View source for History:2020s in political history

{{Short description|Overview of politics-related events during the 2020s}}

'''2020s political history''' refers to significant political and societal historical events of the [[History:2020s|2020s]], presented as a historical overview in narrative format.
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==Chronological==<!--Section for historical events of world significance. Even the most global issues involve events in various specific countries; therefore, for any lengthy world topics that encompass multiple countries and regions, a sub-section for that specific topic might be advisable; however, this is not required for every topic covered here.-->

=== 2020 ===

====COVID-19 pandemic====

[[File:COVID-19 Outbreak World Map Total Deaths per Capita.svg|thumb|left|Confirmed deaths per 100,000 population as of 19 May 2023]]
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, caused by [[Medicine:Coronavirus disease 2019|coronavirus disease 2019]] (COVID-19) was first identified in December 2019 in [[Place:Wuhan|Wuhan]], China. The [[Organization:World Health Organization|World Health Organisation]] declared the outbreak a [[Social:Public Health Emergency of International Concern|Public Health Emergency of International Concern]] in January 2020 and a pandemic in March 2020. By December 2020 the virus had extended to virtually every corner of the planet including ships at sea but excluding Antarctica and a handful of small islands. As of {{Cases in the COVID-19 pandemic|date}}, there were {{Cases in the COVID-19 pandemic|confirmed}} confirmed cases and {{Cases in the COVID-19 pandemic|deaths}} deaths. The United States, India, and {{wipe|France}} have reported the most infections and recoveries, while the {{wipe|United States}}, {{wipe|Brazil}}, and {{wipe|India}} have reported the most deaths. The highest death rates were reported in Peru, Bulgaria, and Hungary. The {{wipe|United States}} leads in new cases, new deaths, active cases, and recoveries.<ref>{{cite web |title=Coronavirus Update (Live): 76,583,060 Cases and 1,691,014 Deaths from COVID-19 Virus Pandemic - Worldometer |url=https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ |access-date=January 12, 2023 |website=worldometers.info |language=en}}</ref>

The pandemic triggered global social and economic disruption, including the largest global recession since the [[Finance:Great Depression|Great Depression]].<ref name="RFXoH">{{cite web |url=https://blogs.imf.org/2020/04/14/the-great-lockdown-worst-economic-downturn-since-the-great-depression/ |title=The Great Lockdown: Worst Economic Downturn Since the Great Depression |website=IMF Blog |access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref> It led to the postponement or cancellation of events, [[Finance:Shortages related to the COVID-19 pandemic|widespread supply shortages]] exacerbated by [[Finance:Panic buying|panic buying]], famines affecting hundreds of millions of people, and decreased emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases. Educational institutions were partially or fully closed. [[Social:Misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic|Misinformation circulated]] through social media and mass media. There were incidents of xenophobia and discrimination against Chinese people and against those perceived as being Chinese or as being from areas with high infection rates.<ref name="rdZ1G">{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Jennifer |last2=Yadav |first2=Monika |title=The Rise of Anti-Asian Hate in the Wake of Covid-19 |url=https://items.ssrc.org/covid-19-and-the-social-sciences/the-rise-of-anti-asian-hate-in-the-wake-of-covid-19/ |website=Social Science Research Council |publisher=Social Science Research Council |access-date=3 July 2020 | name-list-style=vanc}}</ref>
[[File:Map of countries that have altered an election date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.svg|thumb|Countries with at least one election date altered]]
The pandemic impacted international relations and affected the political systems of multiple countries, causing suspensions of legislative activities, isolation or deaths of multiple politicians and reschedulings of elections due to fears of spreading the virus. The pandemic also triggered broader debates about political issues such as the relative advantages of democracy and autocracy,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ang|first1=Yuen Yuen|date=2020|title=When COVID-19 meets centralized, personalized power|journal=Nature Human Behaviour|volume=4|issue=5|pages=445–447|doi=10.1038/s41562-020-0872-3|pmid=32273583|s2cid=215532797|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Stasavage|first1=David|date=2020|title=Democracy, Autocracy, and Emergency Threats: Lessons for COVID-19 From the Last Thousand Years|journal=International Organization|volume=74|pages=E1–E17|doi=10.1017/S0020818320000338|doi-access=free}}</ref> how states respond to crises,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Lipscy|first1=Phillip|date=2020|title=COVID-19 and the Politics of Crisis|journal=International Organization|volume=74|pages=E98–E127|doi=10.1017/S0020818320000375|s2cid=225135699|doi-access=free}}</ref> politicization of beliefs about the virus,<ref>{{cite journal|author1-link=James N. Druckman|last1=Druckman|first1=James|last2=Klar|first2=Samara|date=2020|title=How Affective Polarization Shapes Americans' Political Beliefs: A Study of Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic|journal=Journal of Experimental Political Science|volume=8|issue=3|pages=223–234|doi=10.1017/XPS.2020.28|s2cid=222312130|doi-access=free}}</ref> and the adequacy of existing frameworks of international cooperation.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Fazal|first1=Tanisha|date=2020|title=Health Diplomacy in Pandemical Times|journal=International Organization|volume=74|pages=E78–E97|doi=10.1017/S0020818320000326|s2cid=229265358|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==== Recession ====
{{Excerpt|COVID-19 recession}}

==== Second Cold War ====
On May 24, 2020, China Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that relations with the U.S. were on the "brink of a new Cold War" after it was fuelled by tensions over the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 24, 2020 |title=China says virus pushing US ties to brink of 'Cold War' |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/us-china-nearing-brink-of-new-cold-war-chinese-foreign-minister/articleshow/75938317.cms |url-status=live |access-date=9 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212155521/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/us-china-nearing-brink-of-new-cold-war-chinese-foreign-minister/articleshow/75938317.cms |archive-date=12 December 2020}}</ref> In his September 2021 speech to the United Nations General Assembly, US President Joe Biden said that the US is "not seeking a new Cold War or a world divided into rigid blocs." Biden further said that the US would cooperate "with any nation that steps up and pursues peaceful resolution to shared challenges," despite "intense disagreement in other areas, because we'll all suffer the consequences of our failure."<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-58644091 |title=President Biden: 'We are not seeking a new Cold War or a world divided' |date=21 September 2021 |access-date=28 October 2021 |work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Liptak |first=Kevin |date=21 September 2021 |title=UN General Assembly kicks off in New York City |work=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/un-general-assembly-09-21-21/h_879666510062571094884da08174cfae |url-status=live |access-date=28 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028085424/https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/un-general-assembly-09-21-21/h_879666510062571094884da08174cfae |archive-date=28 October 2021}}</ref>

===2021===
====Supply chain crisis====
{{excerpt|2021–2022 global supply chain crisis}}

=== 2022 ===

====Economic conditions====
{{excerpt|2021–2022 global energy crisis}}
{{excerpt|2021–2022 inflation surge}}

====2022-2023 food crises====
{{excerpt|2022–2023 food crises}}

====Effects on food security by the pandemic====
{{excerpt|Food security during the COVID-19 pandemic}}

==== Russo-Ukrainian War ====
{{excerpt|2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine}}

=== 2023 ===

==== 2023 banking crisis ====
{{excerpt|2023 banking crisis}}

==By topic==
=== International conflict ===

==== Nuclear disarmament ====
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which totally bans nuclear weapons, went into effect on January 22, 2021. The treaty is not supported by NATO or any known nuclear powers.<ref>{{cite news |title=First-ever treaty to ban nuclear weapons enters into force |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/first-ever-treaty-ban-nuclear-074010691.html |access-date=January 22, 2021 |work=news.yahoo.com |agency=AP |date=January 22, 2021}}</ref>

==== Indian border skirmishes ====
{{excerpt|2020–2022 China–India skirmishes}}

==== Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan ====
[[File:Batken_Province_in_Kyrgyzstan.svg|thumb|Batken Region in Kyrgyzstan.]]
On 28 April, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan forces on the Kyrgyzstan–Tajikistan border near Kök-Tash, Leilek, started the clashes, resulting in four deaths and dozens of injuries.<ref>{{cite web|date=29 April 2021|title=Four die as Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan armies clash on disputed border|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/29/tajikistan-and-kyrgyzstan-armies-clash-on-disputed-border|website=The Guardian|agency=Associated Press|access-date=30 April 2021}}</ref> The following day clashes resumed, with at least 41 people killed from both sides and roughly 10,000 people [[Social:Emergency evacuation|evacuated]].<ref name="report">{{Cite web|title=Минздрав Кыргызстана заявил о 31 погибшем в результате пограничного конфликта|url=https://report.az/ru/v-regione/minzdrav-v-rezultate-pogranichnogo-konflikta-pogib-31-kyrgyzstanec/|website=Report Information Agency|access-date=30 April 2021}}</ref> The same day the foreign ministers of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan agreed to a ceasefire at the border.<ref>{{cite news|date=April 29, 2021|title=Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan agree to ceasefire|publisher=TASS|url=https://tass.com/world/1285011|quote=Foreign Ministers of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan agreed to a ceasefire at the border starting on 20:00 local time (17:00 Moscow time) April 29, Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry announced Thursday.}}</ref> On 30 April, Tajikistan acknowledged the ceasefire in a statement published by its state information service.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-56940011 |title=Deadly fighting on Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border kills at least 31 |date=30 April 2021 |website=BBC News}}</ref>

====Nagorno-Karabakh====
The 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war took place in the [[Place:Nagorno-Karabakh|Nagorno-Karabakh]] region between the [[Place:Republic of Artsakh|Republic of Artsakh]] backed by [[Place:Armenia|Armenia]] and [[Place:Azerbaijan|Azerbaijan]] from September 2020 to November 2020. It is the latest escalation of the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. A peace treaty was signed between Armenia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh, and {{wipe|Russia}}, ending hostilities on 10 November 2020. Widespread protests in Armenia followed the treaty while it was celebrated in Azerbaijan.

==== Persian Gulf ====
The 2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis has led to the attack on the United States embassy in Baghdad during the start of the decade, the subsequent assassination of Qasem Soleimani by the United States days later, the Iranian attack on U.S. forces in Iraq in revenge, as well as the accidental shootdown of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 by Iran soon after.

==== Syrian civil war ====
The 2019–2020 northwestern Syria offensive, codenamed was a military operation launched by the armed forces of the Syrian Arab Republic, {{wipe|Russia}}, [[Religion:Iran|Iran]], Hezbollah and other allied militias against Syrian opposition and allied fighters of the Syrian National Army, [[Religion:Hayat Tahrir al-Sham|Hayat Tahrir al-Sham]], Rouse the Believers Operations Room, the Turkistan Islamic Party, and other rebel and Salafi jihadist<ref>{{cite web|date=9 January 2020|title=After 9 days of bloody clashes, Hayyaat Tahrir al-Sham with the "jihadi" factions control about 80% of the area of what is left for the opposition factions within Syrian territory|url=https://www.syriahr.com/en/111974/|website=syriahr.com}}</ref> forces.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|title=Nearly 700,000 Displaced in NW Syria as Regime Fire Spikes|url=https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2124516/nearly-700000-displaced-nw-syria-regime-fire-spikes|website=Asharq AL-awsat}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Russian, Syrian Regime Forces Step Up Attacks on Rebel Stronghold Idlib|url=https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/russian-syrian-regime-forces-step-attacks-rebel-stronghold-idlib|website=Voice of America}}</ref>

By February 2020, pro-government forces had encircled several Turkish observation posts that had been established throughout Idlib.<ref name="Al Jazeera 2020 encircles">{{cite web|date=2020-02-07|title=Turkey bolsters Idlib outposts as Syrian gov't forces make gains|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/turkey-bolsters-idlib-outposts-syrian-gov-forces-gains-200207105046246.html|access-date=2020-03-19|website=Al Jazeera}}</ref><ref name="The New York Times 2020 encircles">{{cite web|date=2020-02-12|title=Syrian Attacks Draw Turkey Deeper Into Syrian War|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/12/world/middleeast/syria-turkey-russia-war.html|access-date=2020-03-19|website=The New York Times}}</ref> On 27 February, after intermittent deadly clashes between Turkish and Syrian forces, Turkey formally intervened in the offensive and announced the beginning of Operation Spring Shield with the aim of pushing Syrian government forces back to pre-offensive frontlines.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Turkey launches Operation Spring Shield|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/opinion/serkan-demirtas/turkey-launches-operation-spring-shield-152580|access-date=2020-03-05|website=Hürriyet Daily News|language=en}}</ref>

Operation Spring Shield ({{lang-tr|Bahar Kalkanı Harekâtı}}) was a cross-border military operation conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) against the Syrian Armed Forces and allied militias in the Idlib Governorate of northwestern [[Place:Syria|Syria]],<ref>{{cite web|date=2020-03-01|title=Turkey launches Operation Spring Shield against regime aggression in Syria|url=https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/turkey-launches-operation-spring-shield-in-syrias-idlib/news|publisher=Daily Sabah|location=Istanbul}}</ref> which began on 27 February 2020 in response to the Balyun airstrikes.<ref>{{cite web|author=Amberin Zaman|date=2020-03-01|title=Turkey launches Operation Spring Shield against Syrian forces|url=https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/03/operation-spring-shield-clash-turkey-syrian-arab-army-idlib.html|publisher=Al-Monitor}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Joe Truzman|date=2020-03-05|title=Turkey's Operation "Spring Shield" delivers blow to Hezbollah|url=https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2020/03/turkeys-operation-spring-shield-delivers-blow-to-hezbollah.php|publisher=Longwarjournal.org}}</ref> Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that the purpose of the operation had been within the framework of the Astana talks, to ensure a ceasefire agreement in the Second Northern Syria Buffer Zone and to prevent migration from Idlib towards the Turkish border. On 5 March, Turkey and {{wipe|Russia}} signed a ceasefire agreement in Moscow.<ref>{{cite web|date=2020-03-12|title=Rusya'dan İdlib açıklaması: Ateşkes düzenlemesine genel olarak uyuluyor|url=https://www.milliyet.com.tr/gundem/rusyadan-idlib-aciklamasi-ateskes-duzenlemesine-genel-olarak-uyuluyor-6164473|publisher=Milliyet|location=Ankara|language=tr}}</ref>

A series of airstrikes were carried out by the {{wipe|Israeli Air Force}} on multiple Iranian-linked targets in the [[Place:Deir ez-Zor Governorate|Deir ez-Zor Governorate]] of [[Place:Syria|Syria]] on 13 January 2021.<ref>{{cite web|date=2021-01-13|title=Suspected Israeli strikes on Iran-linked targets 'kill dozens'|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-55646298|website=BBC News}}</ref> More airstrikes were launched the following February. Later that same month, the United States military carried out an airstrike on a site which it believed to have been occupied by [[Religion:Iran|Iran]]ian-backed Iraqi militias operating from across the border in eastern [[Place:Syria|Syria]].<ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. bombs facilities in Syria used by Iran-backed militia|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-s-bombs-facilities-syria-used-iran-backed-militia-n1258912|access-date=26 February 2021|website=NBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. Launches Military Airstrikes Against Iranian-Backed Militants In Syria|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/02/25/971611130/u-s-launches-military-airstrikes-against-iranian-militants-in-syria|access-date=26 February 2021|website=NPR|date=25 February 2021 |last1=Romo |first1=Vanessa }}</ref><ref>[https://english.alaraby.co.uk/analysis/syria-2022-deadlock-violence-and-possible-famine Syria in 2022: Deadlock, violence, and a possible famine], Analysis, Paul McLoughlin, 31 December 2021.</ref> The US-led coalition continued to hit targets in Syria, as part of what it described as a war against ISIS.<ref>[https://www.arabnews.com/node/1998131/middle-east US-led coalition hits rocket launch sites in Syria], January 04, 2022, arabnews website.</ref>

==== Russian invasion of Ukraine ====
{{Excerpt|2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine}}

=== Environment ===
{{Main|Earth:2020s in environmental history}}

====Climate change====
In 2020, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, declared that "The state of the planet is broken" and that "Humanity is waging war on nature. This is suicidal."<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-02|title=UN calls on humanity to end 'war on nature,' go carbon-free|url=https://apnews.com/article/un-calls-end-war-nature-go-carbon-free-d144cda34053abbd0758e22d9ff8f7c6|access-date=2020-12-06|website=AP NEWS}}</ref> The {{wipe|United Nations}} has also called [[Earth:Climate change|climate change]] "the defining issue of our time",<ref>[https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/climate-change/ Climate Change] United Nations, retrieved 14 Jan 2020</ref> and the [[Organization:World Health Organization|World Health Organization]] said it "threatens the essential ingredients of good health - clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food supply, and safe shelter - and has the potential to undermine decades of progress in global health".<ref>[https://www.who.int/health-topics/climate-change#tab=tab_1 Climate change] World Health Organization, 14 Jan 2020</ref>

