Election year may prove worst yet in Venezuela

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Policy ◽  
Presidential Election ◽  
Socialist Party ◽  
The Political ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Holiday Period ◽  
Political Left ◽  
The Government

Significance The government is facing increasingly bitter schisms within the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) as it goes into a presidential election year. The holiday period saw street protests from traditionally loyal constituencies amid intensifying food and medical shortages. November inflation reportedly reached 56.7%, with accumulated eleven-month inflation estimated at 1,370.0%. Impacts There is little to unify the PSUV’s disparate constituencies, opening the prospect of intense conflict on the political left. Grassroots protests indicate dissatisfaction but not necessarily disaffection with the government. Despite a hyperinflationary spiral, no immediate change in economic policy is expected.

Political crisis threatens Brazil's tentative recovery

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Presidential Election ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Class ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Company ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Government

Significance The requests are based on plea bargains from former executives of construction company Odebrecht. While the names in ‘Janot’s list’ have not been disclosed, several of them have leaked to the media. They include six ministers in the government of President Michel Temer, two former presidents, ten state governors, and the heads of both houses of Congress. If confirmed, this would make the list a potent bombshell for the Brazilian political class. Impacts The corruption scandal looks set to disrupt next year’s presidential election. Politicians’ disdain for accountability will fuel outrage with the political class. The ground could be fertile for a candidate claiming to be an ‘outsider’.

Weak economy compounds Moldovan political instability

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Presidential Election ◽  
Political Instability ◽  
The Political ◽  
Substantial Influence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Presidential Candidates ◽  
The Government

Significance Economic weakness plus popular resentment of an elite seen as corrupt creates potential for mass demonstrations by pro- and anti-EU factions. Russia's importance as an economic partner is waning but it retains substantial influence through sympathetic political parties. A presidential election this October will be coloured by the unresolved bank fraud scandal, which has created a gulf between the political establishment and the electorate. Impacts Mainstream politicians will be find it hard to shake off perceived links to corruption. Prominent figures, whether oligarchs or pro-Russian politicians, may therefore avoid standing as presidential candidates. Lack of systemic reforms is a constraint on Moldova's ability to engage with EU economies. Domestic turmoil makes the government less likely to challenge Transnistria, which will remain a conduit for Russian pressure.

Greece’s political and economic prospects are fragile

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Policy ◽  
Sovereign Debt ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Private Investment ◽  
The Political ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Situation ◽  
Privatisation Programme ◽  
European Stability Mechanism ◽  
The Government

Significance Thus ends eight years of economic policy oversight by the ECB, European Stability Mechanism and IMF, in exchange for some 275 billion euros (315 billion dollars) in soft loans. To obtain authorisation for the final disbursement, the government had to agree to what amounted to an unofficial fourth package of reforms without further financial assistance. Impacts Markets will demand a premium to purchase Greek sovereign debt until economic policy crystallises and the political situation clarifies. An increase in the minimum wage and the restoration of collective bargaining could revive private consumption. Private investment will depend on the availability of foreign direct investment for the privatisation programme.

Politics will undermine Algerian economic policy

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Policy ◽  
Central Bank ◽  
The Political ◽  
Economic Policies ◽  
Foreign Exchange Reserves ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Struggles ◽  
International Borrowing ◽  
The Government ◽  
Central Bank Governor

Subject The effect of the sacking of the central bank governor. Significance The Algerian cabinet decided on May 31 to replace the long-serving governor of the central bank, Mohammed Laksaci, with Mohammed Loukal, the CEO of the government-owned Exterior Bank of Algeria. The cabinet did not explain the decision, which was issued in the name of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, but the governor had come under criticism from political figures because of the sharp depreciation of the Algerian dinar, and the erosion of foreign exchange reserves. Impacts Loukal will come under pressure to ease import controls, while defending the dinar. Given weak external accounts, further depreciation of the dinar on the black market is likely, along with further erosion of reserves. The government will soon need to resort to international borrowing, which will bring fresh scrutiny of its economic policies. The central bank governor sacking is most likely related to the political struggles within the establishment on who will succeed Bouteflika.

Albania will try harder to meet EU calls for reform

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
Socialist Party ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
The Political ◽  
Gdp Growth ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eu Integration ◽  
Slow Progress ◽  
The Government ◽  
Made In

Significance The Council’s move reflected, inter alia, the slow progress made in the reform of Albania’s judiciary. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Edi Rama’s ruling Socialist Party (PS) says it is still intent on impeaching President Ilir Meta and the opposition continues to call for early elections. Impacts The EU’s decision will probably prompt the government to be more accommodating towards Meta and the opposition. As the process of EU integration slows, Albania will forge closer ties with neighbours. Uncertainty over Albania’s EU prospects and the political crisis will hurt GDP growth, which in January-June was the slowest in four years.

