Key elections in 2024 shape future leadership amid global tensions

ANKARA

As the world enters 2024, overshadowed by the conflict between Israel and Palestinians and the ongoing war in Ukraine, crucial elections in major countries will determine the leadership of two significant powers – the US and Russia.

In 2024, crucial elections are set to unfold globally, with the US presidential election, Russia's presidential election, and general elections in Pakistan, Taiwan, Finland, and El Salvador. Presidential contests are also anticipated in Romania, Slovakia, and Lithuania.

The 60th US presidential election will take place in November 2024. While President Joe Biden is the expected Democratic nominee, concerns about his age and recent polls showing him trailing former President Donald Trump raise uncertainty.

The US Democratic candidates include President Joe Biden, Marianne Williamson, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., while the Republican field features former President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and the former two-term New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Biden's potential victory at 81 would make him the oldest elected president in US history.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to run for re-election in the March 17, 2024, presidential election. Putin, having submitted candidacy documents as an independent candidate, is poised for certain re-election due to constitutional reforms allowing him to serve two more 6-year terms, potentially extending his rule until 2036.

Despite calls from opposition figure Alexei Navalny to support alternative candidates, Putin's political dominance remains evident since his last re-election in 2018 with 76.69% of the votes.

Scheduled for Feb. 8, 2024, Pakistan's elections will determine the new government for the next five years. Prominent figures like Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Imran Khan (currently imprisoned), and Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman are among the leading candidates. Controversy surrounds Khan's potential exclusion, sparking debate about fair elections.

The last general elections in 2018 led to Imran Khan's government, which was ousted in a vote of no-confidence in 2022, paving the way for Shahbaz Sharif. The interim government, led by Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, assumed office in August 2023.

On Jan. 13, 2024, Taiwanese voters will choose their leader. Candidates include Vice President Lai Ching-te from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih from the main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), and Ko Wen-je, the head of Taiwan People's Party (TPP). Tensions with China, particularly regarding independence, influence voter sentiment, favoring DPP's stance of maintaining the status quo.

Finland, El Salvador, Romania, Slovakia, and Lithuania will also hold presidential elections in 2024. Concerns about the rise of extremism in Europe make these elections particularly noteworthy.