As 2024 comes to an end, some geo-political realities remain the same from the previous year. Palestine is still under seige from Israel and the Russia-Ukraine war continues. Some nations, however, have effected changes, electing new heads of state and ushering in new diplomatic ties.

The stage is set for further changes in 2025. In December, South Korea impeached its President Yoon Suk-Yeol, and soon after, Prime Minister and acting President Han Duck-Soo. Meanwhile, Bangladesh is likely to hold fresh elections in 2025 (or early 2026), following the completion of reforms under the interim government headed by Prof. Muhammed Yunus.

We take a look at the results of some of 2024’s significant elections in Asia.

Bangladesh

At the start of the year, Bangladesh seemed poised to maintain status quo. The Bangladesh Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, won the election, notching up 224 of the 300 seats up for grabs in the 350-member Parliament. Among the rest, 62 independents reportedly close to the Awami League were also elected. Ms. Hasina won a fourth consecutive term, and was sworn as the Prime Minister on January 11, 2024.

The results of the election, however, were not accepted by all. The previous term had been marred by arrests of senior opposition leaders and the arbitrary detention of thousands of political activists. Accusations of fraud and electoral irregularities made the rounds. Several opposition parties boycotted the elections, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by ex- Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. The elections saw a low turnout, at 41.8%.

Given these factors, the Hasina government was not to last. Student protests against Ms. Hasina intensified after the election, and on August 5, Sheikh Hasina fled the country as protestors advanced towards her official residence.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus was selected as the chief adviser of the new interim government and was sworn in on August 8, 2024 at an oath taking ceremony administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin.

Prof. Yunus will lead the caretaker government, backed by military, till fresh elections are held in the country; these are expected to take place in 2025 or early 2026. Prof. Yunus has said that no elections will take place before proposed reforms to clean the system are complete, but political parties are pressing for an early completion of these reforms.

Also read:BNP grows restless as Yunus’ reform agenda pushes Bangladesh parliamentary election to 2026

Bhutan

On January 9, 2024, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), led by former Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, won the general election, winning 30 of the 47 seats in the National Assembly. The Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP), a new party led by Pema Chewang, won the remaining seats, becoming the opposition party. On January 28, 2024, Mr. Tobgay was sworn in for his second term in office. (The leader of the largest party in the National Assembly is appointed Prime Minister by the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck).

PDP’s campaign centred on economic recovery, infrastructure development, and providing a boost to the private sector. Along similar lines, BTP campaigned for “a vibrant and prosperous Bhutan” through a robust private sector, effective and strong local governance, and establishing the Bhutan Idea and Innovation Bank.

Bhutan has been facing an economic downturn, with the average economic growth in the past five years standing at 1.6% and the tourism sector struggling post the pandemic. Youth unemployment has been at a record high, standing at 28.6% in 2022 per the National Statistics Bureau (NSB).

Taiwan

In Taiwan, Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party won in a national election held on January 13, 2024. The elections took place under the watchful gaze of China, which considers the island a part of its territory. Lai Ching-te’s commitment to defend the island from “intimidation” from China has raised concerns about a possible military response, especially involving the U.S., which provides Taiwan with military hardware and technology under a security pact.

India

Narendra Modi returned for a record third term as Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy and most populous nation, riding high on nationalist Hindutva ideology in a year that saw the consecretion ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayoydhya. However, the results were not the whopping “400+” that the Bharatiya Janata Party had sought. The party lost its parliamentary majority and formed a government with the support of allies Telugu Desam Party and Janata Dal (United.) While the BJP-led NDA won 291 seats, the newly formed Congress-led INDIA bloc won 234 seats. The Lok Sabha now has a Leader of Opposition in the form of Rahul Gandhi, after a two-term vacancy.

Palau

In a national election held on November 5, 2024, Palau re-elected incumbent president Surangel Whipps Jr for his second term. Mr. Whipps Jr reportedly won 5,626 votes, defeating his brother-in-law Tommy Remengesau, who received 4,103 votes.

Palau, which has a population of 18,000, is spread across an archipelago between the Philippines and Guam. The Melanesian microstate has a population of 18,000 and is one of the few countries that diplomatically recognises Taiwan, making it of strategic importance.

Tuvalu

Lawmakers in the Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu selected Feleti Teo as its new prime minister in February 2024, four weeks after its general elections. Reports state that he is the first Tuvaluan prime minister to be nominated unopposed. He ousted pro-Taiwan leader Kausea Natano, fueling speculations that Tuvalu, one of the few countries which formally recognises Taiwan, might consider severing these ties and establishes relations with China.

Pakistan 

Pakistan held national elections on February 8 amid sporadic violence, a countrywide mobile phone shutdown, and allegations of rigging. The elections took place as former PM Imran Khan and the top leadership of his Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party remained in jail and protests continued in his support. Mr. Khan, presently serving a three-year jail term for corruption, earlier wrote in The Economist that the election could be a “farce” after the Election Commission of Pakistan rejected his candidature along with his senior party colleagues.

