be deployed to the region for a minimum of five years, one of its task being protection of the Lachin corridor, which links Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Additionally, Armenia undertook to "guarantee safety" of passage between mainland Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Nakhchivan exclave via a strip of land in Armenia's Syunik Province. Russian Federal Security Service, FSB′s Border Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, Border Troops would exercise control over the transport communication. Shortly after the news about the signing the ceasefire agreement broke in the early hours of 10 November, 2020 Armenian protests, violent protests erupted in

against Nikol Pashinyan, claiming he was a "traitor" for having accepted the peace deal. Protesters also seized the parliament building by breaking a metal door, and pulled the President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan from a car and beat him. Throughout November, numerous Armenian officials resigned from their posts, including the Armenian minister of foreign affairs, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, the minister of defence, David Tonoyan, head of the same ministry's military control service, Movses Hakobyan, and the spokesman of Armenia's Defense Ministry, Artsrun Hovhannisyan. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accused Chief of the General Staff (Armenia), Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces Onik Gasparyan and more than 40 other high-ranking military officers of 2021 Armenian coup d'état attempt, attempting a coup after they published a statement calling for Pashinyan's resignation on 25 February 2021. Two days later President of Armenia, Armenian President Armen Sarksyan refused the order from Prime Minister of Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to dismiss Onik Gasparyan, saying parts of the decree were in violation of the constitution. Pashinyan immediately resent the motion to dismiss Gasparyan to the president. On 27 February, more than 15,000 protested in the capital Yerevan calling for Pashinyan to resign.

Iran

The 2019–2020 Iranian protests were a series of nationwide civil protests in

, initially caused by a 50%–200% increase in fuel prices, becoming the most violent and severe anti-government unrest since the rise of Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iran's Islamic Republic in 1979. As many as 1,500 Iranian peoples, Iranian protesters were killed. The government crackdown prompted a violent reaction from protesters who destroyed 731 government banks including Iran's central bank, nine Islamic religious centres, tore down anti-American billboards, and posters and statues of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as well as former leader Khomeini. Fifty government military bases were also attacked by protesters. In January 2020, the

2020 Baghdad International Airport airstrike, assassinated the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, general Qasem Soleimani. This led to an 2020 Iranian attack on U.S. forces in Iraq, Iranian missile strike against bases housing US troops in Iraq five days later. As a result of expectations of a US retribution, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force, Iranian air defence system accidentally shot down

, killing all 176 people on board. The International Maritime Security Construct was set up by the US to prevent Iran from disrupting international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Israel was suspected of being behind at least five 2020 Iran explosions, explosions and fires at Iranian nuclear sites in the summer of 2020. The leading nuclear scientist of the country, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated on 27 November 2020, with Iran blaming Israel for the attack. The sequence of protests which included the 2019-2020 Iranian protests, 2021 Iranian protests, and the Mahsa Amini protests was met with violent responses by the Iranian authorities, including the killing of 1,500 protesters in November 2019 uprising and the violent crackdown on protests in Mahshahr. The protests, which have occurred at various stages and times since the mid-2010s, increasing in both support and number each time, have found popular support amongst many Iranians. They have the intention of removing the Iranian government and addressing both economic and social issues within Iran, and are often fueled by low wages, unemployment, inflation, government corruption, an Water crisis in Iran, ongoing water crisis, disillusion amongst Iranian youth and by their Burnt Generation parents with the government's Islamism, Islamist, anti-Western outlook, the isolation of Iran internationally, Persians, Persian nationalist fervor and the government's handling of the

=2022 Mahsa Amini protests

Iraq

In 2020–21, 2019–2021 Iraqi protests, demonstrations took place in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq, over popular discontent with government corruption, unemployment, poor government services, and foreign interference within Iraq. Reports said that 450 protesters had been fatally shot by security forces. Major protests were based in Nasiriyah in Dhi Qar province, with hundreds of protesters arriving there from other cities. New clashes erupted in Baghdad between protesters and security forces, with security forces using gunfire against protesters. One march included more than 1,000 students. In March 2020, Mohammed Allawi sent a letter to the President of Iraq, stating that he had to decline to take office as Prime Minister since the Iraqi Parliament had declined to approve his cabinet. Reports indicated that the crowds of protesters in Baghdad had expressed widespread opposition to Allawi. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi was named by President Barham Salih as prime minister-designate, the third person tapped to lead the country in just 10 weeks as it struggled to replace a government that fell last year after months of 2019–2021 Iraqi protests, protests. Kadhimi was nominated by President Barham Salih, state television reported, shortly after the previous designated prime minister, Adnan al-Zurfi, announced he was withdrawing having failed to secure enough support to pass a government of Iraq, government. After nearly six months of political negotiations, Iraq's Council of Representatives of Iraq, parliament confirmed al-Kadhimi as Prime Minister of Iraq on 6 May 2020. Before entering office, al-Kadhimi said his government would be a government that finds solutions to Iraq's many problems and not a crisis ridden government. He promised early elections and vowed Iraq would not be used as a battleground by other countries. He assumed office on the heels of major upheavals in Iraq - 2019–20 Iraqi protests, protests, falling oil prices, and the

