The coming year promises to be full of elections, something unseen since the introduction of universal suffrage in France in 1792, when only men had the right to vote. In 2024, the population of countries where elections are held will reach 4.1 billion people – half the world's population. Multiple voting (presidential, legislative, regional and local elections) is organized in 68 countries. These include the USA, Brazil, Mexico, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Russia and eight of the ten most populous countries in the world.
Bangladesh will open the polls on Sunday, January 7, by calling a general election without any problems as the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, has decided to boycott the vote in protest against the massive repression it is facing . On January 13th, the focus will turn to Taiwan, where the results of the dual presidential and legislative elections will put a heavy strain on future relations between the United States and China.
Indonesia and Pakistan, the world's fourth and fifth most populous countries respectively, will hold their elections in February. Jakarta will elect a new leader, likely Prabowo Subianto, son-in-law of dictator Suharto and current defense minister. Islamabad, for its part, is counting on the general elections to resolve the political crisis that led to the ouster and imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Unsurprisingly, parliamentary elections will take place in India in May, with the Indian People's Party (BJP), the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emerging as the clear winner.
Also read: Article reserved for our subscribers In India, the opposition is being crushed by the steamroller of Narendra Modi's party
This marathon does not mean that a revival of democracy is underway, quite the opposite. Merely voting is no guarantee of a free and fair electoral process. The states that will hold elections in 2024 are very different in size, political systems and influence and will organize them more or less democratically and fairly.
A bus covered with an election sticker depicting Taiwanese presidential candidate Ko Wen-je in Hsinchu, Taiwan, January 4, 2024. CHIANG YING-YING / AP
Tension in the United States
Some are predetermined, others are not. The tension is real in the United States, where the possible return to power of former President Donald Trump, who could face current President Joe Biden in the presidential elections scheduled for November 5, will upset the geopolitical balance and the financial and military Support could dry up for Ukraine.
Ranking of countries according to their political governance
Presidential elections in 2024
General elections in 2024
Local elections in 2024
European elections 2024
Every second voter will go to the polls this year…
… but not all votes will be free and democratic
Presidential elections are taking place in the following countries:
Taiwan (13.01.), Comoros (14.01.), Finland (01/28), El Salvador (4/02),
Azerbaijan (07/02), Indonesia
(14.02.), Dominican Republic (May 19th), Senegal (25.02.), Russia (17.03.),
Ukraine (planned for the end of March, suspended due to the war), Panama (05.05.), Slovakia (date unknown, spring),
Kiribati (date unknown, spring), Lithuania (12.05.), South Africa (date unknown, spring-summer), Iceland (01/06), Mexico (02/06), Mauritania (22.06.),
Rwanda (15.07.), Ri Lanka
(date unknown, first semester), Burkina Faso (first semester, vote uncertain),
Mozambique (09/10), Uruguay (27/10), Tunisia (October), UNITED STATES
(05/11), Palau (12/11),
Moldova (date unknown, autumn), Romania (date unknown, November), Ghana
(07/12),
Guinea Bissau (date unknown, November), Chad (date unknown, before December),
Croatia (date unknown, December), South Sudan (December, election uncertain),
Venezuela (date unknown, second semester), Mali (vote uncertain), Ethiopia (date unknown), Algeria
(date unknown), Namibia (date unknown).
Parliamentary elections will take place in the following countries:
Bangladesh (07/01), Bhutan (09.01.), Taiwan (13.01.), Tuvalu (01/21), Great Britain (date unknown, beginning of the year), El Salvador (04/02), Pakistan (08/02), Indonesia (14.02.), Belarus (25/2), Iran
(01/03), Portugal (10/3), Go (date unknown, first semester), South Korea (10/4), Solomon Islands (17.04.), Panama (05.05.), India (between April and May), Kiribati (date unknown, spring),
South Africa (date unknown, spring-summer), Belgium (09/06), Mongolia (June 28th), North Macedonia (date unknown, July), Croatia (date unknown, before September), Botswana (date unknown, before October), Lithuania (06.10.), Mozambique (09/10), Georgia (26/10), Uruguay (27/10), Austria
(date unknown, before November), UNITED STATES (05/11), Palau (12/11), Mauritius (30/11), Romania
(date unknown, November), Ghana (07/12), San Marino (date unknown, December), Chad (date unknown), Namibia (date unknown), South Sudan (December, election uncertain),
Madagascar (date unknown, first semester), Uzbekistan (date unknown), Jordan (date unknown).
Local elections take place in the following countries:
Dominican Republic (18.02.), Türkiye (31.03.), Australia (from March to October), Malta (08/06),
Somalia (June 30th), Mozambique (09/10), Brazil (06/10), Madagascar (date unknown, first semester),
Romania (date unknown, November), green cap (date unknown).
European elections
Almost every five years 400 million voters Europeans are called upon to renew Parliament and will go to the polls the 27 member states :
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden.
Infographic The World
Sources: Interparliamentary Union; National Democratic Institute; The Great Continent, AFP, Le Monde
There is also tension in Europe, where June's European Parliament elections could lead to a rise in the populist and Eurosceptic far right. Change is also possible in South Africa, where the African National Congress, in power since the end of apartheid, is in danger of losing its majority.
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