2020 was the second warmest year on record, 2021 was the seventh warmest, and 2022 was the sixth warmest. 2020 started the year [[Earth:El Niño–Southern Oscillation|ENSO]]-neutral before transitioning to a [[Earth:La Niña|La Niña]] conditions. 2021 and 2022 were both La Niña years. In 2020, the [[Earth:Instrumental temperature record|average of Earth's land and ocean surface temperature]] was 0.98&nbsp;°C warmer than the 20th century average year on record, in 2021, the average was 0.84&nbsp;°C warmer, and in 2022 the average was 0.86&nbsp;°C higher.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Annual 2020 Global Climate Report {{!}} National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) |url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/202013 |access-date=2023-01-13 |website=www.ncdc.noaa.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Climate Change: Global Temperature {{!}} NOAA Climate.gov |url=http://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-temperature |access-date=2023-01-13 |website=www.climate.gov |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 Global temperature recap {{!}} NOAA Climate.gov |url=http://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/2022-global-temperature-recap |access-date=2023-01-13 |website=www.climate.gov |language=en-us}}</ref>

In 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest piece of federal climate legislation ever in the {{wipe|United States}}, was passed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Princeton energy and climate experts weigh in on the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act |url=https://www.princeton.edu/news/2022/08/25/princeton-energy-and-climate-experts-weigh-impact-inflation-reduction-act |access-date=2023-01-13 |website=Princeton University |language=en}}</ref> It invested $391 billion in provisions related to climate change and energy security.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CBO Scores IRA with $238 Billion of Deficit Reduction |url=https://www.crfb.org/blogs/cbo-scores-ira-238-billion-deficit-reduction |access-date=2023-01-13 |website=Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget |language=en}}</ref>

=== Society ===

====Gender equality====
Out of all national parliamentarians in Greece, 24.3% were women as of February 2019, while 11 women were serving as Head of State and 12 as [[Social:Head of government|Head of Government]] in June 2019. Furthermore, 20.7% of government ministers were women as of January 2019.<ref name="un_women">{{cite web|title=Facts and figures: Leadership and political participation|url=https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329170329/https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures|archive-date=29 March 2020|access-date=28 March 2020|website=UN Women}}</ref> Katerina Sakellaropoulou became the first female president of Greece in January 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Katerina Sakellaropoulou becomes Greece's first woman president|website=CNN|date=22 January 2020 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/22/europe/greece-president-katerina-sakellaropoulou-intl/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218004550/https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/22/europe/greece-president-katerina-sakellaropoulou-intl/index.html|archive-date=18 February 2020|access-date=18 February 2020}}</ref> Maia Sandu reached the same milestone for Moldova in 2020 as well. In Austria, the first female-majority cabinet was sworn in in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Austria swears in first female-majority Cabinet |date=2020-07-01|url=https://www.dw.com/en/austria-swears-in-first-female-majority-cabinet/a-51915301|access-date=2020-12-14|website=Deutsche Welle|language=en-GB}}</ref>

====Technology====
In a January 2020 interview with ''[[Social:Financial Times|the Financial Times]]'', German Chancellor [[Biography:Angela Merkel|Angela Merkel]] urged Europe to develop its own technology, such as [[Physics:List of battery types|manufacturing of batteries]], electric cars, and [[Cloud computing|cloud computing]]. Europe depends mostly on Asia for electric car batteries, and it has no hyperscale computing companies to support companies like [[Company:Amazon|Amazon]] and [[Social:Facebook Platform|Facebook]].<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/16/tech/angela-merkel-tech-europe/index.html Angela Merkel: Europe should make its own chips and electric car batteries] By Charles Riley, CNN Business, 16 Jan 2020</ref>

{{wipe|Switzerland}} neutrality was called into question when it was in revealed in February 2020 that German and U.S. intelligence services had been using coding devices manufactured by [[Company:Crypto AG|Crypto AG]] to spy on other countries.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51487856 Swiss Crypto AG spying scandal shakes reputation for neutrality] BBC World, 16 Feb 2020</ref>

====Pandora papers====
{{Excerpt|Pandora Papers}}

===Economy===

====World trade====
President Trump's trade disputes appear to be neutralizing as the President completed a phase 1 agreement with China and renegotiated NAFTA with the ratification of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement an improved, bipartisan trade agreement.  Tomasz Brodzicki of [[Company:IHS Markit|IHS Markit]] predicts that world merchandise trade volume will increase by 2.7% to 14.174 billion tons (US$18.870 trillion) in 2020 and by 5% to 14.881 billion tons (US$19.795 trillion) in 2021. He forecasts the highest growth rates in 2020 for South and North America and the lowest for Africa. He predicts low trade growth for the U.S. and Canada and continuing conflicts with China, which should benefit Taiwan, Vietnam, and other parts of the [[Finance:ASEAN Free Trade Area|ASEAN Free Trade Area]]. He also says the paralysis of the multilateral dispute settlement system in the [[Organization:World Trade Organization|World Trade Organization (WTO)]] will probably last.<ref name="tomasz">[https://ihsmarkit.com/research-analysis/outlook-for-global-trade-in-2020.html Outlook for Global Trade in 2020] Author: Tomasz Brodzicki, Ph.D., Senior Economist II, IHS Markit Maritime & Trade, 2 Jan 2020</ref>

The world's largest [[Finance:Free trade agreement|free trade agreement]], the [[Finance:Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership|Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership]], was signed on November 15, 2020, including the members of [[Organization:ASEAN|ASEAN]], as well as {{wipe|Australia}}, {{wipe|China}}, {{wipe|Japan}}, [[Earth:New Zealand|New Zealand]], and {{wipe|South Korea}}.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-11-15|title=The meaning of RCEP, the world's biggest trade agreement|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2020/11/15/the-meaning-of-rcep-the-worlds-biggest-trade-agreement|access-date=2020-11-16|issn=0013-0613}}</ref>

The [[Finance:African Continental Free Trade Area|African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA)]] will go fully into effect on July 1, 2020, abolishing 90% of tariffs between member states and bringing a 50% increase in trade in the next few years.<ref name="hammond">[https://www.africanliberty.org/2020/01/24/what-can-we-expect-from-africa-in-the-2020s/ What Can We Expect from Africa in the 2020s?] by Alexander Hammond, African Liberty.org, 24 Jan 2020</ref> In June 2019 the [[Finance:Mercosur|Mercosur]] (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) reached a [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2019/640138/EPRS_BRI(2019)640138_EN.pdf tentative agreement.pdf] with the [[Social:European Union|European Union]]. They are also looking forward to similar agreements with the United States, Canada, and the EFTA bloc—made up of Iceland, {{wipe|Norway}}, [[Finance:Liechtenstein|Liechtenstein]], and {{wipe|Switzerland}}.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mercosur-summit-argentina/south-american-bloc-eyes-fast-track-for-eu-trade-deal-idUSKCN1UC1PL South American bloc eyes fast-track for EU trade deal] by Maximilian Heath, Reuters Business News, 17 July 2019</ref>

==History by region==

=== Africa ===
{{Main|2020s in African political history}}During 2020–22, coup d'état's were launched successfully in Burkina Faso (in both January 2022 and September 2022), Guinea, Mali, Sudan, and unsuccessfully in Guinea-Bissau and Niger. In Chad, the Transitional Military Council took power as a [[Social:Military junta|military junta]].

===Asia===
====Afghanistan====

{{excerpt|US–Taliban deal}}
{{excerpt|Withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan (2020–2021)}}

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On February 29, 2020, the United States and the Taliban signed a peace agreement in Doha, Qatar, officially titled the ''Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan''.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Qazi|first=Shereena|date=29 February 2020|title=Afghanistan's Taliban, US sign agreement aimed at ending war|publisher=Al-Jazeera|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/afghanistan-taliban-sign-deal-america-longest-war-200213063412531.html|access-date=6 March 2020}}</ref> The provisions of the deal include the withdrawal of all American and NATO troops from Afghanistan, a Taliban pledge to prevent al-Qaeda from operating in areas under Taliban control, and talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.<ref>{{Cite news|date=29 February 2020|title=US and Taliban sign deal to end 18-year Afghan war|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51689443|access-date=6 March 2020}}</ref> The {{wipe|United States}} agreed to an initial reduction of its force level from 13,000 to 8,600 by July 2020, followed by a full withdrawal within 14 months if the Taliban keeps its commitments.<ref name=":022">{{Cite web|last=Rai|first=Manish|title=U.S.-Taliban Deal: India should Chalk-out a New Strategy|url=https://opedcolumn.news.blog/2020/03/21/us-taliban-deal-india-should-chalk-out-a-new-strategy/|website=OpedColumn.News.Blog|date=21 March 2020 }}</ref> The deal was supported by China, Russia and Pakistan, although it did not involve the government of Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Basu|first1=Nayanima|date=12 September 2020|title=India asserts Afghanistan's 'national sovereignty' as peace talks with Taliban start in Qatar|url=https://theprint.in/diplomacy/india-asserts-afghanistans-national-sovereignty-as-peace-talks-with-taliban-start-in-qatar/501335/|website=ThePrint}}</ref> In September 2020, over 5,000 Taliban prisoners, including 400 of whom were accused and convicted of major crimes such as [[Social:Murder|murder]], were released by the Afghan government as part of the Doha Agreement between the United States and the Taliban.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Mashal|first1=Mujib|last2=Faizi|first2=Fatima|date=3 September 2020|title=Afghanistan to Release Last Taliban Prisoners, Removing Final Hurdle to Talks|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/09/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-prisoners-peace-talks.html|url-status=live|access-date=9 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808093841/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/09/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-prisoners-peace-talks.html|archive-date=8 August 2021}}</ref> According to Afghanistan's National Security Council, many of the released prisoners who were "experts" returned to the battlefield and strengthened the Taliban's hand.<ref>{{cite news|last1=George|first1=Susannah|date=8 August 2021|title='This is a big problem': The Taliban are storming prisons holding thousands of militants|work=The Independent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/taliban-afghanistan-prisons-militants-b1895207.html|url-status=live|access-date=9 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809193054/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/taliban-afghanistan-prisons-militants-b1895207.html|archive-date=9 August 2021}}</ref>

In early 2021, both the Pentagon and Afghan leadership believed in a continuous US support for Kabul. However, President Biden continuing President Trump's persistent will to move the US away from an endless foreign war, while Afghan leadership consistently relied on the US' manpower and support, was not anticipated.<ref name=":42">{{Cite news|last1=Sanger|first1=David E.|last2=Cooper|first2=Helene|date=2021-08-14|title=Taliban Sweep in Afghanistan Follows Years of U.S. Miscalculations|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/14/us/afghanistan-biden.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815075820/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/14/us/afghanistan-biden.html|archive-date=15 August 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The Biden administration announced in April 2021 that it would continue the withdrawal beyond the initial deadline, with an expected completion date by 11 September 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=13 April 2021|title=Biden plans to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, missing May deadline, reports say|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/13/biden-plans-to-withdraw-us-forces-from-afghanistan-by-sept-11.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413155730/https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/13/biden-plans-to-withdraw-us-forces-from-afghanistan-by-sept-11.html|archive-date=13 April 2021|access-date=13 April 2021|website=MSNBC}}</ref> On 8 July, Biden shifted the U.S. withdrawal deadline to 31 August.<ref name=":15">{{Cite web|date=2021-07-08|title=Biden says US war in Afghanistan will end August 31|url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-afghanistan-government-and-politics-86f939c746c7bc56bb9f11f095a95366|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210708195329/https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-afghanistan-government-and-politics-86f939c746c7bc56bb9f11f095a95366|archive-date=8 July 2021|access-date=2021-07-08|website=AP NEWS|language=en}}</ref> The [[Religion:Taliban|Taliban]] and allied militant groups began a widespread offensive on 1 May 2021, simultaneous with the withdrawal of most U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Following its rapid defeat across the country, the Afghan National Army was left in chaos, and only two units remained operational by mid-August: The 201st Corps and 111th Division, both based in Kabul. The capital city itself was left encircled after Taliban forces had captured [[Place:Mihtarlam|Mihtarlam]], [[Place:Sharana|Sharana]], [[Place:Gardez|Gardez]], [[Place:Asadabad, Afghanistan|Asadabad]], and other cities as well as districts in the east. [[Place:Kabul|Kabul]], the capital city, fell to Taliban forces on 15 August 2021. The capture took place hours after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.

Large-scale evacuations of foreign citizens and some vulnerable Afghan citizens took place amid the withdrawal of US and NATO forces from the War in Afghanistan and the Taliban offensive in Afghanistan in 2021. After the fall of Kabul on 15 August 2021 and the collapse of the [[Place:Islamic Republic of Afghanistan|Islamic Republic of Afghanistan]], Hamid Karzai International Airport remained the only non-Taliban controlled route out of the country, being protected by several thousand NATO troops. The evacuation operations were one of the largest airlifts in history.<ref>Ben Fix & Jamie Stengle, [https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-afghanistan-evacuations-d324fa6e55ec7050287395fafc3c2312 Explainer: What's happening with Afghanistan evacuations?], Associated Press (25 August 2021).</ref><ref name="Kaufman">{{Cite news |author=Ellie Kaufman |author2=Oren Liebermann |author3=Veronica Stracqualursi |author4=Alexis Benveniste|title=Pentagon activates US airlines to assist with evacuation efforts from Afghanistan|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/22/politics/pentagon-us-airlines-american-delta-united-afghanistan-evacuation/index.html|access-date=28 August 2021|work=CNN}}</ref> Between 14 and 25 August, the US evacuated about 82,300 people from Hamid Karzai International Airport,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Jakes|first1=Lara|last2=Schmitt|first2=Eric|date=25 August 2021|title=The latest enemy to U.S. evacuation efforts in Afghanistan: Time|newspaper={{wipe|The New York Times}}|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/08/25/world/afghanistan-taliban-kabul-biden-news}}</ref> including US citizens, Special Immigrant Visa applicants, and other vulnerable Afghans.<ref name="Kaufman" /> Over 122,000 people were airlifted abroad.<ref name="cnn-withdrawal">{{Cite news |author=Nicole Gaouette |author2=Jennifer Hansler |author3=Barbara Starr |author4=Oren Liebermann|title=The last US military planes have left Afghanistan, marking the end of the United States' longest war|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/30/politics/us-military-withdraws-afghanistan/index.html|access-date=2021-08-30|work=CNN|date=30 August 2021 }}</ref>

On 17 August 2021, Amrullah Saleh—citing provisions of the Constitution of Afghanistan—declared himself President of Afghanistan from a base of operations in the Panjshir Valley, and said that he would continue military operations against the Taliban from there.<ref name="tribaug">{{cite news|date=August 17, 2021|title=Panjshir flies flag of resistance again; Amrullah says he is President of Afghanistan|work=Tribune India|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/world/panjshir-flies-flag-of-resistance-again-amrullah-says-he-is-president-of-afghanistan-298553|access-date=August 17, 2021}}</ref> His claim to the presidency was endorsed by Massoud and former Afghan Minister of Defence Bismillah Mohammadi along with the Afghan embassy in Tajikistan and its ambassador Mohammad Zahir Aghbar.<ref name=":09">{{Cite news|last=Kramer|first=Andrew E.|date=2021-08-18|title=Leaders in Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley defy the Taliban and demand an inclusive government.|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/18/world/asia/taliban-panjshir-valley.html|access-date=2021-08-18|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="tribaug" /><ref name=":18">{{Cite web|date=2021-08-18|title='Panjshir stands strong': Afghanistan's last holdout against the Taliban|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/18/panjshir-stands-strong-afghanistans-last-holdout-against-the-taliban|access-date=2021-08-19|website=The Guardian}}</ref> However, Taliban forces captured the valley on 6 September 2021, and leaders of the resistance fled to Tajikistan on 18 September. The 2021 Afghan protests were protests against the [[Religion:Taliban|Taliban]] that started on 17 August 2021 against the treatment of women by the Taliban government, considering it as discriminatory and [[Social:Misogyny|misogynistic]]. As led by the NRF, the protesters also support [[Social:Decentralization|decentralization]], [[Philosophy:Multiculturalism|multiculturalism]], and [[Social:Social justice|social justice]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The leader of the anti-Taliban resistance speaks out|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/09/01/opinions/leader-anti-taliban-resistance-speaks-bergen/index.html}}</ref>

Following the fall of Kabul, the leaders of the IS-K denounced the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, continuing the Islamic State–Taliban conflict.<ref>{{cite web|date=27 August 2021|title=Explained: Who are Islamic State-Khorasan, the terror group that carried out Kabul Airport blast|url=https://www.firstpost.com/world/why-biden-is-worried-about-the-rise-of-islamic-state-khorasan-in-afghanistan-9911971.html|website=Firstpost}}</ref>

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====China====
Under CCP General Secretary [[Biography:Xi Jinping|Xi Jinping]]'s administration, China promoted "common prosperity", a series of policies designed with stated goal to increase equality, and used the term to justify a broad crackdown and major slew of regulations against the tech and tutoring sectors in 2021. Often described as an [[Social:Authoritarianism|authoritarian]] leader by political and academic observers, Xi's tenure has seen an increase of censorship and mass surveillance, a deterioration in human rights including [[Religion:Xinjiang internment camps|the internment of one million Uyghurs]] in [[Place:Xinjiang|Xinjiang]], and a cult of personality developing around him. Xi's [[Social:Xi Jinping Thought|political thoughts]] have been incorporated into the party and national constitutions, and he has emphasized the importance of national security and the need for CCP leadership over the country. He and the CCP Central Committee additionally passed a "historical resolution" in November 2021, the third such resolution after [[Biography:Mao Zedong|Mao Zedong]] and [[Biography:Deng Xiaoping|Deng Xiaoping]], further consolidating his power.

