#Winners and #Losers: The Fourth Is With You

The Week in Resignations

Winner: Slovakia Prime Minister Robert Fico—following the brutal murder of a Slovak journalist (and his wife) investigating political corruption that touched off nationwide protests, Fico resigned this week to keep his coalition government in place, a strategic play to avoid the worst of the political storm coming. But Fico doesn’t plan to leave politics anytime soon—“I want to be an active chairman of a political party.” Good for Fico, not so good for Slovakia. #FicoNotQuiteFinito 

Loser: Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar—fed up with problematic coalition partners, trade unions, and Slovenian courts that kept obstructing a crucial railway investment project, Cerar resigned his post this week. His bold move would have had more resonance though had his party not been trailing in the polls with just three months left to go until elections. #UntilTheBitterAlmostEnd

The Week in Fourth Attempts

Winner: Russian President Vladimir Putin—the Russian economy may be stalling out, Moscow may have bit off more than it can chew in Syria, the UK government may have just ratcheted up a diplomatic crisis, Mueller may be closing in on the most pro-Russia president in US history… and Putin is still about to win his fourth-term this weekend after one of the most lackluster campaigns in recent memory. #ItsGoodToBeThePutin

Loser: German Chancellor Angela Merkel—officially reupped as Chancellor again this week. Everybody knows this cycle will be much tougher, and yet Merkel soldiers on. Too bad it’s the next four years that will come to define her legacy. #UntilTheBitterestEnd

The Week in United Airlines And Dogs

Winner: Dogs sent to Japan—United accidently sent a dog going to Missouri to Japan this week; he was then flown back on a United corporate jet. To be fair, there are worse places to be sent. #LostInTransition

Loser: Dogs sent to heaven—case in point; the dog that died this week when its owner was forced to store him in the overhead compartment on orders of a United flight attendant. #RuffWeek

The Week in Bailing Out Royals

Winner: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—how do you consolidate political power while simultaneously boosting government revenues? By locking up royal family members in a Ritz Carlton and roughing them up until they give up billions in exchange for their freedoms, as reported by press outlets this week. #ReallyToughLove

Loser: UK Prime Minister Theresa May—as part of May’s retaliations against Moscow after the suspicious death of an ex-Russian spy on British soil, May announced that no British royals—or ministers, for that matter—will go to the World Cup in Russia this summer. Moscow must be devastated. #TakeThatBoris #WhichOne

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Ian Bremmer is president of Eurasia Group, foreign affairs columnist at TIME and Global Research Professor at New York University. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.