After a long delay in the vote count, independents aligned with former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won the majority, notching up over the 100 seats in the 336-member National Assembly, followed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). No party won an outright majority, although PML-N emerged as the largest parliamentary party with 75 seats.

On 3 March, the National Assembly approved a new coalition government led by Mr. Sharif (PML-N), supported by PPPP, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM (P)), Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), Pakistan Muslim League (Zia) (PML (Z)), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), and National Party (NP).

Indonesia

Indonesia held presidential and legislative polls on February 14 amid concerns of corruption, vote buying, lack of opposition representation in the parliament and a decline of democracy under President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo.

The election was won by former Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, son-in-law of ex-President Suharto and a former special forces commander dismissed on chargest of human rights abuse. His running mate was Mr. Jokowi’s son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who was allowed by an Indonesian court to run for the vice presidency despite not meeting the minimum age requirement.

Iran

Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian won Iran’s runoff presidential election on July 6, 2024, defeating hard-liner Saeed Jalili. A vote count offered by authorities put Mr. Pezeshkian as the winner with 16.3 million votes to Jalili’s 13.5 million.

Mr. Pezeshkian promised no radical changes to Iran’s Shiite theocracy in his campaign and has long held that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will continue to be the final arbiter on all matters in the nation. His poll platform included a promise for closer ties with the West and easing the enforcement of the country’s mandatory headscarf law after years of sanctions and protests.

Sri Lanka

The ruling alliance led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the National People’s Power (NPP) secured a landslide win in Sri Lanka’s November 14 general elections, shattering records of strong governments of the past and making history in regions of the island dominated by ethnic minorities.

The NPP won 159 of the 225 seats in the House, thus gaining a two-thirds majority. This was followed by the Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB or United People’s Force) which won 40 seats. The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, the party of the powerful Rajapaksas, only managed to win three seats, a steep fall from the 145 it had won in the 2020 general elections.

Japan

On November 11, 2024, Japan’s parliament re-elected Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. This followed even as the governing coalition comprised of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner Komeito, suffered its worst election loss in more than a decade, losing their majority in the 465-seat Lower House, in the October 27 election. The party suffered due to continued voter outrage over financial misconduct by Mr. Ishiba’s party.

Mr. Ishiba refused to step down post the loss, expressing his willingness to cooperate with additional coalition partners for greater stability and achieving his policy targets. He faces an opposition led by Yoshihiko Noda of the Liberal Democratic Party.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election roadshow in Kanpur on May 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

The 2024 was a year marked by elections around the world. Close to 60 countries conducted their parliamentary or presidential elections, with some re-electing incumbent governments and others signalling a desire for change. From Narendra Modi coming back to power for a third term albeit without a majority to Donald Trump’s forceful comeback as the 47th President of the U.S., here is a look at a few significant elections from around the world.

India

It was the third straight win for Mr. Modi and the BJP when the results of the General election were announced on June 4. However, the BJP lost its parliamentary majority and became dependent on its allies. The BJP-led NDA won 291 seats against the Congress-led INDIA bloc’s 234 seats.  Mr. Modi rode on nationalist agendas fuelled by the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, among others. 

Pakistan

Shehbaz Sharif on March 3 became the Prime Minister of Pakistan for a second time to lead a coalition government after he comfortably won a majority in the newly-elected Parliament. Mr. Sharif was the consensus candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party. Mr. Sharif played a key role in keeping together a coalition for 16 months after the Parliament voted former Premier and rival Imran Khan out of office in 2022, and in securing a last gasp International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal in 2023. With the PML-N and PPP coalition winning a comfortable victory, Mr. Sharif was chosen as PM while PPP chief Asif Ali Zardari – widower of ex-PM Benazir Bhutto – was elected President, for the second time.

United States of America

Former President and Republican Donald Trump made a forceful comeback as he won a second term in office on November 6. He defeated Vice-President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, and will take charge on January 20, 2025. Mr. Trump won 292 Electoral College votes and Ms. Harris 224. His new term will likely see a major shift in domestic and foreign policy and transform the functioning of various American institutions. It was a major comeback for a President who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection in the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges, and survived two assassination attempts.

United Kingdom

On July 5, Britain‘s Labour Party came to power with a landslide victory. Labour leader Keir Starmer became Prime Minister, replacing Rishi Sunak and ending 14 years of Conservative rule. Labour won 410 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons while the Conservatives secured 118. Mr. Starmer pledged to start a period of “national renewal”. Mr. Starmer’s recurring defence has been that Brexit, the COVID pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war and the disastrous policies of the Tory government that had completely destroyed the nation’s economic progress. Mr. Starmer stood for the leadership race with an agenda of 10 key pledges.

