The Big Picture

Why the year of elections in 2024 will matter so much to us all

There will be lots of drama and psychodrama in those contests from the US to Europe and here at home

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to guests at a campaign event on December 19, 2023 in Waterloo, Iowa. Iowa Republicans will be the first to select their party's nomination for the 2024 presidential race, when they go to caucus on January 15, 2024. Picture: Getty

Every election matters. In 2024, more people will vote for more presidents, parliaments and governments than in any year in living memory. According to Bloomberg Economics, there will be elections in 40 countries representing 41 per cent of the world’s population and 42 per cent of the global economy. The democratic tide is coming in next year, not going out.

Yet while every election matters, especially in the country where it takes place, some elections ...