This week saw three notable elections occurring, all with varying levels of importance for the Four Pillars.
Labour has won the UK general election. Although not a formal member of the EU anymore (and Bre-enter does not seem to be a plausible policy as of now), a UK on the rebound is good for strengthening the Pillar of Europe (they are still a NATO member after all). Keir Starmer and the new cabinet is also continuing on the strong support for Ukraine since the invasion began. A reinvigorated UK from the lost decade would be a key in maintaining the rules-based order around the world.
Macron called the French parliamentary elections early, in a major gamble that could hand a gift to the far-right, which sought to disrupt cooperation and collaboration within the EU and also abroad (read: with regards to the Four Pillars). The first round forecasted that the gamble failed, but after the run-off, it seems that Macron was vindicated – RN and Marine Le Pen fell to third in the voting. This is good for continued cooperation of the Pillars, and further French and European support for Ukraine, as Macron recently has been a major advocate in regional and international security. The full implications of this outcome is still yet to crystalize though.
Iran now has a new president, replacing the now-deceased Ibrahim Raisi. A supposed reformer, it is to be seen if this is a real reformist turn, or faux platitudes by the state. Since the Green Movement in the country, voter turnout has been decreasing, a marker of illegitimacy of the authoritarian and theocratic state – the voice of the public is not represented in government. It is to be seen how this will affect relations between Iran and its allies and rivals – most likely not very impactful.
Article of the week – What NATO Means to the World [Foreign Affairs]