=====Hong Kong=====
The Hong Kong protests against the Chinese government continued into 2020. A controversial new national security law was enacted on 30 June 2020 by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Wong|first1=Chun Han|last2=Areddy|first2=James T.|date=2020-07-01|title=China's Security Law Tightens Vise on Hong Kong|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-china-national-security-law-looms-hong-kong-activists-disband-11593528117|access-date=2020-07-26|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> In July, 12 politicians were banned from standing the upcoming elections.<ref name="The Economist-2020">{{cite news|date=2020-11-14|title=Hong Kong's legislature has been stripped of a vocal opposition|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/china/2020/11/14/hong-kongs-legislature-has-been-stripped-of-a-vocal-opposition|access-date=2020-11-18|issn=0013-0613}}</ref> The elections were then postponed by a year, officially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name="The Economist-2020" /> After the arrest of eight opposition politicians in November, 15 other opposition lawmakers resigned in protest, including the remaining opposition members of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong.<ref name="The Economist-2020" /> The democracy activist Joshua Wong was also arrested, facing up to three years in prison in his trial.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Joshua Wong faces up to three years in jail over Hong Kong protest|url=https://www.ft.com/content/8a4d3b14-b21c-42ea-ad58-90cbecfaea60|access-date=2020-11-24|newspaper=Financial Times|date=23 November 2020 }}</ref>

The Decision of the National People's Congress on Improving the Electoral System of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was enacted on 11 March 2021 by the National People's Congress (NPC), the ''de jure'' legislative body of the People's Republic of China (PRC), to rewrite the electoral rules, imposing a much restrictive electoral system on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) for its Chief Executive (CE) and the Legislative Council (LegCo), claiming to ensure a system of "patriots governing Hong Kong."<ref name="france2420210311">{{cite news|date=11 March 2021|title=China approves plan to veto Hong Kong election candidates|work=France 24|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210311-china-approves-plan-to-veto-hong-kong-election-candidates}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=7 March 2021|title=Improving Hong Kong's electoral system important for developing high-quality democracy|work=China Today|url=http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/ctenglish/2018/zdtj/202103/t20210307_800238930.html}}</ref> Police later arrested five executives of the ''Apple Daily'' newspaper as the newspaper warned that press freedom in the city was "hanging by a thread".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-17|title=Apple Daily says Hong Kong press freedom 'hanging by a thread' after five arrested in raid|url=https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20210617-hong-kong-police-arrest-five-at-pro-democracy-newspaper-apple-daily|access-date=2021-06-20|website=France 24|language=en}}</ref>

The ''Stand News'' raids and arrests occurred on 29 December 2021, when ''Stand News'', one of the few remaining [[Social:Pro-democracy camp (Hong Kong)|pro-democracy]] media outlets in Hong Kong following the passage of the Hong Kong national security law in 2020, was raided by the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force. Media executives and journalists were arrested on the charge of "conspiring to publish seditious publications" on a large scale.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-12-29|title=國安處搜《立場》辦公室 帶走逾30箱新聞材料 {{!}} 獨媒報導|url=https://www.inmediahk.net/node/%E5%AA%92%E9%AB%94/%E5%9C%8B%E5%AE%89%E8%99%95%E6%90%9C%E3%80%8A%E7%AB%8B%E5%A0%B4%E3%80%8B%E8%BE%A6%E5%85%AC%E5%AE%A4-%E5%B8%B6%E8%B5%B0%E9%80%BE30%E7%AE%B1%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E6%9D%90%E6%96%99|access-date=2021-12-29|website=獨立媒體|archive-date=29 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229134717/https://www.inmediahk.net/node/%E5%AA%92%E9%AB%94/%E5%9C%8B%E5%AE%89%E8%99%95%E6%90%9C%E3%80%8A%E7%AB%8B%E5%A0%B4%E3%80%8B%E8%BE%A6%E5%85%AC%E5%AE%A4-%E5%B8%B6%E8%B5%B0%E9%80%BE30%E7%AE%B1%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E6%9D%90%E6%96%99|url-status=live}}</ref> As a result of the raid, ''Stand News'' ceased operations, the organisation's website and social media became inactive, and all of its employees were dismissed. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, along with leaders in Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and United States, condemned the raid.<ref name="reuters-29Dec">{{Cite news|last1=Ng|first1=Edmond|last2=Pomfret|first2=James|date=2021-12-29|title=Hong Kong pro-democracy Stand News shuts down after police raid, arrests|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hong-kong-police-arrest-6-current-or-former-staff-online-media-outlet-2021-12-28/|access-date=2021-12-29|archive-date=29 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229152955/https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/hong-kong-police-arrest-6-current-or-former-staff-online-media-outlet-2021-12-28/|url-status=live}}</ref>

====India====
Narendra Modi of the [[Social:Bharatiya Janata Party|Bharatiya Janata Party]] became Prime Minister in the 2014 Indian general election, in which the party gained a majority in the lower house of the Indian parliament the Lok Sabha; it was the first time for any single party since 1984. His administration has tried to raise direct foreign investment in the Indian economy, and reduced spending on healthcare, education, and social-welfare programmes. He centralised power by abolishing the Planning Commission and replacing it with the NITI Aayog. Modi began a high-profile sanitation campaign, controversially initiated the [[Finance:2016 Indian banknote demonetisation|2016 demonetisation of high-denomination banknotes]] and introduced the [[Finance:Goods and Services Tax (India)|Goods and Services Tax]] (GST), and weakened or abolished environmental and labour laws. Modi oversaw India's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As prime minister, he has received consistently high approval ratings.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kaul |first1=Volker |title=Minorities and Populism – Critical Perspectives from South Asia and Europe |last2=Vajpeyi |first2=Ananya |publisher=[[Company:Springer Publishing|Springer Publishing]] |year=2020 |isbn=9783030340988 |pages=22 |quote=...keeping him consistently popular with his voters and supporters. Modi's personal approval ratings have been consistently high...}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=Global Leader Approval Ratings |url=https://morningconsult.com/global-leader-approval/ |access-date=9 September 2022 |website=Morning Consult |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last2= |last3= |first3= |title=PM Narendra Modi continues to be most popular global leader with approval rating of 74%: Survey |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pm-narendra-modi-continues-to-be-most-popular-global-leader-with-approval-rating-of-74-survey/articleshow/93527036.cms |access-date=9 September 2022 |website=The Times of India |date= 12 August 2022|language=en}}</ref>

Under Modi's tenure, India has experienced [[Social:Democratic backsliding|democratic backsliding]].<ref name=welzel-etal-2019>{{citation|last1=Welzel|first1=Christian|last2=Inglehart|first2=Ronald|last3=Bernhangen|first3=Patrick|last4=Haerpfer|first4=Christian W.|editor1-last=Welzel |editor1-first=Christian|editor2-last=Inglehart|editor2-first=Ronald|editor3-last=Bernhangen|editor3-first=Patrick|editor4-last=Haerpfer |editor4-first=Christian W. |chapter=Introduction |title=Democratization |year=2019|pages=4, 7|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0IN8DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA7|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-873228-0|quote=(p.7) Our diagram&nbsp;... reveals that India's score in comprehensive democracy is at best half the Western level, which conflicts with the standard democracy measures by Polity and Freedom House where India scores much higher. On the other hand, India's modest democracy performance in the V-Dem data fully confirms Alexander, Welzel, and Inglehart (2012) who argue that India's state of democracy is overestimated by standard measures and needs to take account of serious deficiencies in rule of law and human rights enforcement (cf. Inglehart and Welzel 2005; Welzel and Inglehart 2006; Alexander and Welzel 2011).' The recent considerable drop of the 'Indic East' mainly reflects India's democratic backsliding under the Hindu-nationalist administration of Modi. (<small>p.4 The 'Indic East' comprises those nations in South Asia whose history was shaped by Indian culture.)</small>}}</ref><ref name=chidambaram-2022>{{citation|last=Chidambaram|first=Soundarya|chapter=India's Inexorable Path to Autocratization: Looking beyond Modi and the populist lens |year=2022 |title=Routledge Handbook of Autocratization in South Asia|editor-last=Widmalm|editor-first=Sten|publisher=Routledge|pages=130–148|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fNBUEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT138|doi= 10.4324/9781003042211-11|s2cid=245210210|quote=(T)he electoral success of populist parties has also coincided with a decline of democracy across the globe (Giinther and Liihrmann, 2018). The focal point in this regard is the rise of populist demagogues and authoritarian strongmen who have caused democratic decline by cracking down on political dissent and curbing the autonomy of the judiciary and the free press, thus creating the conditions for democratic backsliding and decline (Levitsky and Ziblatt, 2018). The path of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in India since 2014 seems to fit this description. The BJP's hegemonic control of Indian politics has been coterminous with aggressive cultural nationalist rhetoric manifesting itself as routinized intimidation and killing of journalists and political critics, vigilante lynching of Muslims, and a general clampdown on dissent (Kesavan, 2017). Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister and leader of the BJP epitomizes the populist strongman with his charismatic appeal, centralization of power (Vaishnav, 2019), and ability to connect with the masses through clever use of media (Martelli and Jaffrelot, 2017; Vaishnav, 2021). Not surprisingly, scholars and commentators looking at contemporary Indian politics converge on the idea that Modi's populist leadership of the BJP is the reason for the havoc being wreaked on democratic institutions in the country (Kinnvall, 2019; Chatterji et al., 2019; Basu, 2018; Chacko, 2018; Nilsen, 2018)}}</ref>{{Efn|name=lo9|group=lower-alpha|Sources describing that India has experienced a [[Social:Democratic backsliding|backslide in democracy]]:<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Brunkert|first1=Lennart|last2=Kruse|first2=Stefan|last3=Welzel|first3=Christian|date=3 April 2019|title=A tale of culture-bound regime evolution: the centennial democratic trend and its recent reversal|url=http://fox.leuphana.de/portal/de/publications/a-tale-of-culturebound-regime-evolution-the-centennial-democratic-trend-and-its-recent-reversal(2b6baaf4-3942-4491-92ca-55782d455a62).html|journal=Democratization|volume=26|issue=3|pages=422–443|doi=10.1080/13510347.2018.1542430|s2cid=148625260|issn=1351-0347}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Khaitan|first=Tarunabh|date=26 May 2020|title=Killing a Constitution with a Thousand Cuts: Executive Aggrandizement and Party-state Fusion in India|url=https://www.degruyter.com/view/journals/lehr/14/1/article-p49.xml|journal=Law & Ethics of Human Rights|language=en|volume=14|issue=1|pages=49–95|doi=10.1515/lehr-2020-2009|s2cid=221083830|issn=2194-6531}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Ganguly|first=Sumit|title=India's Democracy Is Under Threat|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/18/indias-democracy-is-under-threat/|date=18 September 2020|access-date=27 November 2020|website=Foreign Policy|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|date=2021|title=India: Freedom in the World 2021 Country Report|url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/india/freedom-world/2021|journal=[[Organization:Freedom House|Freedom House]]|volume=|via=|quote=While India is a multiparty democracy, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has presided over discriminatory policies and increased violence affecting the Muslim population. The constitution guarantees civil liberties including freedom of expression and freedom of religion, but harassment of journalists, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and other government critics has increased significantly under Modi.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|first1=Vindu|last1=Goel|first2=Jeffrey|last2=Gettleman|date=2 April 2020|title=Under Modi, India's Press Is Not So Free Anymore|language=en-US|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/world/asia/modi-india-press-media.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402132111/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/world/asia/modi-india-press-media.html |archive-date=2 April 2020 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|access-date=9 March 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>}} Following his party's victory in the 2019 general election, his administration revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, introduced the Citizenship Amendment Act and three controversial farm laws, prompting widespread protests and sit-ins across the country, resulting in a formal repeal of the latter. Modi has been described as engineering a political realignment towards [[Social:Right-wing politics|right-wing politics]] and remains a controversial figure, domestically and internationally, over his Hindu nationalist beliefs and handling of the 2002 Gujarat riots, which have been cited as evidence of a majoritarian and exclusionary social agenda.{{efn|Sources discussing the controversy surrounding Modi.<ref name="Buncombe">{{#invoke:cite news||title=A rebirth dogged by controversy |first=Andrew |last=Buncombe |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/a-rebirth-dogged-by-controversy-2357157.html |work=The Independent |date=19 September 2011 |access-date=10 October 2012 |location=London |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111225024707/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/a-rebirth-dogged-by-controversy-2357157.html |archive-date=25 December 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Visweswaran |first=Kamala |title=Perspectives on Modern South Asia: A Reader in Culture, History, and Representation|date=April 2011|publisher=[[Company:Wiley-Blackwell|Wiley-Blackwell]] |isbn=978-1-4051-0062-5|page=188|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m-EYXNnvMugC|oclc=682895189|editor=Visweswaran, Kamala|quote=The chief minister of Gujarat, a young up-and-coming leader of the Hindu nationalists called Narendra Modi, quoted Isaac Newton to explain the killings of Muslims. "Every action", he said, "has an equal and opposite reaction."|access-date=30 August 2021}}</ref><ref name="Stepan">{{cite journal |last1=Stepan |first1=Alfred |s2cid=153861198 |title=India, Sri Lanka, and the Majoritarian Danger |journal=Journal of Democracy |volume=26 |pages=128–140 |language=en |doi=10.1353/jod.2015.0006 |date=7 January 2015|url=https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/3590a4efe3e1f4f0d5f37d4d1f8fa3fd1e353d97|access-date=30 August 2021}}</ref><ref name="CBC">{{#invoke:cite news||title=Indian PM Narendra Modi still mired in controversy, says expert|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=16 April 2015|access-date=17 February 2017|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/indian-pm-narendra-modi-still-mired-in-controversy-says-expert-1.3036836|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014073116/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/indian-pm-narendra-modi-still-mired-in-controversy-says-expert-1.3036836|archive-date=14 October 2017}}</ref><ref name="Robinson">{{#invoke:cite news||title=India's Voters Torn Over Politician |first=Simon |last=Robinson |url=http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1693370,00.html |magazine={{wipe|Time (magazine)}} |date=11 December 2007 |access-date=10 October 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023030008/http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1693370,00.html |archive-date=23 October 2013 }}</ref><ref name="Burke">{{#invoke:cite news||title=Gujarat leader Narendra Modi grilled for 10&nbsp;hours at massacre inquiry |first1=Jason |last1=Burke |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/28/gujarat-narendra-modi-massacre-inquiry-india |newspaper={{wipe|The Guardian}} |date=28 March 2010 |access-date=10 October 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130909181320/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/28/gujarat-narendra-modi-massacre-inquiry-india |archive-date=9 September 2013 }}</ref>|name=|group=}}

