STEAR's insight article presents a briefing of the press publication on what is happening in Europe and Asia. This article presents the December 2024 edition.
Politics and election disputes
South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached after previously declaring martial law. Yeol had declared martial law on 4 December, accusing the Democratic Party, which has a majority in parliament, of “anti-state activities” and collaboration with North Korea. The party had previously rejected the government’s 2025 budget proposal and called for the impeachment and investigation of prosecutors and other government figures. [CNN]
France’s Barnier government collapsed after the National Assembly passed a motion of no confidence - The minority government fell on 5 December due to squabbles over the 2025 budget, which included stark austerity measures. Centrist François Bayrou has since been nominated as Barnier’s successor by President Emmanuel Macron. [France24]
Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round of the country’s 2024 presidential election - The decision came on 6 December after intelligence documents showing Russia had systematically interfered in the election were declassified. Anti-establishment nationalist candidate Călin Georgescu had surprisingly reached a relative majority in the election’s first round, particularly thanks to an extensive TikTok campaign. [Euractiv]
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a vote of confidence in the Bundestag on December 16, following the collapse of his coalition government. This development has led to the dissolution of parliament and the scheduling of snap elections for February 23, 2025. [Reuters]
Mikheil Kavelashvili was inaugurated as Georgia's president amid significant political turmoil and public dissent on December 29. Mikheil was a former professional footballer and is a vocal critic of Western influence in the country. His election, conducted by a parliamentary electoral college dominated by the ruling Georgian Dream party, has been widely contested, with allegations of electoral fraud and undue Russian influence. [BBC]
The situation in Ukraine and in the Middle East
Trump met with Macron and Zelensky in Paris - They discussed various matters, including Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine and the future of transatlantic cooperation. Trump was in Paris to attend the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral on 7 December. [Politico]
Tusk and Macron discuss deployment of European peacekeeping force in Ukraine - The two European leaders, who had bilateral talks on 12 December, are considering the possibility of sending up to 40,000 troops from foreign countries to lead peacekeeping efforts as soon as the Ukraine war ends. [Politico]
After 13 years of civil war, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s reign came to an end following a surprise rebel siege - The long-time ruler fled to Moscow on 8 December after opposition forces led by Islamist group Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took over the Syrian capital Damascus. A transitional government was established, with HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani being seen as Syria’s de facto leader. [Al Jazeera]
Israel invades buffer zone between Syria and Golan Heights - Taking advantage of the political turmoil in Syria on 8 December, Israeli forces also launched a large-scale aerial and naval attack on Syrian military targets throughout the country. [BBC]
Other
Moldova declared a state of emergency due to a looming gas crisis - The decision was made on 13 December, as the separatist region of Transnistria faces the risk of being completely cut off from gas supplies due to the contract for Russian gas transit through Ukraine running out. [Euronews]
France: Verdict of 20 years for perpetrator in landmark rape trial - Dominique Pelicot was found guilty on 19 December of having facilitated and participated in the mass rape of his ex-wife, Giséle Pelicot, alongside 50 other defendants on 28 December . The case had previously made headlines worldwide due to its sheer brutality. [France24]
Thailand hosted peace talks on the issue of Myanmar’s civil war - The meetings took place on 19 and 20 December in Thailand’s capital Bangkok with the participation of several countries, including ASEAN members, China and India. Myanmar’s de facto Foreign Minister Than Swe reiterated the military junta’s promise to hold elections next year. [Bloomberg]
Disasters and accidents
An Azerbaijani plane was accidentally shot down by Russian forces - The civilian airplane was headed from Baku to the Russian city of Grozny on 25 December before being shot down while flying over Kazakhstan. Russian president Putin subsequently "apologized," citing Ukrainian drones in the region as the intended target.
Jeju Air Flight 2216 crashes in South Korea on December 29, resulting in 179 fatalities and leaving only two survivors. The aircraft reportedly encountered a bird strike during its approach, leading to engine failure and issues with the landing gear. [CNN]
This insight (news recap article) represents the cited news outlet and the view of contributor(s) to STEAR's online digital publication, and not those of STEAR, which takes no institutional positions.
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