. 2021 Iraqi parliamentary election, Parliamentary elections were held in

on 10 October 2021. Iraqis who were supporters of the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces, PMF and Fatah Alliance called the results "a fraud", as most Iran-backed parties, including Fatah Alliance, lost many seats. Following the election, 2021 Baghdad clashes, clashes between Iraqi protesters and Iraqi security forces, security forces left more than 125 injured and 2 dead. The protestors were supporters of

-backed militias and political parties. Two days later on the 7 November, an Attempted assassination of Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, assassination attempt was made on Prime Minister of Iraq, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi via a drone strike. The PM survived the attack unharmed but resulted in six of his bodyguards being injured. The security forces reportedly opened fire on demonstrators, leading to at least one death. It was rumored that the assassination attempt was connected to these protests.

Israel–Palestine

The 2018–2022 Israeli political crisis, political crisis in Israel continued, with the fourth election within two years 2021 Israeli legislative election, held in 2021. The Thirty-fifth government of Israel, rotation government established after the third elections between the competing factions of Likud and Blue and White (political alliance), Blue and White collapsed. In foreign relations, the country signed the Abraham Accords (also in 2020), leading to the Bahrain–Israel normalization agreement, Bahrain–Israel and Israel–United Arab Emirates normalization agreements. Sudan also announced that it would be normalizing relations with the country as did Morocco. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also met with Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman soon after. The 2021 Palestinian legislative election for the Palestinian Legislative Council, originally scheduled for 22 May 2021, according to a decree by President of the State of Palestine, President Mahmoud Abbas on 15 January 2021, was indefinitely postponed. President Abbas announced the postponement on 29 April 2021, stating the following: "Facing this difficult situation, we decided to postpone the date of holding legislative elections until the participation of Jerusalem and its people is guaranteed." Mahmoud Abbas was elected President of the Palestinian National Authority on 9 January 2005 for a four-year term that ended on 9 January 2009. The last elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council were held on 25 January 2006. There have not been any elections either for president or for the legislature since these two elections. The 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis started on 6 May 2021, with Palestinians protesting in Jerusalem over a forthcoming decision of the Israeli Supreme Court regarding the Sheikh Jarrah controversy, eviction of four Palestinian families from Sheikh Jarrah, a neighbourhood of East Jerusalem. The protests quickly escalated into violent confrontations between Israeli and Palestinian protesters. The following day, the major Holiest sites in Islam, Islamic holy site and the Temple in Jerusalem, holiest to Judaism, known as the Temple Mount, Al-Aqsa Mosque compound (the Temple Mount), was stormedYair Wallach
'The violence that began at Jerusalem's ancient holy sites is driven by a distinctly modern zeal,'
The Guardian 13 May 2021. by the Israel Police, Israeli police using tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades against firecrackers and stone-throwing Palestinians. On 10 May, two Palestinian militant groups, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, began List of Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel in 2021, firing rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip, hitting multiple residences and a school. Israel launched airstrikes against Gaza, including airstrikes targeting multiple apartment buildings, a refugee camp, and a news office building. As part of the crisis, widespread protests and riots occurred across Israel, particularly in Arab localities in Israel, cities with large Arab populations. In Lod, rocks were thrown at Jewish apartments and some Jewish residents were evacuated from their homes by the police. One man was seriously injured after being struck in the head by a rock. In the nearby city of Ramle, Jewish rioters threw rocks at passing vehicles. On 11 May, Mayor of Lod Yair Revivio urged Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu to deploy Israel Border Police in the city, stating that the city had "completely lost control" and warning that the country was on the brink of "civil war". Netanyahu declared a state of emergency in Lod on 11 May, marking the first time since 1966 that Israel has used emergency powers over an Arab community. Ministry of Public Security (Israel), Minister of Public Security Amir Ohana announced the implementation of emergency orders. Following the unrest, Yair Lapid, leader of the Yesh Atid political party and Leader of the Opposition (Israel), the Israeli opposition, informed outgoing President of Israel, President Reuven Rivlin that he and Yamina leader Naftali Bennett had reached a deal to form a coalition government, which would remove Netanyahu from power. Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List party, agreed to join the coalition. On 2 June 2021, a coalition agreement was signed between Yesh Atid, Blue and White (political alliance), Blue and White, Yamina, the Israeli Labor Party, Labor Party, Yisrael Beiteinu, New Hope (Israel), New Hope, Meretz, and the United Arab List, with the new government sworn in on 13 June. On 20 June 2022, a little over a year after the coalition government was sworn in, Bennett and Lapid announced that they would begin the process of dissolving the government, thus sending Israel to a fifth round of elections in less than four years. The 2022 Israeli legislative election, election was scheduled for 1 November, with Lapid serving as interim Prime Minister until then. This election saw the national camp win a majority of seats in the Knesset, likely returning Netanyahu to the post of Prime Minister. Increases in the number of MKs for Likud and the Religious Zionist Party was attributed to a lack of support for liberal wing and Arab parties, most notably the failure of Meretz to cross the electoral threshold to qualify for parliamentary representation. Following a two-month negotiation period, on 21 December, Netanyahu announced that he had succeeded in forming the new coalition. The thirty-seventh government of Israel was sworn in on 29 December.