The Citizenship Amendment Act protests occurred after the enactment of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) by the Indian government on 12 December 2019, which triggered widespread ongoing protests across India and abroad against the act and the associated proposals to enact a National Register of Citizens (NRC).<ref name="hansindia">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehansindia.com/news/cities/hyderabad/student-unions-back-anti-citizenship-amendment-act-protests-590361|title=Student unions back anti Citizenship Amendment Act protests|date=16 December 2019 |website=thehansindia.com |access-date=17 December 2019}}</ref> The Amendment created a pathway to Indian citizenship for illegal migrants belonging to [[Religion:Hindus|Hindu]], Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and [[Religion:Christians|Christian]] communities from {{wipe|Pakistan}}, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who had entered India before 2014 fleeing religious persecution.<ref name="BBC explained">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-50670393 Citizenship Amendment Bill: India's new 'anti-Muslim' law explained], BBC News, 11 December 2019.</ref> The Amendment does not provide the same pathway to Muslims and others from these countries, nor to refugee Sri Lankan Tamils in India, Rohingyas from Myanmar, or Buddhists from Tibet.<ref>{{Cite news|author=<!--Not stated-->|date=15 December 2019|title=A dark day for the country, says Jamaat-e-Islami chief|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/a-dark-day-for-the-country-says-jamaat-chief/article30313127.ece|url-access=subscription|access-date=17 January 2020|issn=0971-751X|quote=He said Tamil Hindus from Sri Lanka had been persecuted and questioned why they had not been brought under the ambit of the CAA}}</ref> The proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be an official record of all legal citizens of India; individuals would need to provide a prescribed set of documents issued before a specified cutoff date to be included in it.<ref>{{Cite news|date=23 December 2019|title=Understanding NRC: What it is and if it can be implemented across the country|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/et-explains/is-a-pan-india-nrc-possible-the-lesson-from-assam/articleshow/72454225.cms?from=mdr|access-date=7 January 2020}}</ref> The amendment has been widely criticised as discriminating on the basis of religion, in particular for excluding Muslims.<ref name="NPRExcludes">{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/12/11/787220640/india-passes-controversial-citizenship-bill-that-would-exclude-muslims |title=India Passes Controversial Citizenship Bill That Would Exclude Muslims |newspaper=NPR |first=Sam |last=Gringlas}}</ref> Protestors against the amendment demand that it be scrapped and that the nationwide NRC not be implemented.<ref name="wsjdelhi">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/india-protests-against-new-law-spread-to-muslim-area-of-capital-11576596978|title=India Citizenship Protests Spread to Muslim Area of Capital|last=Pokharel|first=Krishna|website=The Wall Street Journal|date=17 December 2019|access-date=17 January 2020|quote=Protests against a new citizenship law favoring non-Muslim immigrants erupted in violence in a Muslim-dominated part of the Indian capital [...] "People are opposing this law because it discriminates against Muslims [...]}}</ref> Protesters in Assam and other northeastern states do not want Indian citizenship to be granted to any refugee or immigrant, regardless of their religion, as they fear it would alter the region's demographic balance.<ref name="iexpressassam">{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/assam-protests-citizenship-amendment-bill-nrc-northeast-bandh-5543785/|title=Explained: Why Assam, Northeast are angry|last1=Saha|first1=Abhishek|date=20 January 2019|work=The Indian Express|quote=Protesters have expressed fears that the prospect of citizenship will encourage migration from Bangladesh. They have cited several grounds for opposing this. Demography: This will change across Northeastern states, protesters say, as has already been happening in Assam and Tripura over decades of migration (see graphs). "Assamese could become the second language. Then there is also the question of loss of political rights and culture of the indigenous people," said former Chief Minister Prafulla Mahanta, who was the face of the Assam Movement (1979-85) against illegal immigration, and one of the signatories to the Assam Accord at the culmination of the movement. (...) Protesters say the Bill goes against the Assam Accord and negates the ongoing update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).}}</ref><ref name="reuters1211">{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-citizenship-idUSKBN1YF0QI|title=India's parliament passes citizenship law, protests flare|date=11 December 2019|work=Reuters|access-date=17 January 2020|quote=The bill will take away our rights, language and culture with millions of Bangladeshis getting citizenship (...) people in Assam and surrounding states fear that arriving settlers could increase competition for land and upset the region's demographic balance}}</ref>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dismissed 12 cabinet ministers, including Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, following intense criticisms over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ravi Shankar Prasad, who held multiple concurrent positions as Law, Information Technology, and Communications Minister, also resigned.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-07|title=India's Modi fires 12 ministers in reshuffle ahead of state polls|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3140229/indias-modi-reshuffles-cabinet-amid-drop-popularity-during|access-date=2021-07-11|website=South China Morning Post|language=en}}</ref>

==== Kazakhstan ====
Protests broke out on 2 January 2022 after a sudden sharp increase in gas prices which, according to the Kazakh government, was due to high demand and price fixing. The protests began in Zhanaozen, a city built on an oil field, but quickly spread to other cities in the country,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lillis|first=Joanna|date=2022-01-03|title=Kazakhstan: Gas price hike fuels Zhanaozen protests|url=https://eurasianet.org/kazakhstan-gas-price-hike-fuels-zhanaozen-protests|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-04|website=eurasianet.org|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104000212/https://eurasianet.org/kazakhstan-gas-price-hike-fuels-zhanaozen-protests |archive-date=2022-01-04 }}</ref> including the largest city, [[Place:Almaty|Almaty]]. Growing discontent with the government and former president Nursultan Nazarbayev also influenced larger demonstrations. As there were no popular opposition groups against the Kazakh government, the unrest appeared to be assembled directly by citizens. In response, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a [[Social:State of emergency|state of emergency]] in Mangystau Region and Almaty, effective from 5 January. The Mamin Cabinet resigned the same day.<ref name="reuters">{{cite news|last1=Auyezov|first1=Olzhas|date=5 January 2022|title=Kazakhstan government's resignation fails to quell protests|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/kazakhstan-government-resigns-after-violent-protests-over-fuel-price-2022-01-05/|access-date=5 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2022-01-05|title=Kazakhstan protests: government resigns amid rare outbreak of unrest|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/04/kazakhstan-president-declares-state-of-emergency-in-protest-hit-areas|access-date=2022-01-05|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref>

In response to the unrest, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) – a military alliance of [[Earth:Post-Soviet states|post-Soviet states]] that includes [[Place:Armenia|Armenia]], {{wipe|Belarus}},  Kyrgyzstan, {{wipe|Russia}}, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan itself – agreed to deploy peacekeeping troops in Kazakhstan. The local police reported that "dozens of attackers were liquidated", while former President Nazarbayev was removed as the Chairman of the Security Council of Kazakhstan.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Jacobs|first=Harrison|date=2022-01-06|title=Russia-led alliance troops have arrived in Kazakhstan after mass protests|language=en|work=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/2022/01/06/1070840030/police-say-dozens-have-been-killed-in-kazakhstan-unrest|access-date=2022-01-06}}</ref> Tokayev later announced a series of reforms to the national parliament, including re-establishing the Constitutional Court, reducing the membership requirement for establishing political parties from 20,000 to 5,000, reducing the number of parliament deputies appointed by the president, and restoring three regions that were merged during the 1990s. He says that the purpose of these reforms is to move the current political system from "superpresidential" rule to a presidential republic with a strong parliament.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-03-16 |title=Kazakh President Tokayev lays out constitutional reform plan |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/kazakh-president-tokayev-lays-out-constitutional-reform-plan-2022-03-16/ |access-date=2022-03-20}}</ref>

====Kyrgyzstan====
The 2020 Kyrgyzstani protests began on 5 October 2020 in response to the recent parliamentary election that was perceived by protestors as unfair, with allegations of vote rigging.<ref name="rferl_5Oct_Kyrgyz">{{cite web|last1=Pannier|first1=Bruce|title=Backlash Against Kyrgyz Parliamentary Election Results Comes Instantly|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/backlash-against-kyrgyz-parliamentary-election-results-comes-instantly/30876459.html|access-date=5 October 2020|website=Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty|publisher=RFE/RL, Inc.}}</ref><ref name="BBC_5Oct_Kyrgyz">{{Cite news|date=5 October 2020|title=Thousands protest over Kyrgyzstan election result|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54422884|access-date=5 October 2020|newspaper=BBC News}}</ref> The results of the election were [[Social:Annulment|annulled]] on 6 October 2020.<ref name="Annulment">{{cite web|date=6 October 2020|title=Kyrgyzstan election: Sunday's results annulled after mass protests|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54432030|website=BBC}}</ref> On 12 October 2020, President Jeenbekov announced a state of emergency in the capital city of [[Place:Bishkek|Bishkek]],<ref name="stateofemergency">{{Cite web|date=2020-10-12|title=Kyrgyz president declares new state of emergency|url=https://apnews.com/article/kyrgyzstan-bishkek-archive-elections-parliamentary-elections-ca9858d12e19a17caadb0b50e951618d|access-date=2020-10-13|website=AP NEWS}}</ref> which was approved by Parliament the following day.<ref name="parliamentemergency">{{Cite web|title=Parliament in Kyrgyzstan endorses state of emergency|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/parliament-kyrgyzstan-endorses-state-emergency-73592750|access-date=2020-10-13|website=ABC News|language=en}}</ref> Jeenbekov resigned on 15 October 2020.

In January 2021 a referendum on the form of government was held alongside presidential elections (won by Sadyr Japarov), with voters asked whether they would prefer a [[Social:Presidential system|presidential system]], a [[Social:Parliamentary system|parliamentary system]], or opposed both. Just over 84% voted in favour of a presidential system.

Work began on drafting a new constitution, which was debated in the Supreme Council in February 2021. The draft new constitution replaces the parliamentary system with a presidential one, with presidents limited to two five years terms instead of a single six-year term. It also reduces the number of seats in the Supreme Council from 120 to 90 and establishes a constitutional court.<ref name="IF">[https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/71301/ Kyrgyzstan to hold constitution referendum on April 11] Interfax, 11 March 2021</ref>

In March 2021 members of the Supreme Council passed a bill, scheduling a referendum on the new constitution for 11 April, the same day as local elections.<ref name="IF" /> The result was 79.31% in favour.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Страница не найдена - ЦИК КР|url=https://shailoo.gov.kg/ru/news/4686/|access-date=2021-04-16|website=shailoo.gov.kg}}</ref>

====Malaysia====
In early 2020, officials from the Malaysia's Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said that Malaysia has recovered US$322&nbsp;million stolen from the sovereign wealth fund [[Finance:1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal|1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal]], a fraction of the more than US$4.5&nbsp;billion US prosecutors say was looted.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Malaysia recovers US$322 million in stolen 1MDB money: PM's office|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysia-1mdb-recover-323-million-fraud-money-12547814|access-date=2020-03-20|website=CNA|language=en}}</ref> In April, the US Department of Justice returned US$300&nbsp;million in funds stolen during the 1MDB scandal to Malaysia.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1MDB scandal: A timeline|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/1mdb-scandal-a-timeline-10254406|access-date=29 June 2019|website=CNA|language=en|archive-date=23 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723010103/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/1mdb-scandal-a-timeline-10254406}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Photos – 1mdb-scandal-timeline – News – msn|url=https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/photos/1mdb-scandal-timeline/ss-AAyGEMx|access-date=29 June 2019|website=www.msn.com}}</ref> Former Prime Minister Najib Razak was found guilty of one count of abuse of power, three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money laundering, a total of seven charges for the SRC International trial.<ref name="CNN-2019">{{cite web|date=22 November 2019|title=Colombia protests prompt teargas, curfew and border closures|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/21/americas/colombia-national-strike-intl/index.html|access-date=2019-11-22|website=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Tee|first=Kenneth|date=28 July 2020|title=High Court finds Najib guilty of all seven charges in misappropriation of RM42m SRC International funds|url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/07/28/high-court-finds-najib-guilty-of-misappropriation-of-rm42m-src-internationa/1888749}}</ref>

On 24 February 2020, Malaysia entered the 2020 Malaysian political crisis for almost a week after the resignation of the 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad. Immediately that afternoon, the King of Malaysia re-appointed Mahathir Mohamad as the Interim Prime Minister to solve the political crisis. On 29 February 2020, Yang Dipertuan Agong, King Abdullah of Pahang agreed to appoint Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the 8th Prime Minister of Malaysia, and he was sworn in at the Istana Negara on 1 March 2020.

Malaysia declared a State of Emergency in January 2021 amid the worsening COVID-19 pandemic, suspending parliament and all elections until August.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-12|title=Malaysia declares Covid state of emergency amid political turmoil|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/12/malaysia-declares-covid-state-of-emergency-amid-political-turmoil|access-date=2021-07-09|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> The declaration attracted political controversy;<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kaur|first=Minderjeet|date=2021-01-23|title=At least 115 MPs reject emergency, claims Anwar|url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/01/23/at-least-115-mps-reject-emergency-claims-anwar/|access-date=2021-01-30|website=Free Malaysia Today (FMT)|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-01-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123094729/https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/01/23/at-least-115-mps-reject-emergency-claims-anwar/}}</ref> a number of MPs from major coalition party UMNO withdrew support for the government in disapproval,<ref>{{cite news|author=Arfa Yunus|date=12 January 2021|title=Nazri Aziz withdraws support for Muhyiddin's government|work=The New Straits Times|url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2021/01/656675/nazri-aziz-withdraws-support-muhyiddin-pm|access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref> temporarily leading to a [[Social:Minority government|minority government]] and destabilising the coalition. On 8 July 2021, the President of [[Religion:United Malays National Organisation|UMNO]] announced that the party had withdrawn support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin over the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic<ref>{{cite web|last1=Anand|first1=Ram|date=8 July 2021|title=Umno withdraws support for Malaysia PM Muhyiddin, calls for his resignation|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-withdraws-support-for-malaysias-pm-muhyiddin-calls-for-his-resignation|access-date=8 July 2021|website=The Straits Times}}</ref> although others in UMNO later affirmed their support, splitting the party and putting the government's status into question.<ref>{{cite web|date=10 July 2021|title=Majority of Umno supreme council disagreed on withdrawing support for Muhyiddin: Ismail Sabri|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/majority-of-umno-supreme-council-disagreed-to-withdraw-support-for-pm-muhyiddin-says|access-date=12 July 2021|website=The Straits Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Yusof|first1=Amir|date=8 July 2021|title=PM Muhyiddin and Cabinet can still exercise executive powers despite UMNO's withdrawal: Attorney-General|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysia-muhyiddin-executive-powers-attorney-general-umno-15179174|access-date=8 July 2021|website=CNA}}</ref> After losing majority support and attempts to regain it were unsuccessful,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-15|title=Ruling pact scrambles for replacement ahead of Malaysia PM Muhyiddin's resignation|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/top-bersatu-leaders-seen-arriving-for-meeting-amid-malaysias-political-crisis|access-date=2021-08-15|website=The Straits Times|language=en}}</ref> Prime Minister Muhyiddin and his cabinet resigned on 16 August 2021 with Muhyiddin remaining as caretaker Prime Minister. Four days later, UMNO's Vice President Ismail Sabri Yaakob was appointed Prime Minister by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after receiving support from most of the MPs.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Malaysia's Muhyiddin resigns after troubled 17 months in power|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/16/malaysias-muhyiddin-resigns-after-troubled-17-months-in-power|access-date=2021-08-16|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-20|title=Ismail Sabri Yaakob appointed as prime minister of Malaysia|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/southeast-asia/ismail-sabri-yaakob-malaysia-pm-b1905862.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820095023/https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/southeast-asia/ismail-sabri-yaakob-malaysia-pm-b1905862.html |archive-date=2021-08-20 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-20|website=The Independent|language=en}}</ref>

