FROM TRUMP'S RETURN TO GLOBAL POWER SHIFTS: KEY LEADERSHIP CHANGES IN 2024

By Wan Muhammad Aslah Wan Razali and Rohani Mohd Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 (Bernama) -- 2024 was a year of significant leadership transitions across the globe, from Donald Trump’s historic return to the White House in the United States to notable shifts in Asia including Japan, Thailand and Bangladesh.

In the United States, Donald Trump made his way back to the White House after a tumultuous campaign that included surviving two shooting incidents, adding an unprecedented level of intensity to the presidential race.

Trump defeated Democratic candidate and former Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov 5  presidential election. He is set to be inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on Jan 20, 2025.

In preparation for his second term, Trump has moved swiftly by announcing  101 key appointments within just over a month after the election – more than twice the pace of the last three presidential transitions – signalling urgency in tackling pressing issues.

Further announcements are expected in the days leading up to his inauguration.

Japan’s political landscape underwent significant changes in 2024, beginning with the resignation of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in August amid scandals that eroded public trust.

Kishida admitted the controversies had damaged the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) credibility and called for political reform, but mounting pressure forced him to step down despite his earlier commitment to tackle corruption.

Shigeru Ishiba, a non-mainstream LDP member, succeeded Kishida after winning the party’s presidential vote and was sworn in as Prime Minister on Oct 1, but faced criticism for announcing on Sept 30 a snap election to be held on Oct 27, even before his formal appointment.

In the snap general election on Oct 27, the ruling coalition of the LDP and New Komeito lost its overwhelming majority for the first time in over a decade, falling 18 seats short of maintaining control with only 215 seats.

The largest opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), gained 50 seats to 148, while the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin) lost six seats to 38 and the National Democratic Party (NDP) gained 21 seats to 28.

Despite these developments, Japan’s fragmented opposition remains unprepared to unify or challenge the LDP, allowing it to retain power, according to Kazuto Suzuki, Associate Fellow at Chatham House.

In Taiwan, Vice President Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidential race on Jan 13, securing an unprecedented third consecutive term for his party.

This was the first time since Taiwan’s first direct presidential election in 1996 that a candidate won with less than 50 per cent of the vote. It also marked the first instance of a party securing more than two consecutive presidential terms in the nation's history.

Lai’s victory ensured that the DPP would remain in power for a third consecutive term, setting a historic precedent in Taiwan’s democratic process.

In South Korea, in a sudden and dramatic move, President Yoon Suk Yeol on Dec 4 declared martial law in an unscheduled televised address, citing concerns over the opposition Democratic Party's actions and alleged threats from ‘anti-state’ forces linked to North Korea.

This marked the first use of martial law in South Korea since 1979.

The declaration was overturned within hours following backlash from lawmakers and public outrage after military special forces stormed the parliament.

On Dec 14, the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon, suspending him from office.

The Constitutional Court now has six months to decide whether to uphold or overturn Yoon’s impeachment, a decision that will significantly shape South Korea’s political landscape.

In Bangladesh, mass protests against a job quota for Liberation War descendants led to the toppling of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.

Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus was appointed as Chief Adviser in an interim government after Hasina fled to India in August.

Yunus, in an address to the nation in conjunction with the country’s  54th Victory Day, said it may be possible to hold the election by the end of 2025 or early 2026.

Thailand underwent a leadership transition in 2024 as Paetongtarn Shinawatra became the country’s 31st Prime Minister on August 16, succeeding Srettha Thavisin, whose tenure lasted less than a year.

Paetongtarn, a prominent figure from the influential Shinawatra family, assumed office after the Pheu Thai Party secured a significant role in the elections.

On Oct 20, Prabowo Subianto, a former general and leader of the Gerindra Party, assumed office as Indonesia’s 8th president, succeeding Joko Widodo, commonly referred to as Jokowi, who completed his second and final term this year in line with Indonesia's constitutional limit.

The elections held in February set the stage for the leadership transition following Prabowo’s victory.

Singapore welcomed Lawrence Wong as its 4th Prime Minister on May 15, succeeding Lee Hsien Loong.

-- BERNAMA