Jordan

The 2021 Jordanian coup d'état attempt was a failed Coup d'état, military coup attempt against List of kings of Jordan, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Abdullah II of Jordan. The former Crown Prince of Jordan, Crown Prince Prince Hamzah bin Hussein was placed under house arrest.

Lebanon

The 17 October Revolution continued, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and then his successor Hassan Diab following the 2020 Beirut explosion. These events have also happened against the ongoing Lebanese liquidity crisis. Following being an interim Prime Minister, Saad Hariri resigned in July 2021 after both failing to form a new government in the past eight months and reaching an impasse with President of Lebanon, President Michel Aoun on adopting some constitutional amendments.

Qatar

2021 Qatari general election, General elections were held in Qatar for the first time on 2 October 2021, following an announcement by the Emir of Qatar on 22 August 2021. The elections for the Consultative Assembly of Qatar, Consultative Assembly were originally scheduled to be held in the second half of 2013, but were postponed in June 2013 until at least 2016. In 2016 they were postponed again.Legislative elections in Qatar postponed until at least 2019
Doha News, 17 June 2016 Finally in November 2020 Emir of Qatar, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani pledged to hold the election in October 2021. The voter turnout during the election was 63.5%.

Syria

In early 2020, there was some evidence of new positive ties between the Syrian government and the Kurdish leaders in the autonomous region of Rojava, as the Kurds asked the Syrian government for help and protection against Turkish forces who invaded that region of Syria. In June 2020, the Syrian pound underwent a dramatic collapse. The US Government stated via US Envoy James Franklin Jeffrey, James Jeffrey that the collapse would be exacerbated due to Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, sanctions, and offered to help Assad if he agreed to meet certain conditions for political reform. On 10 June, hundreds of protesters returned to the streets of Sweida for the fourth consecutive day, rallying against the collapse of the Economy of Syria, country's economy, as the Syrian pound plummeted to 3,000 to the dollar within the past week. On 11 June, Prime Minister Imad Khamis was dismissed by President Bashar al-Assad, amid anti-government protests over deteriorating economic conditions. The new lows for the Syrian currency, and the dramatic increase in sanctions, began to appear to raise new threats to the survival of the Assad government. Analysts noted that a resolution to the current Lebanese liquidity crisis, banking crisis in Lebanon might be crucial to restoring stability in Syria. As of early 2022, Syria was still facing a major economic crisis due to sanctions and other economic pressures. there was some doubt of the Syrian government's ability to pay for subsidies for the population and for basic services and programs. The UN reported there were massive problems looming for Syria's ability to feed its population in the near future. In one possibly positive sign for the well-being of Syria's population, several Arab countries began an effort to normalize relations with Syria, and to conclude a deal to provide energy supplies to Syria. This effort was led by Jordan, and included several other Arab countries.

Turkey

In January 2020, Turkey announced it had sent troops to Libya in order to support the National Transitional Council in the Libyan Civil War (2014–present), Libyan Civil War, but that they would be in non-combat duties. In March 2020, Turkey started a military offensive against the Syrian Armed Forces as part of its Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War, intervention in the Syrian Civil War. That same month Turkey also declared that it would no longer stop migrants from entering the

. Turkey also supported the Azerbaijani side in the

by supplying it with Syrian mercenaries and drones.

Yemen

The Yemeni Civil War is an ongoing conflict that began in 2015 between two factions: the Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi led Yemeni government and the Houthi armed movement, along with their supporters and allies. Both claim to constitute the official government of Yemen.

