Week 41
Accredited to the author.

Week 41

This week, right now. Week 41 (8 - 15 October)

Keeping you up to date on global affairs. Every Sunday. In under a few minutes.

International

Europe

  • Today's Polish elections might shift the country's trajectory towards that of Hungary. Poland stands at a pivotal juncture with its upcoming parliamentary elections, evident in the stark contrast between the Civic Coalition's "March of a Million Hearts" in Warsaw and the simultaneous rally by the ruling populist party, Law and Justice (PiS), in Katowice. While the Civic Coalition, led by Donald Tusk, calls for national unity, PiS projects them as traitors, underscoring Tusk's supposed affiliations with Germany and Russia. Since 2015, PiS has exhibited a mix of right-wing cultural stances and left-leaning social welfare policies, demonstrating a political polarisation reminiscent of the U.S. and U.K. Their strategies ahead of the elections are marked by economic incentives and a controversial referendum, emphasising their intent to secure a third term. Significantly, PiS's rural-centric strategies, especially concerning grain exports and Ukraine relations, highlight their appeal to their primary base, contrasting the urban centres which lean towards the Civic Coalition. If PiS retains power, Poland may edge closer to an illiberal democracy, mirroring Hungary's trajectory under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the former Polish Prime Minister openly expressed his admiration for his Hungarian counterpart. “Viktor Orbán has demonstrated that in Europe things are possible," Kaczynski remarked in 2016. "You have given an example, and we are learning from your example.” Author Moises Naim encapsulates this aptly: “Autocracy spreads imitation."
  • The EU and U.S. are uniting against heavily subsidized steel and aluminium mills from "non-market economies", predominantly targeting China. Stemming from trade tensions initiated by former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018, this collaboration seeks to protect both parties from China's surging production - the world's largest producer. An interim proposal suggests tariffs that echo Trump's 2018 rates: 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium imports. However, the initiative's alignment with World Trade Organization norms is questionable due to its discriminatory nature. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen leans towards bolstering ties with Washington against Beijing ("Decouple, not de-risk.") Meanwhile, EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell's China visit aims to directly address trade imbalances and enhance transparency and reciprocity in bilateral trade relations, next to tensions over topics like Taiwan, human rights and the war in Ukraine.

Must see/read

Amidst rising conflicts, some reports suggest that as many as 32 nations, encompassing 3.2 billion residents in conflict zones, are presently at war. As a result, military terminology can sometimes be challenging to decipher. Thankfully, The Economist offers an A to Z guide on military terms to assist.

Until next week Sunday! Thank you for reading.



Michael Araujo

Professor of Business at SUNY Dutchess Community College

1 å¹´

I enjoy reading your work Daniel. FYI, your dad and I went to a Boston area college together back in 1983! I last visited him when he was studying in Washington DC.

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