[BostonCard]

Jacinda Ardern's party was re-elected with the first outright majority in nearly thirty years.

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/17/924934728...y-in-decad

One may criticize New Zealand's policy for overdoing it and imposing an overly onerous lockdown in an attempt to stamp out community transmission entirely, and the New Zealand economy has suffered, with GDP declining 13.6% in the first half of the year (though, as a country that gets a $40 billion in revenue from tourism, out of an economy of $200 billion, there was no way the country was going to make it through unscathed).  But, New Zealanders seem to have approved of the policy, and are returning the government to power with an absolute majority.

We will, of course, get to see how voters react to other countries in due time:

• The US election is a few weeks away
  
• The German election is next year; Angela Merkel isn't running
  
• The next Japanese election will also be in 2021, with Suga Yoshihida, who took over from Abe Shinzo after Abe resigned due to worsening health, will face voters for the first time
  
• The French presidential election should be in 2022, unless he rights the ship, I'm guessing Macron will be in trouble (he was already unpopular, and has not handled COVID-19 well)
  
• Sweden also goes to the polls in 2022.  I will be very interested to see how Swedes react to their government's policies.  Opinion polls show that most Swedes agree with the relative laissez faire policy, even though Swden's mortality rate is among the highest in Europe.  I think this goes to show that government competence in executing a well-articulated, well-executed policy is more important than the specific policy.
  
• The next Spanish election is in 2023, unless the government falls or calls new elections before then
  
• The next Italian election should also be in 2023
  
• The UK just had a parliamentary election in December, so its next election won't be scheduled until 2024 (due to the fixed Parliaments act, it would be difficult, but not impossible to have an election earlier)
  
• Israel also just had an election late last year, and its next election would also be in 2024, though the coalition governing Israel may break up well before then
  
• Taiwan had an election shortly before COVID-19, and Tsai-Ing Wen was comfortably re-elected; the next Taiwanese election will also be in 2024
  
• South Korea had an election during COVID-19 (in April no less, that's how well they handled it), and the ruling Democratic party gained 57 seats
  

At least in Democracies, the people will be able to hold their leaders to account for their COVID-19 performance (and its aftermath).

BC

[BostonCard]

Jacinda Ardern's party was re-elected with the first outright majority in nearly thirty years.

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/17/924934728...y-in-decad

One may criticize New Zealand's policy for overdoing it and imposing an overly onerous lockdown in an attempt to stamp out community transmission entirely, and the New Zealand economy has suffered, with GDP declining 13.6% in the first half of the year (though, as a country that gets a $40 billion in revenue from tourism, out of an economy of $200 billion, there was no way the country was going to make it through unscathed).  But, New Zealanders seem to have approved of the policy, and are returning the government to power with an absolute majority.

We will, of course, get to see how voters react to other countries in due time:

• The US election is a few weeks away
  
• The German election is next year; Angela Merkel isn't running
  
• The next Japanese election will also be in 2021, with Suga Yoshihida, who took over from Abe Shinzo after Abe resigned due to worsening health, will face voters for the first time
  
• The French presidential election should be in 2022, unless he rights the ship, I'm guessing Macron will be in trouble (he was already unpopular, and has not handled COVID-19 well)
  
• Sweden also goes to the polls in 2022.  I will be very interested to see how Swedes react to their government's policies.  Opinion polls show that most Swedes agree with the relative laissez faire policy, even though Swden's mortality rate is among the highest in Europe.  I think this goes to show that government competence in executing a well-articulated, well-executed policy is more important than the specific policy.
  
• The next Spanish election is in 2023, unless the government falls or calls new elections before then
  
• The next Italian election should also be in 2023
  
• The UK just had a parliamentary election in December, so its next election won't be scheduled until 2024 (due to the fixed Parliaments act, it would be difficult, but not impossible to have an election earlier)
  
• Israel also just had an election late last year, and its next election would also be in 2024, though the coalition governing Israel may break up well before then
  
• Taiwan had an election shortly before COVID-19, and Tsai-Ing Wen was comfortably re-elected; the next Taiwanese election will also be in 2024
  
• South Korea had an election during COVID-19 (in April no less, that's how well they handled it), and the ruling Democratic party gained 57 seats
  

At least in Democracies, the people will be able to hold their leaders to account for their COVID-19 performance (and its aftermath).

BC

[chrisk]

Taiwan’s next election will be held in January 2024. Taiwan has a limit of 2 consecutive terms so Tsai Ing-wen will not be able to run again. The DPP Green Party lost to the KMT in 2008 after their first 8 years in power, before regaining power in 2016.

They have done a good job of keeping COVID off the island, but they cannot insulate themselves from the economic struggles of the West. Ironically, that makes its relationship with its political adversary China, which has also been successful vs COVID but on a much larger scale, even more important.

[chrisk]

Taiwan’s next election will be held in January 2024. Taiwan has a limit of 2 consecutive terms so Tsai Ing-wen will not be able to run again. The DPP Green Party lost to the KMT in 2008 after their first 8 years in power, before regaining power in 2016.

They have done a good job of keeping COVID off the island, but they cannot insulate themselves from the economic struggles of the West. Ironically, that makes its relationship with its political adversary China, which has also been successful vs COVID but on a much larger scale, even more important.