Americas

The pink tide showed signs of resurging following a series of violent protests against austerity measures and income inequality scattered throughout Latin America, including the 2019–20 Chilean protests, 2019-2020 Chilean protests, 2019–2020 Colombian protests, 2018–19 Haitian protests, and the 2021 Colombian protests. This development was strengthened by the landslide victory of left-wing Movement for Socialism (Bolivia), MAS and its presidential candidate Luis Arce in Bolivia in the 2020 Bolivian general election. The trend continued throughout 2021, when multiple left wing leaders won elections in Latin America. In the 2021 Peruvian general election, Peru elected the indigenous, socialist union leader Pedro Castillo in contrast to the previous leaders who embraced neoliberal populism. In November 2021, Honduras 2021 Honduran general election, elected leftist president Xiomara Castro, and just weeks later, left-winger Gabriel Boric won the 2021 Chilean general election, 2021 Chilean election.

Argentina

In 2021, at the request of Bolivia, Argentine prosecutors filed charges against former president Mauricio Macri, security minister Patricia Bullrich, defense minister Oscar Aguad and former Argentine ambassador to Bolivia Normando Álvarez García for allegedly supporting the removal of Evo Morales from power in November 2019. The Argentine government of that time was also accused of sending ammunition and weaponry to help the government of interim president Jeanine Áñez suppress protests organized by Morales's supporters.

Barbados

The government of Barbados announced in September 2020 that it would transition to a republic during the next year. In 2021, an indirect 2021 Barbadian presidential election, presidential election was held to choose the first ever President of Barbados. The outgoing Governor-General of Barbados, Dame Sandra Mason, was the only candidate nominated; Mason was sworn in on 30 November, the 55th anniversary of Barbadian independence from the United Kingdom.

Brazil

On March 30, 2021, the commanders of all three branches of the Brazilian Armed Forces – General Edson Leal Pujol (Brazilian Army, Army), Admiral Ilques Barbosa Junior (Brazilian Navy, Navy), and Brigadier Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez (Brazilian Air Force, Air Force) – announced their intention to resign from their posts. The collective resignation announcement came less than a day after the dismissal of former Defence Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva and was allegedly a move to signal the Armed Forces' opposition to any military interference in politics. The 2021 Brazilian protests were popular demonstrations that took place in different regions of

, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Protests both supporting and opposing government happened. It was also the first time when sectors linked to the two antagonistic sides, such as the left and the right, began to protest against the government over a common goal, holding caravans on January 23 and 24, 2021. On 8 January 2023, following the victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the 2022 Brazilian general election, Brazilian general elections of October 2022, supporters of the previous president, Jair Bolsonaro, attacked the Supreme Court of Brazil, the National Congress of Brazil and the Planalto Presidential Palace in the Praça dos Três Poderes, Três Poderes Plaza in the capital, Brasília. Senator Veneziano Vital do Rêgo, interim president of the Federal Senate (Brazil), Federal Senate, confirmed that rioters had breached the Chamber of Deputies (Brazil), Chamber of Deputies' Green Hall and attempted to enter the Planalto Palace. Lula was not in Brasília at the time of the attack, and neither was Bolsonaro, who left Brazil for Orlando, Florida, Orlando, United States, before Lula's inauguration.

Canada

In May and June 2021, the remains of hundreds of Indigenous peoples in Canada, Indigenous people, including hundreds of children, Canadian Indian residential schools gravesite discoveries, were discovered near the former sites of four Canadian Indian residential schools in the Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces of Manitoba, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. In July, Inuit, Inuk leader Mary Simon was appointed to be the 30th Governor General of Canada, the first Indigenous person to assume this role. Simon succeeded Chief Justice of Canada, Chief Justice Richard Wagner (judge), Richard Wagner, who had been acting as Administrator of the Government of Canada, Administrator since the resignation of former Governor General Julie Payette in January.

Chile

The 2019–2022 Chilean protests were a series of massive demonstrations and severe riots originated in Santiago de Chile, Santiago and spread to all regions of Chile. The protests have been considered the "worst civil unrest" having occurred in Chile since the end of Augusto Pinochet's Military dictatorship of Chile (1973–1990), military dictatorship due to the scale of damage to public infrastructure, the number of protesters, and the measures taken by the government. On 25 October 2019, over 1.2 million people took to the streets of Santiago to protest against social inequality, demanding President Piñera's resignation, in what was called as "The biggest march of Chile." At least 29 people died, and nearly 2,500 were injured and 2,840 arrested. On 15 November 2019, Chile's National Congress signed an agreement to hold a 2020 Chilean national plebiscite, national referendum that would rewrite the constitution if it were to be approved. The referendum was rescheduled from April to October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. On 25 October 2020, Chileans voted 78.28 per cent in favor of a new constitution, while 21.72 per cent rejected the change. Voter turnout was 51 per cent. On 16 May 2021, the 2021 Chilean Constitutional Convention election, election of the 155 Chileans who will form the Constitutional Convention (Chile), convention which will draft the new constitution was voted. On 21 December 2021, former students leader and constitutional agreement negotiator, 35-year old leftist Gabriel Boric, was elected president of Chile in the 2021 Chilean general election, 2021 Chilean presidential election with 55,86% of the vote.