Internal splits will hold back rising Polish far right

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Presidential Election ◽  
The Political ◽  
Far Right ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Law ◽  
Law And Justice ◽  
The Government ◽  
Political Scene

Subject The rise of the far right in Poland. Significance The Law and Justice (PiS) government initially tried to work with far-right organisations to increase its own support. However, the recent political successes of the far-right Confederation coalition are making PiS see it as more and more of a threat. Impacts The political scene in Poland will become ever more polarised in coming years, with the far right benefiting the most. As PiS turns towards a more moderate, modernising conservatism, radicals will agitate against the government becoming too centrist. Incumbent Andrzej Duda has PiS backing for next May’s presidential election, which could reveal shifts in party strengths.

Pandemic may drive new wealth taxes in Latin America

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Social Welfare ◽  
The Political ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Latin Americans ◽  
Tax Revenues ◽  
Wealth Tax ◽  
The Government ◽  
Political Spectrum ◽  
Tax Cuts

Significance The region’s current tax and spending policies redistribute very little. The COVID-19 pandemic brought a deep and persistent recession, despite new spending, tax cuts and monetary easing aimed at limiting the damage. In December, the government of Argentina, which was particularly hard hit, passed a temporary (and additional) net wealth tax on the very richest households. Impacts OECD-led transparency efforts offer the long-sought possibility of taxing the foreign assets of wealthy Latin Americans. The pandemic will increase both existing inequalities and the need for tax revenues to finance social welfare and stimulus spending. Efforts to strengthen tax collection more broadly will likely be undertaken by governments across the political spectrum.

scholarly journals A turbulent time: government sources post-2016 presidential election

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-142
Author(s):  
Alicia Kubas
Keyword(s):  
Presidential Election ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
The Political ◽  
Government Information ◽  
Political Climate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
2016 Election ◽  
Democrats And Republicans ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose Since the 2016 presidential election, hyper-partisanship has become a regular facet of the political landscape with Democrats and Republicans in increasing conflict. The purpose of this paper is to determine if perception of government sources related to trust and credibility has changed since the 2016 election and if the experiences and strategies of librarians who teach or consult about government information has changed in response to this environment. Design/methodology/approach A 24-question survey was distributed to garner qualitative and quantitative responses from librarians who teach or consult about government information in an academic environment. A total of 122 responses were used for analysis. Findings Academic librarians are seeing more concern from patrons about disappearing online government information and wider distrust of government information. Librarians also noticed that the political leanings of students color their perspective around government sources and that librarians also need to keep their political beliefs in check. Respondents emphasized a need for more government literacy and information literacy topics when discussing evaluation of government sources. Research limitations/implications The data collection only included responses from academic librarians. Further research could include in-depth interviews and look at experiences in various library types. Originality/value With the timeliness of this topic, there has not been an in-depth investigation into how the Trump administration has changed user trust and perception of government sources from the librarian’s point of view. This paper continues the conversation about how librarians can address the growing distrust of government information and give us insight into the effects of a turbulent political climate on government sources.

scholarly journals Politics is making us sick: The negative impact of political engagement on public health during the Trump administration

PLoS ONE ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. e0262022
Author(s):  
Kevin B. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Presidential Election ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Political Engagement ◽  
The Political ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Political Left ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Significant Health ◽  
Trump Administration

Objectives To quantify the effect of politics on the physical, psychological, and social health of American adults during the four-year span of the Trump administration. Methods A previously validated politics and health scale was used to compare health markers in nationally representative surveys administered to separate samples in March 2017 (N = 800) and October 2020 (N = 700). Participants in the 2020 survey were re-sampled approximately two weeks after the 2020 election and health markers were compared to their pre-election baselines. Results Large numbers of Americans reported politics takes a significant toll on a range of health markers—everything from stress, loss of sleep, or suicidal thoughts to an inability to stop thinking about politics and making intemperate social media posts. The proportion of Americans reporting these effects stayed stable or slightly increased between the spring of 2017 and the fall of 2020 prior to the presidential election. Deterioration in measures of physical health became detectably worse in the wake of the 2020 election. Those who were young, politically interested, politically engaged, or on the political left were more likely to report negative effects. Conclusions Politics is a pervasive and largely unavoidable source of chronic stress that exacted significant health costs for large numbers of American adults between 2017 and 2020. The 2020 election did little to alleviate those effects and quite likely exacerbated them.

Rothschilds’ “Delicate and Difficult Task”: Reputation, Political Instability, and the Brazilian Rescue Loans of the 1890s

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 381-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
LEONARDO WELLER
Keyword(s):  
Economic Policy ◽  
Sovereign Debt ◽  
Debt Crisis ◽  
Political Instability ◽  
The State ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Situation ◽  
Brazilian Government ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Relationship

The London House of Rothschild depended on Brazil to maintain its reputation. This became a problem in the 1890s, when the Brazilian government almost defaulted on its sovereign debt after a change of regime had made politics unstable and economic policy unorthodox. This article shows how the relationship between the bank and the state developed to the point that Rothschilds was forced to rescue its client. Exposure enabled Brazil to implement policies designed to defend the regime at the expense of payment capacity without defaulting. The debt crisis ended only after the political situation stabilized toward the close of the century, when the bank pressured the government to tighten economic policy.

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