As 2024 wraps up, the “super year” of elections has left its mark. The United Nations hailed it as a milestone for democracy, with 3.7 billion voters casting ballots in 72 nations. However, the outcomes often raised eyebrows rather than strengthening faith in governance.
In Europe, the year began with the Spitzenkandidat drama – quickly overshadowed by Ursula von der Leyen securing a second term as European Commission president. Her triumph came amid a dramatic rightward shift in European politics. Italy’s Giorgia Meloni emerged as her ally, and the European Parliament welcomed colorful far-right newcomers like Spanish influencer Alvise Pérez and YouTuber Fidias Panayiotou.
Meanwhile, France saw Emmanuel Macron ignite a political firestorm by calling snap elections after his party’s disastrous performance in the European Parliament vote. Across the Channel, the UK chose Labour’s Keir Starmer, whose unremarkable persona somehow signalled change.
Finally, the US brought Donald Trump back to power, sparking concerns over NATO, trade wars, and Ukraine’s fate. Trump has assured supporters they’d never “have to vote again” whilst Democrats indulge in naval gazing to assess how they performed so terribly.
A year of drama, surprises, and power plays – 2024 will be remembered as much for its chaos as its democratic promise.
Ghana - Africa's most stable democracy endures
Ghana’s former President John Dramani Mahama triumphed with 56.5% in the nation’s presidential election, with his principal challenger, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, formally conceding defeat with 41.6%.
“The people of Ghana have spoken; they have chosen change, and we humbly accept their decision,” Bawumia announced during a news conference. His concession brings an end to two terms of governance by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) under President Nana Akufo-Addo, a period marked by one of Ghana’s most severe economic crises in recent history, characterised by soaring inflation and a sovereign debt default. Mahama, who previously held the presidency from July 2012 to January 2017, confirmed he had received Bawumia’s congratulatory call acknowledging his “resounding victory.”
Bawumia disclosed that he had called Mahama, leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to offer his congratulations. “It is unequivocal—the citizens of this country have chosen a new path,” Gyamfi asserted. According to Bawumia, Mahama clinched the presidency “decisively.” The NDC also emerged victorious in the parliamentary elections gaining 45 seats to win 182 to the NPP’s 88 (a fall of 49 seats) – this difference in seats comes after the 2020 parliamentary election when each of the parties won exactly the same number of seats – 137.
Mahama had focused his campaign on a pledge to “reset” Ghana’s trajectory and sought to galvanise support from the nation’s youth. His victory is historically significant, making him the first leader in the Fourth Republic’s three-decade history to regain the presidency after losing it. Since Ghana’s return to multi-party democracy in 1992, political power has alternated between the NPP and NDC with remarkable regularity, underscoring the country’s democratic stability.
Ghana’s economic challenges loomed large over the election. The nation, a major producer of gold and cocoa, grappled with a severe financial crisis involving currency devaluation and debt default, culminating in a $3 billion International Monetary Fund bailout. Mahama, during his campaign, criticised Bawumia as embodying a continuation of the policies that led to this economic turmoil.
Among his campaign commitments, Mahama vowed to renegotiate the IMF bailout terms to alleviate the country’s debt burden. He also proposed tax reforms, a $10 billion infrastructure modernisation plan, a 24-hour triple-shift work system, and measures to streamline business regulations. Mahama also promised to combat corruption by establishing a specialised office to oversee government procurement exceeding $5 million, a practice he identified as a major source of public-sector malfeasance. On social issues, Mahama reaffirmed his support for the controversial anti-LGBTQ bill passed by parliament in February but not yet enacted, a stance that has drawn criticism from international human rights groups.
“This victory underscores that the Ghanaian people demand accountability and results,” he remarked, pledging transformative policies to revive the nation’s economic fortunes and elevate the standard of living. Once again, alongside Somaliland and Mauritius, African democracies preserved their traditions of a peaceful transfer of power – Ghana’s continuation of this has further strengthened the continent’s most stable actors, which is positive as Russia and China further their reach into some of its most unstable.
Croatia - Another case study for EU integration
Croatia’s presidential election pitted incumbent President Zoran Milanović, a left-leaning and polarising figure, against seven contenders, including conservative-backed pediatrician Dragan Primorac. Milanović won 49.2% of the first round vote whilst Primorac, backed by the ruling conservative HDZ party, took 19.4%. Milanović, known for his populist style and criticism of Western military support for Ukraine, was the frontrunner for much of the contest failed to secure an outright victory in the first round meaning a runoff is expected on the 12th of January.
Milanović, a former prime minister and the most popular politician in Croatia, has clashed frequently with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and criticised Croatia’s alignment with NATO and the EU on Ukraine. His controversial stance includes blocking Croatian participation in NATO’s training mission for Ukraine, insisting the country should avoid entanglement in foreign conflicts.
Primorac, supported by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), positioned himself as a unifier but faced challenges from a corruption scandal involving the health minister, which undermined his campaign. Other notable candidates included Marija Selak Raspudić, a conservative independent focusing on economic issues, and Ivana Kekin, a left-green contender who appealed to younger voters with anti-corruption rhetoric.
Though the presidency is largely ceremonial, the race reflected and will continue to showcase the broader political divides in Croatia, highlighting tensions between pro-Western and neutralist approaches to foreign policy.
Georgia - A geopolitical turning point
Read our earlier blog on this election here.
Georgia’s October election has thrust the country into a political and geopolitical crisis, jeopardizing its democratic future and its aspirations for EU and NATO integration. The ruling Georgian Dream Party’s suspension of EU accession talks, justified by claims of EU “blackmail,” has sparked mass protests and internal dissent. This decision is particularly controversial given the public’s strong support for EU membership, enshrined in Georgia’s Constitution as a national objective. Protests have escalated, and the resignation of the Interior Minister highlights divisions within the ruling party.
Opposition leaders, including President Salome Zourabichvili, have declared the government illegitimate, citing alleged election fraud. These claims raise the stakes for the West, which may need to investigate and potentially impose sanctions to counter democratic backsliding.
The crisis extends beyond Georgia’s borders, threatening the strategic balance in the Black Sea region amid Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine. Georgia’s democratic stability is critical to countering Russian influence. Failure by the West to respond decisively risks not only losing Georgia but weakening democratic resolve in neighboring regions.
For Georgians, EU membership symbolizes stability and prosperity, but continued instability risks economic hardship and increased vulnerability to Russian interference. The West must act swiftly to preserve democracy in Georgia and reaffirm its commitment to the region’s democratic aspirations.
2025 looks to be a less congested, yet nevertheless exciting year for elections with high-profile, high-stakes elections taking place in Canada, Belarus, the Philippines, and Germany – where recent polls have showed populist leader of Alternative für Deutschland, Alice Weidel, as the country’s most popular choice for Chancellor. We look forward to bringing you our own analysis of each of these elections (and more!) as they occur.