Colombia

The 2019–2020 Colombian protests, 2019–20 Colombian protests were a collection of protests that began on 21 November 2019. Hundreds of thousands of Colombians demonstrated for various reasons. Some protested against various proposed economic and political reforms proposed by the Government of Colombia, government of Iván Duque Márquez, others against the few violent protestors and in favor of the Colombian peace process, and other issues. Another 2021 Colombian protests, series of protests began in Colombia on 28 April 2021 against increased taxes and health care reform proposed by the government of President of Colombia, President Márquez. After the presidential elections on 29 May 2022, with a Two-round system, runoff on 19 June 2022, Gustavo Petro, a Senate of Colombia, senator and former Mayor of Bogota, defeated Rodolfo Hernández Suárez, former Mayor of Bucaramanga, in the runoff election. Petro's victory made him the first left-wing candidate to be elected president of Colombia. Petro, a former AD/M-19 member, was chosen as a candidate of the Historic Pact for Colombia alliance. Petro's left-wing platform encompassed support for land reform, universal health care, continuing the Colombian peace process, and expanding social services.

Cuba

At the Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, 8th Congress of the Communist Party, Raúl Castro officially resigned as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, First Secretary, the most powerful position in Cuba. President of Cuba, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel was officially named First Secretary of the Communist Party following the resignation of Raúl Castro. He is the first person not of the Castro family to hold the position since the 1959 Cuban revolution. A 2021 Cuban protests, series of protests against the Cuban government and the ruling Communist Party of Cuba began on 11 July 2021, triggered by the shortage of food and medicine and the government's response to the resurgent COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba. The protests have been described as the largest anti-government demonstrations since the Maleconazo in 1994.

Dominican Republic

In March 2020, massive protests occurred in the Dominican Republic, due to announced postponement of national elections.

Ecuador

On 7 April 2020, The Criminal Court of the National Court of Justice found the former president Rafael Correa guilty of aggravated passive bribery in 2012–2016. He was sentenced to 8 years in prison Trial in absentia, in absentia for leading the corruption network that between 2012 and 2016 received "undue contributions" at to finance his political movement in exchange for awarding state contracts to businessmen along with Alexis Mera, former Judiciary Secretary of the Presidency, former Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, María de los Angeles Duarte, former congresswoman Viviana Bonilla and former Constitutional Judge and his secretary Pamela Martínez. 2021 Ecuadorian general election, General elections were held in Ecuador on 7 February 2021. Incumbent president Lenín Moreno did not seek reelection. In first round results, Andrés Arauz had a significant lead, but one not large enough to avoid a runoff with Lasso, who had narrowly beaten third-place finisher Yaku Pérez Guartambel, Yaku Pérez. On 11 April, Lasso defeated Arauz, which some news outlets called an upset victory.

El Salvador

in the 2020 Salvadoran political crisis on 9 February 2020, the Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele ordered 1,400 Salvadoran soldiers from the Salvadoran Army to enter the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador to coerce the approval of a loan request of 109 million dollars from the

for Bukele's security plan for El Salvador. After winning a majority in the 2021 Salvadoran legislative election, President Bukele's party Nuevas Ideas voted to sack the country's Attorney General and the five judges of the Constitutional Court.

Guatemala

Alejandro Giammattei became the new president in 2020. Later in the year, the 2020 Guatemalan protests breakout in response to COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricanes Hurricane Eta, Eta and Hurricane Iota, Iota.