==== Myanmar ====
General elections were held in Myanmar on 8 November 2020, in which the National League for Democracy won 396 out of 476 seats in parliament, while the military's proxy party, the [[Social:Union Solidarity and Development Party|Union Solidarity and Development Party]], won only 33 seats.<ref name="Beech-2021">{{cite news|last=Beech|first=Hannah|date=31 January 2021|title=Myanmar's Leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Is Detained Amid Coup|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/31/world/asia/myanmar-coup-suu-kyi.html|access-date=31 January 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, democratically elected members of the ruling National League for Democracy were detained and/or deposed from their offices by the Tatmadaw; Myanmar's military. The Tatmadaw declared a year-long [[Social:State of emergency|state of emergency]] and declared power had been vested in the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Min Aung Hlaing. The coup d'état occurred the day before the Parliament of Myanmar was due to swear in the members elected at the November 2020 general election, preventing this from occurring.<ref>{{cite web|agency=Reuters|date=1 February 2021|title=Myanmar military seizes power, detains elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi|url=https://news.trust.org/item/20210201014444-5u7cm|website=news.trust.org}}</ref> President Win Myint and State Counsellor [[Biography:Aung San Suu Kyi|Aung San Suu Kyi]] were detained, along with ministers and their deputies and members of Parliament.<ref name="Beech-2021" /> Domestic civil resistance efforts in Myanmar, known locally as the Spring Revolution ({{lang-my|နွေဦးတော်လှန်ရေး}}),<ref>{{cite news|date=21 February 2021|title='Spring Revolution': Myanmar protests swell despite military junta's threat of force|agency=Associated Press via Global News|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7654321/myanmar-protests-military-force/|access-date=15 March 2021}}</ref><ref name="Guardian220221">{{cite web|last1=Ratcliffe|first1=Rebecca|date=22 February 2021|title=Myanmar junta warns of lethal force as crowds gather for 'five twos revolution'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/22/myanmar-junta-warns-of-lethal-force-as-protesters-gather-for-five-twos-revolution|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222050501/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/22/myanmar-junta-warns-of-lethal-force-as-protesters-gather-for-five-twos-revolution|archive-date=22 February 2021|access-date=22 February 2021|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> began in opposition to the coup d'état on 1 February.<ref>{{cite web|date=3 February 2021|title=Anti-Coup Protest on Streets of Myanmar's Second City|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-02-03/anti-coup-protest-on-streets-of-myanmars-second-city|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218191430/https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-02-03/anti-coup-protest-on-streets-of-myanmars-second-city|archive-date=18 February 2021|access-date=4 February 2021|agency=US News}}</ref> {{As of|2021|4|2}}, at least 550 civilians, including children, have been killed by military or police forces and at least 2,574 people detained.<ref>{{cite web|date=28 March 2021|title=Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup|url=https://aappb.org/?p=13901|access-date=28 March 2021|publisher=Assistance Association for Political Prisoners}}</ref>

The National Unity Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar was formed by the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, a group of elected lawmakers ousted in the coup d'état. It included representatives of the National League for Democracy (the deposed ruling party of former state counsellor [[Biography:Aung San Suu Kyi|Aung San Suu Kyi]]), ethnic minority insurgent groups, and various minor parties.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Nachemson|first1=Andrew|date=24 May 2021|title=Myanmar diaspora in US rally, raise funds in battle against coup|work=Al Jazeera|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/24/myanmar-people-in-us-protest-raise-funds-to-battle-coup-leaders|access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref> The NUG has sought international recognition as the government of Myanmar.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-04-18|title=Myanmar unity government says it must be part of any ASEAN bid to end crisis|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/myanmar-unity-government-says-it-must-be-part-any-asean-bid-end-crisis-2021-04-18/|access-date=2021-04-22|website=Reuters}}</ref> On 5 May 2021, the NUG announced the formation of "People's Defense Force" as its armed wing to launch an armed revolution against the military junta.<ref>{{cite news|author=Sebastian Strangio|date=6 May 2021|title=Can Myanmar's New 'People's Defense Force' Succeed?|work=The Diplomat|url=https://thediplomat.com/2021/05/can-myanmars-new-peoples-defense-force-succeed/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=8 May 2021|title=Myanmar junta designates shadow government as 'terrorist' group|work=Deutsche Welle|url=https://www.dw.com/en/myanmar-junta-designates-shadow-government-as-terrorist-group/a-57473057|access-date=9 May 2021}}</ref>

==== Mongolia ====
Parliamentary elections in June 2020<ref>[http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/3286/ Mongolia: Election for Ulsyn Ikh Khural (Mongolian State Great Hural)] IFES</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=Jan 19, 2020|title=2020 Race Begins|url=https://www.mongoliaweekly.org/post/2020-race-begins|access-date=2020-01-19|website=Mongolia Weekly|language=en}}</ref> resulted in a victory for the ruling Mongolian People's Party. The Prime Minister Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh resigned on 27 January 2021 following a minor protest against the mistreatment of a hospital patient.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-01-28|title=Mongolia's government resigns after a small protest|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/01/28/mongolias-government-resigns-after-a-small-protest|access-date=2021-02-02|issn=0013-0613}}</ref>

==== Nepal ====
In July 2021, the Nepalese Supreme Court declared that the dissolution of the Federal Parliament of Nepal by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in May was unconstitutional, reinstating the Parliament and removing the duties of Oli.<ref name="Sharma-2021">{{cite news|last1=Sharma|first1=Bhadra|last2=Mashal|first2=Mujib|date=2021-07-12|title=Nepal Court Replaces Prime Minister After Months of Turbulence|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/12/world/asia/nepal-prime-minister-kp-sharma-oli.html|access-date=2021-07-18|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The Supreme Court also designated leader of the opposition Sher Bahadur Deuba as the new Prime Minister.<ref name="Sharma-2021" />

==== Pakistan ====
A political and constitutional crisis emerged in Pakistan when, on 3 April 2022, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri dismissed a no-confidence motion against prime minister Imran Khan during a session in which it was expected to be taken up for a vote. Moments later, the president dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of prime minister Imran Khan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Dawn com {{!}} Sanaullah |date=2022-04-03 |title=President Alvi dissolves National Assembly on PM Imran's advice |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1683230 |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Key Pakistan leaders behind opposition bid to remove PM Khan |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/3/pakistan-constitutional-crisis-key-opposition-leaders |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref> This created a constitutional crisis, as effectively, Imran Khan led a [[Social:Constitutional Coup|constitutional coup]] to remain in power.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-05 |title='Constitutional Coup' Threatened in Pakistan |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/04/05/constitutional-coup-threatened-pakistan |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=Human Rights Watch |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-03 |title=Pakistan's PM calls for early election after vote of no confidence thrown out |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/03/pakistan-imran-khan-parliament-vote-no-confidence-early-elections |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

Four days later, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled that the dismissal of the no-confidence motion and subsequent dissolution of the National Assembly were unconstitutional, and overturned these actions. The Supreme Court further held that the National Assembly had not been prorogued and had to be reconvened by the Speaker immediately.<ref name="restored">{{cite news |last=Bhatti |first=Haseeb |date=April 7, 2022 |title=Supreme Court restores National Assembly, orders no-confidence vote to be held on Saturday |work=Dawn |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1683857/supreme-court-restores-national-assembly-orders-no-confidence-vote-to-be-held-on-saturday}}</ref><ref name="pakistansupremecourt">{{cite news |title=Pakistan court rules blocking vote to oust Khan unconstitutional |language=en |publisher=www.aljzeera.com |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/7/pakistan-court-rules-blocking-vote-to-oust-khan-unconstitutional |access-date=2022-04-05}}</ref> Shortly after midnight on 10 April, the National Assembly voted and passed the No Confidence motion removing prime minister Khan from office immediately upon passing of the resolution<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chaudhry |first=Fahad |date=2022-04-09 |title=Imran Khan loses no-trust vote, prime ministerial term comes to unceremonious end |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1684168 |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref> and making him the first prime minister in Pakistan to be so removed from office.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-09 |title=Imran Khan becomes first PM to be ousted via no-trust vote |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/2351683/imran-khan-becomes-countrys-first-pm-to-be-ousted-through-no-trust-vote |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref>

==== Sri Lanka ====

===== Economic crisis =====
{{excerpt|2019–present Sri Lankan economic crisis}}

===== Political crisis =====
{{excerpt|2022 Sri Lankan political crisis}}

===== Protests =====
{{excerpt|2022 Sri Lankan protests}}

==== Turkmenistan ====
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow stepped down as president on 19 March 2022, after a non-democratic snap presidential election, in which his son Serdar Berdimuhamedow won, becoming the next President and establishing a political dynasty.<ref>{{cite news |date=19 March 2022 |title=Turkmenistan holds inauguration of new president (UPDATE) |work=Trend News Agency |url=https://en.trend.az/casia/turkmenistan/3571398.html |access-date=19 March 2022}}</ref>

==== Indonesia ====
An Indonesian general was killed by West Papuan separatists in April 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Papua intelligence chief killed in weekend rebel attack|url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2021/04/26/papua-intelligence-chief-killed-in-weekend-rebel-attack-.html|access-date=2021-05-02|website=The Jakarta Post|language=en}}</ref>

==== Japan ====
On 8 July 2022, Shinzo Abe, a former prime minister of Japan and a serving member of the House of Representatives, was assassinated while speaking at a political event outside Yamato-Saidaiji Station in [[Place:Nara, Nara|Nara]], Nara Prefecture, Japan.<ref name="NHKWorld">{{cite news |date=8 July 2022 |title=Man taken into custody after former Japanese PM Abe Shinzo collapses |work=NHK World |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220708_19/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708032135/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220708_19/ |archive-date=8 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Former Japanese PM Abe Shinzo showing no vital signs after apparently being shot |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220708_22/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708034700/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220708_22/ |archive-date=8 July 2022 |access-date=8 July 2022 |website=NHK World |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=8 July 2022 |title=Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe shot dead |publisher=CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/asia/live-news/shinzo-abe-japan-pm-collapses-nara-07-08-22-intl-hnk/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=8 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708041003/https://edition.cnn.com/asia/live-news/shinzo-abe-japan-pm-collapses-nara-07-08-22-intl-hnk/index.html |archive-date=8 July 2022}}</ref> While delivering a campaign speech for a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) candidate, Abe was shot from behind at close range by a man with a [[Engineering:Improvised firearm|homemade firearm]].<ref name="reuters2">{{Cite news |last=Kim |first=Chang-Ran |date=July 8, 2022 |title=Shinzo Abe shot while making election speech in Japan |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-ex-prime-minister-abe-may-have-been-shot-taken-hospital-nhk-2022-07-08/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708041916/https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-ex-prime-minister-abe-may-have-been-shot-taken-hospital-nhk-2022-07-08/ |archive-date=8 July 2022}}</ref> He was transported by medical helicopter to Nara Medical University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.<ref name="Kyodo 2022-07-08">{{Cite news |date=8 July 2022 |title=安倍氏は午後5時3分に死亡確認 |trans-title=Mr. Abe confirmed dead at 5:03pm |agency=Kyodo News |url=https://nordot.app/918069532928016384?c=39550187727945729 |url-status=live |access-date=8 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708092326/https://nordot.app/918069532928016384?c=39550187727945729 |archive-date=8 July 2022 |language=ja}}</ref>

==== Thailand ====
In Thailand, protests began in early 2020. Beginning first as demonstrations against the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, it later included the unprecedented demands for reform of the Thai monarchy. The protests were initially triggered by the dissolution of the Future Forward Party (FFP) in late February 2020 which was critical of Prayut, the changes to the Thai constitution in 2017 and the country's political landscape that it gave rise to.

====Uzbekistan====

{{excerpt|2022 Karakalpak protests}}

===Europe===
The [[Social:European Union|European Union]] reduced in member states from 28 to 27 with the exit of the {{wipe|United Kingdom}} on January 31, 2020. The response to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a rift between Northern and Southern European member states over spending, with the former demanding more stringent measures to curb overspending, while the latter argued for more financial support in order to overcome the crisis.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-03-27|title=Dutch try to calm north-south economic storm over coronavirus|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/netherlands-try-to-calm-storm-over-repugnant-finance-ministers-comments/|access-date=2020-12-10|website=POLITICO|language=en-US}}</ref> A key issue of contention was the issuing of so-called [[Finance:Eurobond (eurozone)|corona bonds]]. After a historic debt-sharing deal for economic stimulus was agreed to by the remaining countries, Hungary and {{wipe|Poland}} threatened to veto both it and the EU's budget unless a clause demanding the upholding of the [[Philosophy:Rule of law|rule of law]] by member states was dropped.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Poland, Hungary face growing calls to drop EU budget veto |date=2020-08-12|url=https://www.dw.com/en/poland-hungary-face-growing-calls-to-drop-eu-budget-veto/a-55865991|access-date=2020-12-09|website=Deutsche Welle|language=en-GB}}</ref> A compromise was reached to pass the deal, which involved delaying the implementation of the clause.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-10|title=EU leaders back deal to end budget blockade by Hungary and Poland|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/deal-reached-to-unblock-eu-budget-and-recovery-fund/|access-date=2020-12-16|website=POLITICO|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Middle East ===
As a result of the [[Social:Arab Spring|Arab Spring]] which began in 2011, which evolved into what some considered the Arab Winter, much of the region was riven by massive instability and conflict, with the Syrian, Libyan and [[Social:Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)|Yemeni Civil Wars]] continuing into the 2020s. The 2018–2022 Arab protests in Algeria, Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt were seen as a continuation of the Arab Spring.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/no-one-can-predict-where-middle-east-will-be-10-years-now|title=From Lebanon to Iraq, the Arab Spring never ended, it just gets bigger|website=Middle East Eye}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.trtworld.com/opinion/are-we-seeing-a-new-arab-spring-30904|title=Are we seeing a new Arab Spring?|website=Are we seeing a new Arab Spring?}}</ref>

==== Armenia ====
Following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, Armenian forces were to withdraw from Armenian-occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh by 1 December. An approximately 2,000-strong Russian peacekeeping force from the Russian Ground Forces was to be deployed to the region for a minimum of five years, one of its task being protection of the Lachin corridor, which links Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Additionally, Armenia undertook to "guarantee safety" of passage between mainland Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave via a strip of land in Armenia's Syunik Province. Russian FSB′s Border Troops would exercise control over the transport communication.<ref name="peace">{{Cite web|date=10 November 2020|title=Пашинян заявляет о подписании мирного соглашения|url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/live/news-54686682?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=5fa9bb8967645202b6c4e0c2%26%D0%9F%D0%B0%D1%88%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%8F%D0%BD%20%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%8F%D0%B2%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%B5%D1%82%20%D0%BE%20%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BF%D0%B8%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B8%20%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE%20%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%88%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F%262020-11-09T21%3A58%3A34.129Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:cff55216-dfba-4dc6-9a6a-bdf38d9793c7&pinned_post_asset_id=5fa9bb8967645202b6c4e0c2&pinned_post_type=share|access-date=10 November 2020|work=BBC Russian Service|language=ru}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=10 November 2020|title=Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia sign Nagorno-Karabakh peace deal|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54882564|access-date=10 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2020-11-10|title=Azerbaijan, Armenia sign peace deal to end conflict|url=https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2020/11/10/armenia-azerbaijan-and-russia-sign-nagorno-karabakh-peace-deal|access-date=2020-11-10|website=GulfToday}}</ref>

Shortly after the news about the signing the ceasefire agreement broke in the early hours of 10 November, violent protests erupted in [[Place:Armenia|Armenia]] against Nikol Pashinyan, claiming he was a "traitor" for having accepted the peace deal.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kramer|first=Andrew E.|date=2020-11-10|title=Facing Military Debacle, Armenia Accepts a Deal in Nagorno-Karabakh War|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/09/world/middleeast/armenia-settlement-nagorno-karabakh-azerbaijan.html|access-date=2020-11-10|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Protesters also seized the parliament building by breaking a metal door, and pulled the President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan from a car and beat him.<ref>{{cite web|date=2020-11-10|title=Протестующие в Ереване избили спикера парламента Армении|url=https://ria.ru/20201110/armeniya-1583852881.html|access-date=2020-11-11|website=РИА Новости|language=ru}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Demonstrators seized the building of the Armenian parliament|url=https://www.interfax.ru/world/736343|access-date=2020-11-11|website=interfax.ru|language=ru}}</ref> Throughout November, numerous Armenian officials resigned from their posts, including the Armenian minister of foreign affairs, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-16|title=Armenia's foreign minister resigns week after ceasefire deal with Azerbaijan|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/11/16/Armenia-s-foreign-minister-resigns-week-after-ceasefire-deal-with-Azerbaijan|access-date=2020-12-16|work=Al-Arabiya}}</ref> the minister of defence, David Tonoyan,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-20|title=Armenian defence minister tenders resignation: Report|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/20/armenian-defence-minister-tenders-resignation-says-aravot-daily|access-date=2020-12-16|work=Al Jazeera}}</ref> head of the same ministry's military control service, Movses Hakobyan,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-18|title=Head of Armenian defense ministry's military control service resigns|url=https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1035242/|access-date=2020-12-16|work=Armenpress}}</ref> and the spokesman of Armenia's Defense Ministry, Artsrun Hovhannisyan.<ref>{{cite web|date=2020-11-12|title=Official representative of Armenia's Defense Ministry resigns|url=https://www.news.az/news/official-representative-of-armenias-defense-ministry-resigns}}</ref>