South Africa

In the parliamentary elections held on May 29, Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress lost its majority for the first time since the end of the apartheid, though it managed to form a coalition government. The ANC’s vote share stood at 42.3%, with the pro-business Democratic Alliance at 26.3% and the Marxist Economic Freedom Fighters at 8.1%. Even though the ANC lost the majority, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was re-elected by lawmakers for a second term on June 14, after his party struck a dramatic late coalition deal with a former political foe just hours before the vote. The deal, referred to as a government of national unity, brings the ANC together with the DA, a white-led party that had been the main opposition and the fiercest critic of the ANC for years.

Iran

Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian won Iran’s Presidential election on July 6, after snap polls had to be held following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19. Mr. Pezeshkian promised no radical changes to Iran’s Shia theocracy in his campaign and has long held Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the final arbiter of all matters of state in the country. But Mr. Pezeshkian’s win still sees Iran at a delicate moment, with tensions high in West Asia over the Israel-Hamas war, Iran’s advancing nuclear programme, and the rise of Donald Trump would affect the relations between Tehran and Washington.

France

Snap polls called by President Emmanuel Macron resulted in a hung parliament in France. Mr. Macron had called for polls three years ahead of schedule in a bid to reshape the political landscape. However, the results placed his centrist alliance second, with the Left alliance gaining the most number of seats in Parliament. The far right party, National Rally headed by Marine Le Pen, won more seats than ever before, but was still behind Mr. Macron’s party and the Left coalition. The New Popular Front— formed after elections were announced — brought the previously deeply divided Socialists, Greens, Communists and the hard-left France Unbowed together. Mr. Macron appointed Michel Barnier as the Prime Minister on September 5, but he was forced to resign when a vote of no-confidence was passed against him due to budget disputes. It was the first successful no-confidence vote in the country since 1962. He was replaced by François Bayrou on December 12.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka conducted presidential and parliamentary elections for the first time after the country plunged into an economic crisis in 2022. Left leader and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake was elected the country’s ninth executive president, after the September Presidential polls that saw a second count of votes, an exercise undertaken for the first time in the country’s election history. Soon after taking over the presidency, Mr. Dissanayake called for the parliamentary elections. His ruling alliance National People’s Power secured a landslide win with the bagging 159 out of 225 seats, securing over two-thirds majority. This was also the first election where the Tamil-majority Jaffna elected JVP, a non-Tamil party.

Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a fourth term on January 7 as the Awami League won two-thirds of the seats in the general elections. However, following anti-government protests, Ms. Hasina fled Bangladesh and an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed on August 8. Students began protesting in July when the High Court re-established a job quota reserving 30% of civil service posts for the children and grandchildren of fighters of Bangladesh’s liberation war. The government responded by shutting down universities, and using the police and military to crack down on protesters. Following a controversial comment by Ms. Hasina, wherein she compared the student protestors to children of “Razakars,” the protests intensified, and the government shut down the internet in order to disrupt communications and protests. The crackdown on the student protests led to more than 400 people losing their lives. 

Mexico

Claudia Sheinbaum became the first woman to become Mexico’s President when she won the presidential elections held on June 2. She contested against opposition candidates Xóchitl Gálvez and Jorge Álvarez Máynez, also making it the first time in Mexico that the two main opponents were women. The governing party candidate campaigned on continuing the political course set over the last six years by her political mentor President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Ms. Sheinbaum was sworn in as President on October 1, 2024 among the presence of foreign dignitaries such as Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and U.S. First Lady Jill Biden. Interestingly, Ms. Sheinbaum refused to invite the King of Spain, King Felipe VI, as she accused him of failing to acknowledge the harm caused by Spain’s colonisation of Mexico.

Venezuela

Nicolas Maduro won the presidential elections on July 28. However, the results were disputed by the main Opposition candidate Edmundo González. Mr. Maduro won 51% of the votes, while Mr. González got 44%. In support of the Opposition, thousands of Venezeulans protested against the election results. Hundreds were arrested and at least 12 were killed. The election results were not only disputed by the Opposition within Venezuela, but several countries refused to acknowledge the results. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken posted on X, recognising Mr. Gonzalez as the President-elect and at least 50 countries submitted a joint statement at the U.N. calling for publishing the vote tally sheets. 

Russia

President Vladimir Putin was re-elected for a fifth term making him the longest-serving ruler since Stalin, on March 18. With this fiercest political foe, Alexei Navalny, dying in an Arctic prison in February, there was hardly any opponent against Mr. Putin. He won with a whopping 76 million votes, his highest tally ever. Mr. Putin has led Russia as President or Prime Minister since December 1999, a tenure marked by international military aggression and an increasing intolerance for dissent.