Haiti

The 2021 Haitian protests were a mass protest movement consisting of popular movement and opposition mass street demonstrations and violent protest marches across Haiti that began on 14 January in protest at president Jovenel Moïse's plan to run for one more year in power. The protests and civil unrest that paralysed Haiti hit hard. Since the 14 January protest, hundreds of thousands took part in weekly protests calling for the government to resign. President Moïse said he foiled a Coup d'état, coup attempt to kill him and overthrow the government in February 2021; at least 23 people were arrested. He was assassinated on 7 July 2021 at 1 a.m. Eastern Time Zone, EDT (UTC−04:00) when a group of 28 gunmen stormed his residence and opened fire. First Lady Martine Moïse was also shot multiple times in the attack. Joseph Lambert (Haitian politician), Joseph Lambert, the President of the Senate (Haiti), Senate, was nominated as provisional President of Haiti by a group of senators, potentially succeeding Jovenel Moïse. Following the Assassination of Jovenel Moïse, assassination, Ariel Henry assumed the office of acting prime minister on 20 July. In September 2022, Henry announced that the government would be ending fuel subsidies and that the price of petroleum products would be increasing; this led to protests, including a demonstration in Port-au-Prince that escalated to a riot days later. In response to the government, a federation of over a dozen gangs blockaded the country's largest fuel terminal. This blockade and the surrounding unrest has led to the temporary closure of foreign embassies in Haiti, as well as resource shortages, hospital service reductions, school closures, and workers being unable to commute to work. On 11 October 2022, Henry and his cabinet requested the deployment of foreign troops to oppose the gangs and anti-government demonstrations in Port-au-Prince. On 15 October, the United States and Mexico sent armored vehicles and military equipment to aid the Haitian government. On 21 October, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to approve sanctions on Haiti, namely an asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo aimed at the country's armed gangs.

Honduras

In 2021, a former cartel leader testified in a New York City, New York court that he had bribed President Juan Orlando Hernández with 250,000 US dollars to prevent extradition to the United States. His brother Tony Hernández was sentenced to life in prison on allegations of drug trafficking, with court documents claiming that the two had conspired to engage in "Narco-state, state-sponsored drug trafficking". The leftist Xiomara Castro became in 2021 the country's first List of elected and appointed female heads of state and government, female president, as well as the first president not to be a member of either the Liberal Party of Honduras, Liberal Party or the National Party of Honduras, National Party since democracy was restored in 1982.

Mexico

As the Fourth Transformation enters its second year, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) faces challenges involving social violence (particularly drug-related and other List of countries by intentional homicide rate, killings), corruption, major infrastructure development, universal health care, and decentralization of the government. At a news conference on January 15, 2020, journalist Jorge Ramos (news anchor), Jorge Ramos pointed that during AMLO's first year as president, there were more homicides than under his predecessors; Ramos asked if a change in strategy and/or personal were required. The president assured him that we would see results by December. Following several notorious cases of femicide, violence against women in Mexico, violence against women emerges as a priority concern. Hundreds of thousands march on March 8 and millions of women strike on March 9, 2020 in Mexico, 2020.

Nicaragua

In May 2021, Nicaragua's Supreme Electoral Council (Nicaragua), Supreme Electoral Council revoked the legal status of opposition party the Democratic Restoration Party (PRD). The same week, the Daniel Ortega, Ortega government opened an investigation into Cristiana Chamorro Barrios, Cristiana Chamorro, alleging money laundering, which threatened to disqualify her candidacy as people under investigation are barred from running. The same day, the police also raided the news offices of her brother Carlos Fernando Chamorro Barrios, Carlos's media channel, Confidencial. On 5 June, the Ortega administration arrested Arturo Cruz Jr., Arturo Cruz. On 8 June, the government arrested Félix Maradiaga, a leader of the Blue and White National Unity (UNAB) opposition group. Later the same day they arrested economist Juan Sebastián Chamorro, the fourth pre-candidate to be detained. On 20 June, the government arrested Miguel Mora Barberena, Miguel Mora, a pre-candidate affiliated with the PRD until the government revoked its charter. Peasant leader Medardo Mairena was also arrested on the night of 5 July 2021, On 9 July, law professor and Civic Alliance attorney María Asunción Moreno announced her intention to register as a pre-candidate with the CxL. The following day, she received a summons from the government, and, following information that she would be arrested, went into hiding and later into exile. On 12 July, Luis Fley confirmed he had gone into exile in response to "threats from the dictatorship to arrest me". Later on 24 July, the government announced the investigation and then the arrest of ACxL conservative pre-candidate Noel Vidaurre, Most of those already arrested are accused of violations of Law 1055, "performing acts that undermine independence, sovereignty, and self-determination". On 15 June, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States put out a statement saying it "unequivocally condemns the arrest, harassment and arbitrary restriction imposed on potential presidential candidates, political parties and independent media outlets" and called for "the immediate release of potential candidates and all political prisoners." A large majority of member states (26) endorsed the statement; Following Mora's arrest, Mexico and Argentina jointly recalled their ambassadors from Nicaragua for consultation, citing "the worrying political-legal actions carried out by the Nicaraguan government in recent days that have put at risk the integrity and freedom of various opposition figures (including presidential candidates), Nicaraguan activists and businessmen".

United States

The First impeachment trial of Donald Trump, impeachment trial of Donald Trump found him not guilty in February 2020. The 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries ended up supporting moderate Joe Biden (former Vice President to Barack Obama) as the party's nominee, over more progressive choices such as Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren. The presidential campaign was dominated by the issues of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic fallout. A month before the election, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died unexpectedly, leading to the nomination and confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett as her replacement by the sitting President Trump and the Republican-held Senate. The election ended with Biden winning. Trump made numerous false allegations of election fraud and attempted to overturn the election results, but this failed.