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accused Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces Onik Gasparyan and more than 40 other high-ranking military officers of attempting a coup after they published a statement calling for Pashinyan's resignation on 25 February 2021. Two days later Armenian President Armen Sarksyan refused the order from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to dismiss Onik Gasparyan, saying parts of the decree were in violation of the constitution. Pashinyan immediately resent the motion to dismiss Gasparyan to the president.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1 March 2021|title=Sarkissian Defends Opposition To Army Chief's Sacking|url=https://www.azatutyun.am/a/31127442.html|access-date=2021-03-01|newspaper=«Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն» Ռադիոկայան|language=en |last1=ռ/կ |first1=Ազատություն }}</ref> On 27 February, more than 15,000 protested in the capital [[Place:Yerevan|Yerevan]] calling for Pashinyan to resign.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Armenia's president refuses order to dismiss military chief|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/armenias-president-refuses-order-dismiss-military-chief-76156042|website=ABC News}}</ref>

==== Iran ====

The 2019–2020 Iranian protests  were a series of nationwide civil protests in [[Religion:Iran|Iran]], initially caused by a 50%–200%<ref>{{cite news|date=15 November 2019|title=Iran gasoline rationing, price hikes draw street protests|work={{wipe|Reuters}}|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-iran-gasoline-rationing/iran-gasoline-rationing-price-hikes-draw-street-protests-idUKKBN1XO2ZE|url-status=live|access-date=8 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209040233/https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-iran-gasoline-rationing/iran-gasoline-rationing-price-hikes-draw-street-protests-idUKKBN1XO2ZE|archive-date=9 December 2019|quote=the price of a liter of regular gasoline was increased to 15,000 rials (12.7 U.S. cents) from 10,000 rials and the monthly ration for each private car was set at 60 litres. Additional purchases would cost 30,000 rials per liter.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Fassihi|first1=Farnaz|last2=Gladstone|first2=Rick|date=15 November 2019|title=Iran Abruptly Raises Fuel Prices, and Protests Erupt|url=https://www.iranwatch.org/news-brief/iran-abruptly-raises-fuel-prices-protests-erupt|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209032453/https://www.iranwatch.org/news-brief/iran-abruptly-raises-fuel-prices-protests-erupt|archive-date=9 December 2019|website=Iran Watch|quote=The changes increased the price of gas to 15,000 rials per liter (approximately 13 cents) from 10,000 rials, while limiting private cars to 60 liters per month with a price of 30,000 rials per liter for additional purchases.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=16 November 2019|title=Iran starts gasoline rationing, price hikes|url=http://www.iranoilgas.com/news/details?id=20992|access-date=8 December 2019|website=IranOilGas|quote=According to the report, the price of one liter of regular gasoline jumped to Rials 15,000 from Rials 10,000, while the monthly ration for each private car has been set at 60 liters per month. Additional purchases would cost Rials 30,000 per liter.}}</ref> increase in fuel prices, becoming the most violent and severe anti-government unrest since the rise of Iran's Islamic Republic in 1979.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Iranian security forces are using lethal force to crush protests|date=19 November 2019|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/11/iran-more-than-100-protesters-believed-to-be-killed-as-top-officials-give-green-light-to-crush-protests/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122004735/https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/11/iran-more-than-100-protesters-believed-to-be-killed-as-top-officials-give-green-light-to-crush-protests/|archive-date=22 November 2019|access-date=21 November 2019|publisher=Amnesty International}}</ref><ref name="auto5">{{cite news|last1=Gladstone|first1=Rick|title=With Brutal Crackdown, Iran Is Convulsed by Worst Unrest in 40 Years|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 2019|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/01/world/middleeast/iran-protests-deaths.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202080816/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/01/world/middleeast/iran-protests-deaths.html|archive-date=2 December 2019|access-date=3 December 2019}}</ref><ref name="auto12">{{Cite web|date=15 November 2019|title=گسترش اعتراض‌ها به افزایش قیمت بنزین: یک معترض در سیرجان با شلیک ماموران کشته شد|url=https://iranintl.com/%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86/%DA%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%B4-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B6%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B2%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4-%D9%82%DB%8C%D9%85%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%B2%DB%8C%D9%86-%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%B6-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D9%84%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%B4%D8%AF|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191120102218/https://iranintl.com/%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86/%DA%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%B4-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B6%E2%80%8C%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B2%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4-%D9%82%DB%8C%D9%85%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%B2%DB%8C%D9%86-%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%B6-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D9%84%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D8%AA%D9%87-%D8%B4%D8%AF|archive-date=20 November 2019|access-date=16 November 2019|website=Iran International|language=fa}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=16 November 2019|title=Protests erupt over Iran petrol rationing|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50444429|url-status=live|access-date=16 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116143154/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50444429|archive-date=16 November 2019}}</ref> As many as 1,500 Iranian protesters were killed.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Williams|first1=Abigail|title=U.S. says Iran may have killed up to 1,000 protesters|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-says-iran-may-have-killed-1-000-protesters-n1096666|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208235302/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-says-iran-may-have-killed-1-000-protesters-n1096666|archive-date=8 December 2019|access-date=6 December 2019|work=NBC News|date=6 December 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=McKenzie|first1=Sheena|title=One of the worst crackdowns in decades is happening in Iran. Here's what we know|date=3 December 2019|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/03/middleeast/iran-protests-violent-crackdown-information-intl/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203233101/https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/03/middleeast/iran-protests-violent-crackdown-information-intl/index.html|archive-date=3 December 2019|access-date=3 December 2019|publisher=CNN}}</ref> The government crackdown prompted a violent reaction from protesters who destroyed 731 government banks including Iran's central bank, nine Islamic religious centres, tore down anti-American billboards, and posters and statues of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as well as former leader Khomeini. Fifty government military bases were also attacked by protesters.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Berger|first=Miriam|title=Iran finally admits it shot and killed 'rioters.' But it still won't say how many people died in last month's protests.|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/12/03/iran-finally-admits-it-shot-killed-rioters-it-still-wont-say-how-many-people-died-last-months-protests/|access-date=2021-01-13|issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Fassihi|first1=Farnaz|last2=Gladstone|first2=Rick|date=2019-12-01|title=With Brutal Crackdown, Iran Is Convulsed by Worst Unrest in 40 Years (Published 2019)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/01/world/middleeast/iran-protests-deaths.html|access-date=2021-01-13|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In January [[History:2020|2020]], the {{wipe|United States}} assassinated the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, general Qasem Soleimani. This led to an Iranian missile strike against bases housing US troops in Iraq five days later. As a result of expectations of a US retribution, the Iranian air defence system accidentally shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, killing all 176 people on board.<ref>[https://www.vox.com/world/2020/1/13/21051794/us-iran-soleimani-ukraine-airline-questions 9 questions about the US-Iran crisis you were too embarrassed to ask] By Alex Ward and Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 13 Jan 2020</ref> The [[Organization:International Maritime Security Construct|International Maritime Security Construct]] was set up by the US to prevent Iran from disrupting international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-01-02|title=How America and its allies are keeping tabs on Iran at sea|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2020/01/02/how-america-and-its-allies-are-keeping-tabs-on-iran-at-sea|access-date=2020-11-16|issn=0013-0613}}</ref> Israel was suspected of being behind at least five [[2020 Iran explosions|explosions and fires]] at Iranian nuclear sites in the summer of 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=Iran denies reports of fresh explosion |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-53362127 |website=BBC News |access-date=July 15, 2020 |date=10 July 2020}}</ref> The leading nuclear scientist of the country, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated on 27 November 2020, with Iran blaming Israel for the attack.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Ramin Mostaghim, Angela Dewan and Sara Mazloumsaki|title=Iran's supreme leader vows revenge after top nuclear scientist apparently assassinated|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/28/middleeast/iran-mohsen-fakhrizadeh-nuclear-scientists-killed-intl/index.html|access-date=2020-11-29|website=CNN|date=28 November 2020 }}</ref>

The sequence of protests which included the 2019-2020 Iranian protests, 2021 Iranian protests, and the Mahsa Amini protests was met with violent responses by the Iranian authorities, including the killing of 1,500 protesters in November 2019 uprising and the violent crackdown on protests in Mahshahr. The protests, which have occurred at various stages and times since the mid-2010s, increasing in both support and number each time, have found popular support amongst many Iranians. They have the intention of removing the Iranian government and addressing both economic and social issues within Iran, and are often fueled by low wages, unemployment, inflation, government corruption, an ongoing water crisis, disillusion amongst Iranian youth and by their Burnt Generation parents with the government's [[Religion:Islamism|Islamist]], anti-Western outlook, the isolation of Iran internationally, Persian nationalist fervor and the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hubbard |first=Ben |date=2 January 2016 |title=Iranian Protesters Ransack Saudi Embassy After Execution of Shiite Cleric |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/03/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-executes-47-sheikh-nimr-shiite-cleric.html |via=NYTimes.com}}</ref>

=====2022 Mahsa Amini protests=====
{{excerpt|Mahsa Amini protests}}

====Iraq====
In 2020–21, demonstrations took place in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq, over popular discontent with government corruption, unemployment, poor government services, and foreign interference within Iraq.  Reports said that 450 protesters had been fatally shot by security forces.<ref name="bbc iraq">{{Cite web|url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51712107 |date=March 2, 2020|title= Iraq power vacuum as political crisis hits PM post. |website=bbc.com |publisher=BBC |access-date=March 3, 2020}}</ref> Major protests were based in [[Place:Nasiriyah|Nasiriyah]] in Dhi Qar province, with hundreds of protesters arriving there from other cities.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/02/nasiriyah-dhi-qar-iraq-protests.html |title= Nasiriyah becomes the Iraqi protest capital.|access-date=2020-06-12|date=2020-02-24|first1=Mustafa|last1=Saadoun|work=al-monitor.com }}</ref> New clashes erupted in Baghdad between protesters and security forces, with security forces using gunfire against protesters.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.timesofisrael.com/protester-shot-dead-in-fresh-iraq-violence/ |title= Protester shot dead in fresh Iraq violence. |website= The Times of Israel }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.660citynews.com/2020/02/23/iraqi-officials-1-protester-shot-dead-in-fresh-violence/ |title=Iraqi officials: 1 protester shot dead in fresh violence. |date=2020-02-23|access-date=2020-06-12 |website=660citynews.com |first1=Qassim|last1=Abdul-Zahra|first2=Murtada |last2=Faraj}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2147131/iraqi-nurse-spends-her-weekends-stitching-wounds-protest-site|title=Iraqi Nurse Spends Her Weekends Stitching Wounds at Protest Site|website=Asharq AL-awsat}}</ref> One march included more than 1,000 students.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://calgary.citynews.ca/2020/02/23/iraqi-officials-1-protester-shot-dead-in-fresh-violence/|title=CityNews|website=calgary.citynews.ca}}</ref>

In March 2020, Mohammed Allawi sent a letter to the President of Iraq, stating that he had to decline to take office as Prime Minister since the Iraqi Parliament had declined to approve his cabinet.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/uncertainty-looms-iraqi-pm-designate-allawi-steps-200302063000903.html |title= Uncertainty looms as Iraqi PM-designate Allawi steps down. }} Iraq's crisis deepens as Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi halts efforts to form new government amid political infighting. Mar 2, 2020, Al Jazeera.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/03/02/iraqs-allawi-bows-out-as-pm-designate-rockets-hit-green-zone.html|title=Iraq's Allawi bows out as PM-designate, rockets hit Green Zone|website=The Jakarta Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200302-iraqs-pm-designate-allawi-steps-down/ |title= Iraq's PM-designate Allawi steps down. |date= 2 March 2020 }}</ref> Reports indicated that the crowds of protesters in Baghdad had expressed widespread opposition to Allawi.<ref name="bbc iraq" /><ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.dw.com/en/iraqs-prime-minister-designate-mohammed-allawi-withdraws-from-race/a-52601139 |title= Iraq's Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Allawi withdraws from race. |website= Deutsche Welle }}</ref>

Mustafa Al-Kadhimi was named by President Barham Salih as prime minister-designate, the third person tapped to lead the country in just 10 weeks as it struggled to replace a government that fell last year after months of protests.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/iraqi-spy-chief-mustafa-al-kadhimi-rumoured-to-be-prime-ministerial-contender-1.957356|title=Iraqi spy chief Mustafa Al Kadhimi rumoured to be prime ministerial contender|website=The National (Abu Dhabi)|date=29 December 2019|language=en|access-date=31 January 2020}}</ref> 
Kadhimi was nominated by President Barham Salih, state television reported, shortly after the previous designated prime minister, Adnan al-Zurfi, announced he was withdrawing having failed to secure enough support to pass a government.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKCN21R18Z|title=Iraq names its third prime minister in 10 weeks|website={{wipe|Reuters}}|date=9 April 2020|language=en|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref> After nearly six months of political negotiations, Iraq's parliament confirmed al-Kadhimi as Prime Minister of Iraq on 6 May 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last=Aldroubi |first=Mina |date=6 May 2020 |title=Iraqi Parliament confirms Mustafa Al Kadhimi as new Prime Minister |url=https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/iraqi-parliament-confirms-mustafa-al-kadhimi-as-new-prime-minister-1.1015930 |work=The National |access-date=30 September 2020}}</ref> Before entering office, al-Kadhimi said his government would be a government that finds solutions to Iraq's many problems and not a crisis ridden government. He promised early elections and vowed Iraq would not be used as a battleground by other countries.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} He assumed office on the heels of major upheavals in Iraq - protests, falling oil prices, and the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite news |title=Iraq hospitals fear 'losing control' as coronavirus cases surge|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/09/iraq-hospitals-fear-losing-control-coronavirus-cases-surge-200905104340689.html|work=Al Jazeera |date=September 5, 2020}}</ref>

Parliamentary elections were held in Iraq on 10 October 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|author=<!--Not stated-->|date=22 January 2021|title=Iraq's general elections pushed to October|work=Al-Monitor|url=https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2021/01/iraq-baghdad-early-elections-vote-kadhimi-electoral-system.html|access-date=22 January 2021}}</ref> Iraqis who were supporters of the Iran-backed PMF and Fatah Alliance called the results "a fraud", as most Iran-backed parties, including Fatah Alliance, lost many seats.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Backers of Iran-linked militias try to storm Baghdad's Green Zone after election losses|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/iran-backed-militias-clash-baghdad/2021/11/05/30e15cf2-3e3b-11ec-bd6f-da376f47304e_story.html|access-date=6 November 2021|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Following the election, clashes between Iraqi protesters and security forces left more than 125 injured and 2 dead. The protestors were supporters of [[Religion:Iran|Iran]]-backed militias and political parties.<ref>{{Cite web|date=5 November 2021|title=Iraq ministry: Scores injured in rally over election results|url=https://wtop.com/middle-east/2021/11/iraq-ministry-scores-injured-in-rally-over-election-results/|website=WTOP News}}</ref> Two days later on the 7 November, an assassination attempt was made on Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi via a drone strike. The PM survived the attack unharmed but resulted in six of his bodyguards being injured. The security forces reportedly opened fire on demonstrators, leading to at least one death. It was rumored that the assassination attempt was connected to these protests.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-59195399|title=Iraqi PM al-Kadhimi survives drone attack on his home|work=BBC News|date=7 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Davison|first1=John|last2=Rasheed|first2=Ahmed|date=7 November 2021|title=Iraqi PM safe after drone attack on residence, military says|website=Reuters|agency={{wipe|Reuters}}|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/drone-attack-targets-iraq-pm-who-escapes-unhurt-iraq-military-2021-11-07/|access-date=7 November 2021}}</ref>

