Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThis New Year, 2012, promises to be one of great activity around the world. Activity that WILL impact on many millions of us, whichever country we live in.Lets start with Russia. The Presidential Election is taking place on March 4th. It may be considered slightly cynical to think that the outcome is already known. What do we know about it so far? Well, back in 2011, the current President,President Mevedev, invited the previous president, the current Prime Minister, Mr Putin, to run for election. Much to everyones surprise (ha ha!) he accepted. In return for his good works, Mr Putin then announced that President Medvedev would make a damned good Prime Minister. (How unforseen was that!) We are told that 40% of Russians support the re-election of Putin to the post of President. Question: Doesn't that then mean that 60% DON'T want him back? So what, it's only numbers after all. There are however, significant numbers of people who will now question how that figure was arrived at. Will there be a Russian Spring? We'll reflect on this again soon I suspect.
Moving westwards to France, we have the French Presidential Elections in April. April 22nd to be precise. There is a booking though for May 6th, just in case a run-off is required. The two men jousting for position here are the current President, Sarkosy(Union of Poular Movement-UMP), his opposition comes from the Socialist Party(PS) in the form of Francoise Hollande. There seems to be just a modicum controversy surrounding Sarkosy and his election prospects, but it is best not to enter that arena here at this time until all becomes clearer.
Now we move a lot further west-to the United States of America in fact. The country is currently a hive of activity with electoral meetings, television debates, people digging up the dirt on their opponents (this happens everywhere I reckon) and people jetting around seeking assurances that they will recieve the lions share of the vote. It's a shame that not everyone can win. The guy at the top, President Obama, I would already suspect, has a reasonable idea just who his most likely vote stealer is going to be. He is standing for re-election as President on November 6th, in the 57th quadrennial presidential elections in the history of his country. He, or whover succeeds on November 6th, knows that the Vice President is elected on December 17th. Whatever the outcome, the President has a mighty job on his or her hands to settle the problems of the Nation. Unemployment, Poverty and Reform of the financial establishment being top of the agenda.
There is another country that has recently had a change of leadership. No such formailities as elections there though. Keep it in the family is the answer. Yes, you got it in one-North Korea. Following the unplanned departure of Kim Il Sung, son Number One(but number three in age terms I hear) Kim Jon-un was immediately put at the head of the country. Forgive my cynicism, but was that because the Generals know he will do as they tell him?
Back east now, to Europe. What do we have here? Unemployment, Poverty and Reform of the financial establishement. No differences between the USA and Europe then? In truth there are. Europe is growing-there is a queue of countries waiting to join not just Europe, but the Eurozone. The USA remains the same size. Where there are simillarities though, is in the fact that both are made up of a number of different states. Each has its own set of rules, and dare I say, some are in competition with each other. In business terms this might be a good thing. In terms of recovery however, it is the " sum of the whole" not the individal parts, that will achieve success surely.
In the UK, some might consider us as being simply now on the outside looking in, we are not a part of the Eurozone. That is good in terms of not having the same problems as the zone in terms of managing its' currency. It does not though mean that we can sit back and smile at what is going on around us. We have the same problems as the rest of Europe, Debt, Poverty and Unemployment. I can assure the cynics though, that we are still a very powerful member of Europe. Let France forget that at its own peril.
Despite what I hear and what I read, I feel very positive about 2012. I say it at the start of every year I know, but without that positive feeling I would possibly curl up into the foetal position with thumb in mouth, and whimper.
Happy New Year to All.
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