=George Floyd protests

= The George Floyd protests are an ongoing series of protests, lootings, riots, and demonstrations against Police brutality in the United States, police brutality and racism in policing. The protests began in the United States in Minneapolis on May 26, 2020, after George Floyd, a 46-year-old African Americans, black man, was murder of George Floyd, murdered by Derek Chauvin, a White Americans, white police officer. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for 8 minutes 46 seconds, almost nine minutes during an arrest the previous day. The unrest George Floyd protests in Minnesota, began as local protests in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota before quickly List of George Floyd protests in the United States, spreading across the entire nation as well as List of George Floyd protests outside the United States, George Floyd protests outside the United States in support of Black Lives Matter. While the majority of protests have been peaceful, demonstrations in some cities descended into riots and widespread looting, with some being marked by street skirmishes and strong police reaction, notably against some peaceful protesters and members of the media. At least 200 cities imposed curfews by 3 June, while at least 27 states and Washington, D.C, activated over 74,000 United States National Guard, National Guard personnel due to the mass unrest. From the beginning of the protests to June 3, at least 11,000 people had been arrested, including all four police officers who were present while Floyd was murdered.

Peru

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru, President Martín Vizcarra, Vizcarra instituted stay-at-home orders and issued relief funds, but existing inequality, overcrowding and a largely informal economy saw Peru being heavily affected by the pandemic. As a result, Peru's gross domestic product declined thirty percent, increasing political pressure on Vizcarra's government. In September 2020, Congress First impeachment process against Martín Vizcarra, opened impeachment proceedings against Vizcarra on grounds of "moral incapacity", accusing him of influence peddling after audio recordings were released by an opposition legislator, but the process did not receive enough votes to remove him from office. On 9 November 2020, the Peruvian Congress Second impeachment process against Martín Vizcarra, impeached Vizcarra a second time, after declaring him "morally incompetent"; he was removed from office. The President of Congress, Manuel Merino, succeeded him as President of Peru the following day. Vizcarra's removal from office was seen as a coup by many Peruvians, political analysts and media outlets in the country, resulting in the beginning of the 2020 Peruvian protests. Following the deaths of protesters, Merino resigned after only five days. The new president chosen by the legislature was Francisco Sagasti, a former World Bank official characterised as a "centrist technocrat". After the 2021 Peruvian general election won by Pedro Castillo, the candidate of the Marxist Free Peru party, runner-up Keiko Fujimori disseminated claims of electoral fraud. Observers from the Inter-American Union of Electoral Organizations, the Organization of American States, and the Progressive International denied any instances of widespread fraud and praised the accuracy of the elections. A letter signed by almost one-hundred retired officers of the Peruvian armed forces was written calling on current military leaders in Peru to refuse recognizing the election of Castillo into the presidency. President Francisco Sagasti condemned the letter, stating: "They want to incite top commanders of the Army, Navy, and Air force to break the rule of law." Since taking office, Castillo distanced himself from Free Peru, adopted more moderate left-wing cabinets and was later described as holding conservative or right-wing political positions. Going through four cabinets in a little over six months and his choice of appointing close acquaintances as officials led to his government facing the most unstable beginning in more than twenty years, with questions arising about his apparent inexperience for office. Following failed impeachment proceeding in December 2021 and March 2022, a transportation union leader who previously cooperated with politicians and businessmen to destabilize Castillo's government helped organize a general strike that expanded into the 2022–2023 Peruvian political protests, 2022 Peruvian protests. On 7 December 2022, President of Peru Pedro Castillo attempted to dissolve Congress of Peru, Congress in the face of imminent Third impeachment of Pedro Castillo, impeachment proceedings by the legislative body because of profiting off of government contracts, immediately enacting a curfew, establishing an emergency government and calling for a constituent assembly. The act was recognized by politicians, the Constitutional Court of Peru and media as a coup d'état, with some comparing it to the ''autogolpe'' of Alberto Fujimori during the 1992 Peruvian self-coup d'état. Numerous members of Castillo's government resigned from their positions shortly after he announced the dissolution of Congress, and the Peruvian Armed Forces also refused to support his actions.