==== Israel–Palestine ====

The political crisis in Israel continued, with the fourth election within two years held in 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-02-29|title=Will Israel's third election in a year at last produce a government?|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2020/02/29/will-israels-third-election-in-a-year-at-last-produce-a-government|access-date=2020-11-24|issn=0013-0613}}</ref> The rotation government established after the third elections between the competing factions of Likud and Blue and White collapsed. In foreign relations, the country signed the Abraham Accords (also in 2020), leading to the Bahrain–Israel and Israel–United Arab Emirates normalization agreements. Sudan also announced that it would be normalizing relations with the country as did Morocco.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Netanyahu, Sudanese leader meet in Uganda, agree to start normalizing ties|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-alongside-netanyahu-ugandan-president-says-he-s-considering-embassy-in-jerusalem-1.8492154|access-date=2020-11-24|newspaper=Haaretz|language=en}}</ref> The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also met with Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman soon after.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-11-23|title=Israel and Saudi Arabia send a clear signal to Iran—and Joe Biden|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2020/11/23/israel-and-saudi-arabia-send-a-clear-signal-to-iran-and-joe-biden|access-date=2020-11-24|issn=0013-0613}}</ref>

The 2021 Palestinian legislative election for the Palestinian Legislative Council, originally scheduled for 22 May 2021, according to a decree by President Mahmoud Abbas on 15 January 2021, was indefinitely postponed.<ref>{{cite news|date=April 30, 2021|title=Abbas delays Palestinian parliamentary polls, blaming Israel|work=Aljazeera|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/30/palestinians-polls-hamas-plo|access-date=April 30, 2021}}</ref> President Abbas announced the postponement on 29 April 2021, stating the following: "Facing this difficult situation, we decided to postpone the date of holding legislative elections until the participation of Jerusalem and its people is guaranteed."<ref>{{Cite web|date=29 April 2021|title=Palestinian parliamentary elections delayed, says Abbas, blaming Israel|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-elections-delayed-says-president-mahmoud-abbas-2021-04-29/|website=Reuters}}</ref>

Mahmoud Abbas was elected President of the Palestinian National Authority on 9 January 2005 for a four-year term that ended on 9 January 2009.<ref name="YNN">{{cite news|date=16 December 2008|title=Report: Abbas won't run for another term|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3639210,00.html|work=Ynetnews|last1=Nahmias|first1=Roee}}</ref> The last elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council were held on 25 January 2006.<ref name="CEC">{{Cite web|date=29 October 2008|title=The Final Results for the Electoral Lists|url=http://www.elections.ps/pdf/Final_Results_PLC_Summary_Lists_Seats_2_En.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029054121/http://www.elections.ps/pdf/Final_Results_PLC_Summary_Lists_Seats_2_En.pdf|archive-date=29 October 2008}}</ref> There have not been any elections either for president or for the legislature since these two elections.

The 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis started on 6 May 2021, with Palestinians protesting in [[Place:Jerusalem|Jerusalem]] over a forthcoming decision of the Israeli Supreme Court regarding the eviction of four Palestinian families from Sheikh Jarrah, a neighbourhood of East Jerusalem.<ref name="TimesOfIsrael">{{cite web|date=7 May 2021|title=17 policemen, 200 Palestinians hurt as hundreds riot on Temple Mount|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-burst-into-temple-mount-compound-as-hundreds-riot-after-ramadan-prayers/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507183924/https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-burst-into-temple-mount-compound-as-hundreds-riot-after-ramadan-prayers/|archive-date=7 May 2021|access-date=12 May 2021|newspaper=The Times of Israel}}</ref> The protests quickly escalated into violent confrontations between Israeli and Palestinian protesters. The following day, the major Islamic holy site and the holiest to Judaism, known as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound (the Temple Mount), was stormed<ref name="Wallach">Yair Wallach, [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/13/violence-jerusalem-holy-sites-israeli-right-temple-mount 'The violence that began at Jerusalem's ancient holy sites is driven by a distinctly modern zeal,'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514120005/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/13/violence-jerusalem-holy-sites-israeli-right-temple-mount|date=14 May 2021}} {{wipe|The Guardian}} 13 May 2021.</ref> by the Israeli police using tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades against firecrackers and stone-throwing Palestinians.<ref>{{cite news|title=Violence flares between Jews and Arabs on streets of Israel|url=https://www.ft.com/content/220e703e-9ed9-4153-932b-1a7bd9de6718|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514000040/https://www.ft.com/content/220e703e-9ed9-4153-932b-1a7bd9de6718|archive-date=14 May 2021|newspaper=Financial Times|date=13 May 2021|quote="Israeli police stormed the compound, which is sacred to both religions, at least three times in the past week, using rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades. At least 600 Palestinians were injured."|access-date=14 May 2021|last1=Srivastava|first1=Mehul|last2=Cornish|first2=Chloe}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=10 May 2021|title=Israeli police storm al-Aqsa mosque ahead of Jerusalem Day march|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/10/dozens-injured-in-clashes-over-israeli-settlements-ahead-of-jerusalem-day-march|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513222351/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/10/dozens-injured-in-clashes-over-israeli-settlements-ahead-of-jerusalem-day-march|archive-date=13 May 2021|website=The Guardian|access-date=14 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=8 May 2021|title=TV: Palestinians stocked rocks for Temple Mount riots, police caught unawares|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/tv-palestinians-stocked-rocks-for-temple-mount-riots-police-caught-unawares/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510145424/https://www.timesofisrael.com/tv-palestinians-stocked-rocks-for-temple-mount-riots-police-caught-unawares/|archive-date=10 May 2021|access-date=10 May 2021|website=The Times of Israel|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Kingsley|last2=Kershner|first1=Patrick|first2=Isabel|date=10 May 2021|title=After Raid on Aqsa Mosque, Rockets From Gaza and Israeli Airstrikes|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/10/world/middleeast/jerusalem-protests-aqsa-palestinians.html|access-date=16 May 2021|website={{wipe|The New York Times}}|language=en-US}}</ref> On 10 May, two Palestinian militant groups, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, began firing rockets into [[Place:Israel|Israel]] from the Gaza Strip, hitting multiple residences and a school.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tel Aviv battered in unprecedented Gaza barrage|url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/cogat-announces-closure-of-gaza-border-crossing-over-rocket-fire-667730|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510145207/https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/cogat-announces-closure-of-gaza-border-crossing-over-rocket-fire-667730|archive-date=10 May 2021|access-date=13 May 2021|website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Israeli bombardment escalates as Gaza death toll rises: Live news|work=Al Jazeera|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/12/israeli-bombardment-continues-on-gaza|url-status=live|access-date=12 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512151814/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/12/israeli-bombardment-continues-on-gaza|archive-date=12 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Alexander Smith, Lawahez Jabari and Paul Goldman|date=11 May 2021|title=33 killed in Israeli airstrikes, Hamas rocket attacks as unrest spreads beyond Jerusalem|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israeli-clashes-palestinians-turn-deadly-jerusalem-tensions-spread-n1266906|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512174741/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israeli-clashes-palestinians-turn-deadly-jerusalem-tensions-spread-n1266906|archive-date=12 May 2021|access-date=12 May 2021|website=NBC News}}</ref> Israel launched airstrikes against Gaza, including airstrikes targeting multiple apartment buildings, a refugee camp, and a news office building.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-15|title=Media demand Israel explain destruction of news offices|url=https://apnews.com/article/israel-middle-east-israel-palestinian-conflict-media-business-050b1cc02293d702cfbe7db59b6ecbf4|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515215524/https://apnews.com/article/israel-middle-east-israel-palestinian-conflict-media-business-050b1cc02293d702cfbe7db59b6ecbf4|archive-date=15 May 2021|access-date=2021-05-15|website=AP NEWS}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Haltiwanger|first=John|title=Videos show Israeli airstrikes leveling multiple Gaza apartment buildings amid escalating violence|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/videos-show-israeli-airstrikes-leveling-gaza-apartment-buildings-2021-5|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512215207/https://www.businessinsider.com/videos-show-israeli-airstrikes-leveling-gaza-apartment-buildings-2021-5|archive-date=12 May 2021|access-date=13 May 2021|website=Business Insider|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=11 May 2021|title=Gaza residential tower collapses in Israeli airstrike, witnesses say|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-residential-tower-collapses-israeli-airstrike-witnesses-say-2021-05-11/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512010933/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-residential-tower-collapses-israeli-airstrike-witnesses-say-2021-05-11/|archive-date=12 May 2021|access-date=13 May 2021|work=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Andrew Carey |author2=Hadas Gold |author3=Kareem Khadder |author4=Abeer Salman |author5=Ofri Eshel |author6=Ibrahim Dahman|title=At least 35 killed in Gaza as Israel ramps up airstrikes in response to rocket attacks|work=CNN|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/11/middleeast/israel-gaza-airstrikes-rockets-intl/index.html|url-status=live|access-date=13 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512080223/https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/11/middleeast/israel-gaza-airstrikes-rockets-intl/index.html|archive-date=12 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Regencia|first1=Virginia|last2=Pietromarchi|first2=Mersiha|last3=Gadzo|first3=Ted|title=Several children killed as Israel pounds Gaza refugee camp|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/14/israels-bombardment-of-gaza-continues-live|access-date=2021-05-17|website=www.aljazeera.com|date=15 May 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

As part of the crisis, widespread protests and riots occurred across Israel, particularly in cities with large Arab populations. In Lod, rocks were thrown at Jewish apartments and some Jewish residents were evacuated from their homes by the police. One man was seriously injured after being struck in the head by a rock. In the nearby city of Ramle, Jewish rioters threw rocks at passing vehicles.<ref>{{cite web|title=Closure, curfew declared over Lod following severe riots|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/border-police-officers-diverted-to-lod-amid-violent-protests-667894|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513013958/https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/border-police-officers-diverted-to-lod-amid-violent-protests-667894|archive-date=13 May 2021|access-date=12 May 2021|website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en-US}}</ref> On 11 May, Mayor of Lod Yair Revivio urged Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu to deploy Israel Border Police in the city, stating that the city had "completely lost control" and warning that the country was on the brink of "civil war".<ref>{{cite web|title=Amid Gaza barrages, major rioting and chaos erupt in Lod; Mayor: It's civil war|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-may-11-2021/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511230326/https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-may-11-2021/|archive-date=11 May 2021|access-date=12 May 2021|publisher=Times of Israel}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Arab politician warns Israel is 'on the brink of a civil war'|url=https://news.yahoo.com/arab-politician-warns-israel-brink-050700968.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513061837/https://news.yahoo.com/arab-politician-warns-israel-brink-050700968.html|archive-date=13 May 2021|access-date=13 May 2021|website=news.yahoo.com|date=13 May 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Netanyahu declared a [[Social:State of emergency|state of emergency]] in Lod on 11 May, marking the first time since 1966 that Israel has used emergency powers over an Arab community.<ref>{{cite web|title=IDF enters Lod as city goes into emergency lockdown|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/border-police-officers-diverted-to-lod-amid-violent-protests-667894|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513013958/https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/border-police-officers-diverted-to-lod-amid-violent-protests-667894|archive-date=13 May 2021|access-date=12 May 2021|website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="StateOfEmergency">{{cite web|last=Schneider|first=Tal|date=11 May 2021|title=Netanyahu declares state of emergency in Lod|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/netanyahu-declares-state-of-emergency-in-lod/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513014006/https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/netanyahu-declares-state-of-emergency-in-lod/|archive-date=13 May 2021|access-date=12 May 2021|website=The Times of Israel}}</ref> Minister of Public Security Amir Ohana announced the implementation of emergency orders.<ref name="StateOfEmergency" />

Following the unrest, Yair Lapid, leader of the Yesh Atid political party and the Israeli opposition, informed outgoing President Reuven Rivlin that he and Yamina leader Naftali Bennett had reached a deal to form a coalition government, which would remove Netanyahu from power.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lapid informs president he can form government removing Netanyahu from power|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/lapid-informs-president-he-can-form-government-removing-netanyahu-from-power/|access-date=2021-06-06|website=The Times of Israel|language=en-US}}</ref> [[Biography:Mansour Abbas|Mansour Abbas]], leader of the United Arab List party, agreed to join the coalition.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Gadzo|first1=Tamila|last2=Varshalomidze|first2=Mersiha|title=Yair Lapid informs Israeli president he can form new government|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/2/israeli-parties-due-to-unveil-anti-netanyahu-coalition-live|access-date=2021-06-06|website=www.aljazeera.com|date=2 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> On 2 June 2021, a coalition agreement was signed between Yesh Atid, Blue and White, Yamina, the Labor Party, Yisrael Beiteinu, New Hope, Meretz, and the United Arab List, with the new government sworn in on 13 June.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Document signed by 8 parties in intended new government|language=en-US|website=The Times of Israel|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/document-signed-by-8-parties-in-intended-new-government/|access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=דרוקמן |first=ירון |date=2021-06-13 |title=ממשלת בנט-לפיד יוצאת לדרך: הכירו את כל השרים |language=he |work=Ynet |url=https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/S1QAstfsd |access-date=2022-06-21}}</ref>

On 20 June 2022, a little over a year after the coalition government was sworn in, Bennett and Lapid announced that they would begin the process of dissolving the government, thus sending Israel to a fifth round of elections in less than four years.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kingsley |first=Patrick |date=2022-06-30 |title=Israel's Parliament Dissolves, Paving Way for 5th Election in 4 Years |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/30/world/middleeast/israel-parliament-dissolve-elections.html |access-date=2022-07-02 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The election was scheduled for 1 November, with Lapid serving as interim Prime Minister until then.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spiro |first=Amy |title=Yair Lapid takes over as Israel's 14th prime minister |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/yair-lapid-takes-over-as-israels-14th-prime-minister/ |access-date=2022-07-02 |website=The Times of Israel |language=en-US}}</ref> This election saw the [[Social:National camp|national camp]] win a majority of seats in the Knesset, likely returning Netanyahu to the post of Prime Minister.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Israel's Netanyahu makes comeback as Israeli PM Lapid concedes defeat |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-netanyahu-bibi-makes-comeback-israeli-pm-lapid-concedes-defeat-rcna55331 |access-date=2022-11-05 |website=NBC News |date=3 November 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Increases in the number of MKs for Likud and the Religious Zionist Party was attributed to a lack of support for liberal wing and Arab parties, most notably the failure of Meretz to cross the electoral threshold to qualify for parliamentary representation.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Dan |date=2022-11-04 |title=Israeli PM Lapid congratulates Netanyahu on election win |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-far-rightist-vows-impose-order-under-new-netanyahu-government-2022-11-03/ |access-date=2022-11-05}}</ref> Following a two-month negotiation period, on 21 December, Netanyahu announced that he had succeeded in forming the new coalition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keller-Lynn |first=Carrie |title='I've done it': Netanyahu announces his 6th government, Israel's most hardline ever |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-announces-his-sixth-government-israels-most-hardline-yet/ |access-date=2022-12-22 |website=The Times of Israel |language=en-US}}</ref> The thirty-seventh government of Israel was sworn in on 29 December.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Knell |first1=Yollande |last2=Gritten |first2=David |date=29 December 2022 |title=Netanyahu's hard-line new government takes office in Israel |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-64115141 |access-date=29 December 2022 |work=BBC}}</ref> Some of the government's policy proposals, including a flagship program centered around reforms in the judicial branch, have drawn widespread criticism, both in Israel and abroad, sparking waves of protests across the country.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McKernan |first=Bethan |date=2023-03-27 |title=What are the Israeli protests about and what happens next? |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/27/what-are-the-israeli-protests-about-and-what-happens-next |access-date=2023-03-27 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

==== Jordan ====
The 2021 Jordanian coup d'état attempt was a failed military coup attempt against King Abdullah II of Jordan. The former Crown Prince Prince Hamzah bin Hussein was placed under house arrest.

