Anti-govt protests turn deadly in Kenya ? Labour Party wins UK election ? Left-wing coalition wins in French election ? Kyiv children's hospital hit
Kenya's continuing anti-government protests turn violent again
At least 270 individuals were arrested by Kenyan police on July 2nd, 2024, after violence broke out during anti-government demonstrations. The death toll has reportedly risen to at least 39, with many more injured. The protests were marked by violence almost from the outset, with protesters throwing stones at police and looters storming businesses. The government responded with force and arrested several high-profile activists and opposition leaders. Contradicting accusation are being made over who holds responsibility for the recent violence. According to the Kenyan police, criminals have been masquerading as protesters, while protesters claim that the violence was the work of ‘goons’ hired by the government to discredit legitimate demonstrations.?
The protests are largely led by young people, who are demanding better living conditions, job opportunities, and an end to corruption. The protests initially started against the Finance Bill that contained new taxes. President William Ruto abandoned the bill after the protesters opposing the bill stormed the parliament on June 25th, 2024, and subsequent violence resulted in dozens being killed. The protesters are now demanding that the police be held accountable for the recent brutality, the implementation of measures against corruption and opposition to budget cuts, as well as Ruto's resignation. The hacktivist group Anonymous recently also claimed responsibility for distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks in support of the protesters, calling on Kenya’s government to allow its citizens to protest freely.?
Some government allies have used the violence to try to discredit the movement, popularly known as Gen Z protests. The movement has been largely organised through social media, with protesters using hashtags such as #RutoMustGo and #KenyaProtests to spread their message. Although some activists behind the protests are reportedly rethinking their strategy due to the outbreak of violence and have called on social media for the planned demonstrations to not to go ahead, the persistence of protests highlights the risk that the Kenyan government may face a protracted protest movement.
?Additional reading
Labour Party wins landslide victory in UK general election
The Labour Party won a landslide victory in the United Kingdom general election on July 4th, 2024, returning to power after 14 years in opposition, with Sir Keir Starmer becoming the new Prime Minister. On July 5th, 2024, the current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced standing down as the leader of Conservative Party. Voter turnout was 60%, the lowest since 2001, and Labour’s victory has been described by some as the most distorted in history, with the party winning 411 or 63.7% of the seats with a vote share of 33.9%. ?
The preliminary results are seen as a significant shift in British politics, with the Labour Party winning its largest majority since the 1990s, securing the party a majority government, and the Conservatives suffering their worst electoral defeat in history, winning only 121 seats. The Liberal Democrats made a significant gain, winning 72 seats and the right-wing Reform UK, led by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, won 5 seats. The Scottish National Party lost 36 seats and Sinn Fein became the largest party from Northern Ireland in the UK Parliament for the first time. Sinn Fein's result could increase pressure for an Irish unity referendum, with the party’s leader, Michelle O'Neill, emphasising the need for a referendum by 2030. The election also saw some unexpected victories, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn winning his Islington North seat as an independent candidate.?
All eyes are now on the Labour Party and the steps it will take to improve the country’s economy, with pledges being made to increase state involvement in the economy, renationalise passenger rail and plans to set up a state-owned energy company. However, the new government will face many challenges as the party’s commitment to reducing public debt within five years and ruling out borrowing to fund growth limits its ability to increase spending. The party has also promised no major tax increases, leaving the new government with little manoeuvring room in the budget. Nevertheless, business leaders from various sectors have expressed optimism and urged the Labour government to prioritise economic growth, with some highlighting the public's rejection of anti-net zero rhetoric, while others have called for stability and support for local businesses. Labour has also spoken about renegotiating the UK’s relationship with the EU; however, the party does not plan to reverse Brexit or re-join the European Union's single market or customs union.
?Additional reading
France's snap election results in an unexpected victory for left-wing coalition
France’s New Popular Front (NFP), a left-wing coalition hastily drawn up for the snap election, emerged as the largest force in the second round of elections on July 7th, 2024, winning 275 seats in the French National Assembly. President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Ensemble came in second with 143 seats, while the National Rally (RN), the far-right party led by party president Jordan Bardella and parliamentary leader Marine Le Pen, finished third with 93 seats. The outcome is a significant shift from the first round of voting, with the RN having hoped to win an absolute majority in the second round. The election has resulted in the country facing a hung parliament – a first for modern France - as none of the parties were able to form an outright majority.?
领英推荐
The NFP, led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, is made up of Mélenchon’s radical France Unbowed, along with Greens, Socialists, Communists, and Trotskyists. Despite the relief of left-wing campaigners, some have expressed concern over the alliance’s ability to govern without disintegrating. The previous leftist coalition, the New Ecological and Social People’s Union (Nupes), only recently fell apart in 2023 over differences on the Israel-Hamas war. It is now also up to the NFP to nominate the next Prime Minister. On July 8th, 2024, current Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced he would resign, but is expected to continue serving in his role for a while longer. Speculations have also emerged about Macron's potential resignation; however, he has not indicated any such intention, despite facing a weakened position in a rare arrangement known as a ‘cohabitation.’?
The outcome is seen as at least a temporary pushback against the ongoing far-right surge in Europe. However, despite the defeat, Le Pen expressed optimism about the future, noting that the RN doubled its number of parliament members, while Jordan Bardella complained that the party had been foiled by unnatural ‘alliances of dishonour.’ Some experts warn that remaining out of power could allow the RN to grow stronger as a protest movement, with recent elections showing a shift towards a more fragmented political landscape in France.
?Additional reading
Children’s hospital in Kyiv among targets of Russian strikes ahead of NATO Summit
On July 8th, 2024, Russia launched multiple strikes against cities across Ukraine. Ukrainian air defence managed to intercept 30 of the 38 missiles, but the remaining eight missiles caused significant casualties and damage. According to Ukrainian officials, at least 38 civilians were killed and 140 injured in the strikes, with targets including the Ohmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv. The strikes occurred a day prior to the NATO summit in Washington commencing, where further support for Ukraine is expected to be a key topic and President Zelensky is expected to request additional military assistance.??
The attack has sparked widespread outrage and has been condemned by numerous international organisations and world leaders. The United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has called it the ‘most depraved of actions’ and a spokesperson for UN Secretary General António Guterres described the attack on the children's hospital ‘particularly shocking.’ At the request of the United States, the UK, France, Ecuador, and Slovenia, the UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on July 9th, 2024, to discuss Russia’s missile attack. At the same time, Russia has denied responsibility for the deaths, with the Russian Ministry of Defence attributing the incident to Ukrainian anti-aircraft missiles – more specifically, the Patriot anti-aircraft systems provided by Ukraine’s Western allies – despite visual evidence suggesting a Russian strike.?
Russia has targeted Ukrainian civilian infrastructure throughout the war, with Ukraine increasingly relying on additional support from its allies to counter such strikes. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a strong response from Western allies following these most recent strikes. During the upcoming NATO Summit, NATO members are expected to pledge at least four additional Patriot batteries to Ukraine at the conclusion of the summit. United States President Joe Biden has already pledged to boost Ukraine’s air defences, referring to the most recent strikes as a ‘horrific reminder of Russia’s brutality.
?Additional reading
Contributors:
For more information, visit silobreaker.com