Venezuela

The Crisis in Venezuela and Venezuelan presidential crisis, its presidential crisis continued in 2020. On 5 January, the 2020 Venezuelan National Assembly Delegated Committee election was disputed between Luis Parra and opposition leader Juan Guaidó. On 19 January, Guaidó left Venezuela and arrived in Colombia, planning to meet with Mike Pompeo, as well as traveling to Europe and the United States later. On 26 March, the Department of State declared a $15 million bounty on Nicolás Maduro, as well as $10 million each on Diosdado Cabello, Hugo Carvajal, Clíver Alcalá Cordones and Tareck El Aissami, for charges of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism. Following this, Clíver Alcalá, a former general residing in Colombia, published a video claiming responsibility for a stockpile of weapons and military equipment seized in Colombia. According to Alcalá, he had made a contract with Guaidó and "American advisers" in order to buy weapons to remove Maduro. Alcalá did not present any evidence and Guaidó rejected the allegations. After wishing farewell to his family, Alcalá surrendered to US authorities on 27 March. On 3 May, eight former Venezuelan soldiers were killed and seventeen rebels were Prisoner of war, captured on 3 May, including two American security contractors, after approximately 60 men Macuto Bay raid, landed in Macuto and tried to invade Venezuela. The members of the naval attack force were employed as Private military company, private military contractors by Jordan Goudreau, Silvercorp USA and the operation aimed to depose Maduro from power.

Oceania

Australia

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, COVID-19 pandemic, the National Cabinet (Australia), National Cabinet was established while Australia received praise during 2020 for being one of the few Western countries to successfully suppress the virus, though the slow pace of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout was criticized. In 2021, the country joined the AUKUS security pact amid increased tensions between Australia–China relations, Australia and China The Morrison government was defeated at the 2022 Australian federal election, with Scott Morrison subsequently announcing he would resign as the leader of the Liberal Party.

Kiribati

A 2022 Kiribati constitutional crisis, constitutional crisis began in Kiribati when the Cabinet of Kiribati suspended two of its Judge, Court Justices. Judiciary of Kiribati, High Court Judge David Lambourne was suspended in May 2022 while Judiciary of Kiribati, Chief Justice Bill Hastings (judge), Bill Hastings was suspended on 30 June 2022, both over allegations of misconduct. A court ruling overturned the suspension and subsequent deportation of Lambourne. In response, the government suspended all judges from the Kiribati Court of Appeal on 6 September 2022.

New Zealand

In the 2020 New Zealand general election, the governing New Zealand Labour Party, Labour Party, led by incumbent Prime Minister of New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won the election in a landslide victory against the New Zealand National Party, National Party, led by Judith Collins. It was the first time a New Zealand political party has secured a majority government under the mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) system introduced in 1996. Labour also achieved the highest percentage of the popular vote (49.1%) for any political party since the 1951 New Zealand general election, 1951 general election (where the then-National Party won 54.0% of the popular vote). Labour also achieved its third-highest ever percentage of the popular vote (49.1%) in its political history, surpassed only by its previous Elections in New Zealand, general election victories of 1938 New Zealand general election, 1938 (55.8%) and 1946 New Zealand general election, 1946 (51.3%). Conversely in this election, the National Party obtained the second-lowest ever percentage of the popular vote (26.79%) in its history, second only to the lowest percentage obtained in 2002 New Zealand general election, 2002 (20.93%).

Samoa

A 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis, constitutional crisis began in Samoa on 22 May 2021 when the O le Ao o le Malo (Head of State) Tuimalealiifano Va'aletoa Sualauvi II issued a proclamation purporting to prevent the Legislative Assembly of Samoa from meeting in the wake of the April 2021 Samoan general election. Court rulings had upheld the election results, giving a parliamentary majority to the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party, led by Fiame Naomi Mataʻafa. On 24 May 2021, a makeshift ceremony was held outside of Parliament to swear in Mata'afa as Prime Minister of Samoa, prime minister. On 23 July the Court of Appeal declared that the ceremony was binding and that FAST had been the government since that date.

Solomon Islands

The 2021 Solomon Islands unrest was a series of demonstrations and violent riots in the Solomon Islands, which began on 24 November 2021. Australia responded to the unrest by deploying Australian Federal Police and Australian Defence Force personnel following a request from the Sogavare government under the Australia-Solomon Islands Bilateral Security Treaty.

Vanuatu

Gracia Shadrack, List of speakers of the Parliament of Vanuatu, Vanuatu's speaker, declared in 2021 that the seats of the prime minister Bob Loughman, the deputy prime minister, and 16 other MPs are vacant after they boycott parliament for three days. Supreme Court of Vanuatu Justice Oliver Saksak placed a stay on speaker Gracia Shadrack's vacation of the 18 seats of parliament until a court could formally consider the dispute.

Notes

References

{{2020s in political history, state=expanded 2020s in politics, 2020s-related lists, politics 2020s in international relations 21st century in politics, 2020s decade overviews, Contemporary history