==== Lebanon ====
The 17 October Revolution continued, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and then his successor Hassan Diab following the 2020 Beirut explosion. These events have also happened against the ongoing [[Finance:Lebanese liquidity crisis|Lebanese liquidity crisis]]. Following being an interim Prime Minister, Saad Hariri resigned in July 2021 after both failing to form a new government in the past eight months and reaching an impasse with President Michel Aoun on adopting some constitutional amendments.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chehayeb|first=Kareem|title=Lebanon's PM-designate Saad Hariri resigns as crisis escalates|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/15/lebanon-pm-designate-saad-hariri-resigns-as-crisis-escalates|access-date=2021-07-18|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}}</ref>

==== Qatar ====
General elections were held in Qatar for the first time on 2 October 2021, following an announcement by the Emir of Qatar on 22 August 2021.<ref>{{cite web|date=22 August 2021|title=Qatar sets Oct. 2 for first legislative elections|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/qatar-sets-oct-2-first-legislative-elections-2021-08-22/|work={{wipe|Reuters}}|access-date=22 August 2021}}</ref> The elections for the Consultative Assembly were originally scheduled to be held in the second half of 2013,<ref>[http://dohanews.co/emir-qatar-to-hold-first-legislative-elections-in-2013/ Emir: Qatar to hold first legislative elections in 2013] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140831132814/http://dohanews.co/emir-qatar-to-hold-first-legislative-elections-in-2013/|date=2014-08-31}} Doha News, 1 November 2011</ref> but were postponed in June 2013 until at least 2016.<ref>[http://dohanews.co/advisory-councils-term-extended-until-2016-amid/ Advisory Council's term extended until 2016 amid government transition] Doha News, 2 July 2013</ref> In 2016 they were postponed again.<ref name="DT">[http://dohanews.co/legislative-elections-in-qatar-postponed-until-at-least-2019/ Legislative elections in Qatar postponed until at least 2019] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822135736/https://dohanews.co/legislative-elections-in-qatar-postponed-until-at-least-2019/|date=2017-08-22}} Doha News, 17 June 2016</ref> Finally in November 2020 Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani pledged to hold the election in October 2021.<ref>{{cite web|date=3 November 2020|title=Qatar intends to hold its first elections for the Shura Council in 2021|url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/ara/قطر-تعتزم-إجراء-أول-انتخابات-لمجلس-الشورى-في-2021/46137298|work=Swissinfo|language=ar|access-date=9 December 2020}}</ref> The voter turnout during the election was 63.5%.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Mills|first1=Andrew|last2=Barrington|first2=Lisa|date=2021-10-02|title=Qatar's first legislative elections see 63.5% voter turnout|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/qatar-holds-first-legislative-elections-2021-10-02/|access-date=2021-10-02}}</ref>

====Syria====
In early 2020, there was some evidence of new positive ties between the [[Place:Syria|Syria]]n government and the Kurdish leaders in the autonomous region of [[Place:Rojava|Rojava]], as the Kurds asked the Syrian government for help and protection against Turkish forces who invaded that region of Syria.<ref>[https://www.thenation.com/article/world/rojava-kurds-syria/ Is This the End of Rojava? - The Kurdish region of northeast Syria was autonomous for seven years, but had to ask the Syrian government for protection after an invasion by Turkey.] By Mireille Court and Chris Den Hond, February 18, 2020, thenation.com.</ref>

In June 2020, the Syrian pound underwent a dramatic collapse. The US Government stated via US Envoy James Jeffrey that the collapse would be exacerbated due to sanctions, and offered to help Assad if he agreed to meet certain conditions for political reform.<ref>[https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/06/syria-sanctions-assad-regime-threat-kurdish-allies-removal.html Sanctions on Syrian government also threaten Washington's Kurdish allies]. While US and international sanctions are not specifically targeted at Kurdish-ruled northeast Syria, the area is impacted all the same with trade practically halted and because of the sudden plunge of the Syrian pound. by Jared Szuba, June 9, 2020.</ref> On 10 June, hundreds of protesters returned to the streets of Sweida for the fourth consecutive day, rallying against the collapse of the country's economy, as the Syrian pound plummeted to 3,000 to the dollar within the past week.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-security-sweida-protests/protests-hit-druze-city-in-syria-for-fourth-day-idUSKBN23H3LR |title= Protests hit Druze city in Syria for fourth day. |newspaper= Reuters |date= 10 June 2020 |last1= Al-Khalidi |first1= Suleiman }}</ref> On 11 June, Prime Minister Imad Khamis was dismissed by President Bashar al-Assad, amid anti-government protests over deteriorating economic conditions.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-53006408 |title= Syria war: Assad sacks PM as economic crisis sparks protests. |work= BBC News |date= 11 June 2020 }}</ref> The new lows for the Syrian currency, and the dramatic increase in sanctions, began to appear to raise new threats to the survival of the Assad government.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-economy-currency/syrian-pound-hits-record-low-ahead-of-new-u-s-sanctions-dealers-idUSKBN23F2YL Syrian pound hits record low ahead of new U.S. sanctions: dealers]. The Syrian pound sank to a new record low on Monday as investors scrambled for dollars ahead of new U.S. sanctions later this month, which many fear will tighten the noose around President Bashar al Assad's government, dealers and bankers said. June 8, 2020, Reuters.</ref><ref>[https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/syrian-currency-collapse-throws-country-into-uncertainty-630719 Syrian currency collapse throws country into uncertainty] The Syrian regime thought it was finally out of the woods in its almost decade-long civil war. By Seth J. Frantzman June 8, 2020, jpost.com.</ref><ref>[https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/11062020 Syrian currency loses more value as sanctions hit] June 11, 2020, Associated Press.</ref> Analysts noted that a resolution to the current [[Finance:Lebanese liquidity crisis|banking crisis in Lebanon]] might be crucial to restoring stability in Syria.<ref>[https://english.alaraby.co.uk/english/indepth/2020/6/4/charting-the-dramatic-collapse-of-syrias-national-currency Charting the dramatic collapse of Syria's national currency], by Hugo Goodridge, June 4, 2020. 
Despite fears of a spill over from Syria affecting neighbouring Lebanon, it was conversely the collapse of the Lebanese pound that plunged Syria deeper into its economic quagmire. Rising Lebanese debts and a lack of financial ability to pay off these debts, with a seeming absence of political will to find a solution, led to capital controls being imposed. Throughout the war in Syria, Lebanon had been used by Syrians as a reliable place to withdraw dollars. "Syrians, who bought a lot of their dollars in Lebanon, suddenly couldn't access dollars, the value of the Syrian pound started to collapse. <!-- In June 2019, the dollar was worth 600 pounds. By December it became 800," says Yazigi.Less than two weeks later, the Syrian pound was reported as being traded for 1,000 pounds to the dollar. The economic collapse in Lebanon was a heavy blow to the Syrian pound, but just the first in what would be a triptych of economic misery.  Rami Makhlouf, a Syrian tycoon and cousin of President Bashar al-Assad, has been one of the most prominent backers of the regime, aiding them financially and providing support with militias that he funded, in addition to facilities and services. 	When the regime moved against Rami Makhlouf it sent a shudder down the spine of the Syrian elite.  Makhlouf's seeming untouchability came to a head when reports emerged that the regime was demanding he pay vast sums of money to the government or face repercussions - demands that Makhlouf refused in a series of pleading videos posted on Facebook. When the regime moved against Makhlouf, it sent a shudder down the spine of the Syrian elite. "The big currency traders are based in Damascus, and are close to the regime…The Makhlouf affair reflects tensions within the regime and is not a source of reassurance or tranquillity," Yazigi says.For those big currency traders, the message from the regime was clear: no-one is invincible. The worry of those traders was reflected back on the currency, which suffered another fall. By the beginning of May, the Syrian pound reached 1,400 pounds to the dollar. --></ref>

As of early 2022, Syria was still facing a major economic crisis due to sanctions and other economic pressures. there was some doubt of the Syrian government's ability to pay for subsidies for the population and for basic services and programs.<ref>[https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/syria-approves-53-bn-budget-2022-economic-crisis-hits-finances Syria approves $5.3bn budget for 2022 as economic crisis hits finances.] Sanctions and war continue to hammer the Syrian economy, threatening subsidies on essential goods. By MEE and agencies, Published date: 15 December 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.arabnews.com/node/1996421/middle-east 2022 Look Ahead: No end to suffering in sight for war-weary Syrians], DAVID ROMANO & OUBAI SHAHBANDAR, 02 January 2022, arabnews website.</ref><ref>[https://www.arabnews.com/node/1998196 The future looks grim for beleaguered Syrians], by Chris Doyle, January 4, 2022, arabnews website.</ref> The UN reported there were massive problems looming for Syria's ability to feed its population in the near future.<ref>[https://english.enabbaladi.net/archives/2021/12/syrias-wheat-crisis-foreshadows-a-famine/ Syria's wheat crisis foreshadows a famine], Nearly 60 percent of Syrians do not know where their next meal will come from, according to United Nations estimates. At the same time, economic reports highlighted that the ability of Syria to feed itself is fast disappearing, and this is evident in spiraling food insecurity across the country. by Zeinab Masri, Hussam al-Mahmoud, Khaled al-Jeratli, December 30, 2021.</ref>

In one possibly positive sign for the well-being of Syria's population, several Arab countries began an effort to normalize relations with Syria, and to conclude a deal to provide energy supplies to Syria. This effort was led by Jordan, and included several other Arab countries.<ref>[https://english.enabbaladi.net/archives/2021/11/us-russia-and-israel-support-energy-supply-despite-caesar-act/ US, Russia and Israel support energy supply despite Caesar Act], by Zeinab Masri, Diana Rahima, Hussam al-Mahmoud, November 30, 2021. The U.S., Russia and Israel are gearing up for major gains from delivering natural gas via reviving the Arab Gas Pipeline (AGP), which originates near the city of Arish on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and extends through Jordan, Syria and into Lebanon. ''Sidelined from international politics for more than ten years, the Syrian regime is getting involved again in regional deals following the converging of interests between the Syrian regime and influential countries. The regime makes efforts to use these deals and re-establish its presence in the Middle East. The AGP project (that will see Egyptian natural gas piped to Lebanon via Jordan and Syria under a plan to end Lebanon's crippling power crisis) was an encouraging first step for Jordan's King Abdullah II, who took the lead in the Arab initiative for normalization with the Syrian government. Then, the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed took a similar step by visiting the head of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, about two weeks ago.''</ref>

==== Turkey ====
In January 2020, Turkey announced it had sent troops to [[Place:Libya|Libya]] in order to support the National Transitional Council in the Libyan Civil War, but that they would be in non-combat duties.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-01-11|title=Turkey is set to send troops to Libya|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2020/01/11/turkey-is-set-to-send-troops-to-libya|access-date=2020-11-16|issn=0013-0613}}</ref> In March 2020, Turkey started a military offensive against the Syrian Armed Forces as part of its intervention in the Syrian Civil War.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Gall|first=Carlotta|date=2020-03-01|title=Turkey Declares Major Offensive Against Syrian Government|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/01/world/middleeast/turkey-syria-assault.html|access-date=2020-03-02|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> That same month Turkey also declared that it would no longer stop migrants from entering the [[Social:European Union|European Union]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-02-28|title=Turkey lets refugees exit towards Europe|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51678462|access-date=2020-03-02}}</ref> Turkey also supported the Azerbaijani side in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war by supplying it with Syrian mercenaries and drones.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Keddie|first=Patrick|title=What's Turkey's role in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/10/30/whats-turkeys-role-in-the-nagorno-karabakh-conflict|access-date=2020-12-10|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}}</ref>

====Yemen====

The Yemeni Civil War is an ongoing conflict that began in 2015 between two factions: the Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi led Yemeni government and the Houthi armed movement, along with their supporters and allies. Both claim to constitute the official government of Yemen.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/143295/asher-orkaby/houthi-who|agency=Foreign Affairs|title=Houthi Who?|first=Asher|last=Orkaby|date=25 March 2015|access-date=25 March 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150327115828/http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/143295/asher-orkaby/houthi-who|archive-date=27 March 2015}}</ref>

===Americas===
The pink tide showed signs of resurging following a series of violent protests against [[Finance:Austerity|austerity]] measures and income inequality scattered throughout Latin America, including the 2019-2020 Chilean protests, 2019–2020 Colombian protests, 2018–19 Haitian protests, and the 2021 Colombian protests.<ref name="eng">{{cite news |date=23 December 2019 |title=Resurgence of the 'Pink Tide'? Revisiting Left Politics in Latin America |agency=EPW Engage |url=https://www.epw.in/engage/article/resurgence-pink-tide-revisiting-left-politics |access-date=17 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Prashad |first1=Vijay |date=December 6, 2019 |title=Latin America: Return of the Pink Tide |agency=Fronteline |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/world-affairs/article30025582.ece |access-date=17 April 2021}}</ref> This development was strengthened by the landslide victory of left-wing MAS and its presidential candidate Luis Arce in Bolivia in the 2020 Bolivian general election.<ref>{{cite news |title=Luis Arce wins landslide in Bolivian elections |work=www.aa.com.tr |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/luis-arce-wins-landslide-in-bolivian-elections/2017297}}</ref> The trend continued throughout 2021, when multiple left wing leaders won elections in Latin America. In the 2021 Peruvian general election, Peru elected the indigenous, socialist union leader Pedro Castillo in contrast to the previous leaders who embraced neoliberal populism.<ref>{{Citation |last=Allen |first=Nicolas |title=Left-Wing Trade Unionist Pedro Castillo Will Be President of Peru |date=10 June 2021 |url=https://jacobinmag.com/2021/06/pedro-castillo-president-peru-libre |work=Jacobin |access-date=21 July 2021}}</ref> In November 2021, Honduras elected leftist president Xiomara Castro,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arsenault |first=Chris |date=2021-12-14 |title=How left-wing forces are regaining ground in Latin America |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/12/14/how-left-wing-forces-are-regaining-ground-in-latin-america |url-status=live |access-date=2021-12-21 |website=www.aljazeera.com |publisher=Al Jazeera |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214153825/https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/12/14/how-left-wing-forces-are-regaining-ground-in-latin-america |archive-date=2021-12-14 }}</ref> and just weeks later, left-winger Gabriel Boric won the 2021 Chilean election.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Luna |first1=Patricia |last2=Goodman |first2=Joshua |date=2021-12-19 |title=Leftist millennial wins election as Chile's next president |url=https://apnews.com/article/elections-caribbean-donald-trump-chile-santiago-5fc78a1fe1cb26a06839e8a7b59c8730 |url-status=live |access-date=2021-12-21 |website=Associated Press |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219071555/https://apnews.com/article/elections-caribbean-donald-trump-chile-santiago-5fc78a1fe1cb26a06839e8a7b59c8730 |archive-date=2021-12-19 }}</ref>

====Argentina====
In 2021, at the request of Bolivia, Argentine prosecutors filed charges against former president Mauricio Macri, security minister Patricia Bullrich, defense minister Oscar Aguad and former Argentine ambassador to Bolivia Normando Álvarez García for allegedly supporting the removal of Evo Morales from power in November 2019.<ref name="MercoPress">{{cite web|title=Charges filed against former Argentine President Macri for helping overthrow Evo in Bolivia|url=https://en.mercopress.com/2021/07/17/charges-filed-against-former-argentine-president-macri-for-helping-overthrow-evo-in-bolivia|access-date=2021-07-18|website=MercoPress|language=en}}</ref> The Argentine government of that time was also accused of sending [[Engineering:Ammunition|ammunition]] and weaponry to help the government of interim president Jeanine Áñez suppress protests organized by Morales's supporters.<ref name="MercoPress" />

==== Barbados ====
The government of Barbados announced in September 2020 that it would transition to a republic during the next year. In 2021, an indirect presidential election was held to choose the first ever President of Barbados.  The outgoing Governor-General of Barbados, Dame Sandra Mason, was the only candidate nominated; Mason was sworn in on 30 November, the 55th anniversary of Barbadian independence from the {{wipe|United Kingdom}}.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-10-21|title=Barbados elects first ever president ahead of becoming republic|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-58993728|access-date=2021-10-25}}</ref>

====Brazil====
On March 30, 2021, the commanders of all three branches of the Brazilian Armed Forces – General Edson Leal Pujol (Army), Admiral Ilques Barbosa Junior (Navy), and Brigadier Antonio Carlos Moretti Bermudez ({{wipe|Brazilian Air Force}}) – announced their intention to resign from their posts. The collective resignation announcement came less than a day after the dismissal of former Defence Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva and was allegedly a move to signal the Armed Forces' opposition to any military interference in politics.

The 2021 Brazilian protests were popular demonstrations that took place in different regions of {{wipe|Brazil}}, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Protests both supporting and opposing government happened.<ref>{{cite web|date=1 May 2021|title=Manifestações pró e contra Bolsonaro tomam conta da Esplanada|url=https://www.metropoles.com/brasil/manifestacoes-pro-e-contra-bolsonaro-tomam-conta-da-esplanada|access-date=4 May 2021|publisher=Metrópoles}}</ref> It was also the first time when sectors linked to the two antagonistic sides, such as the left and the right, began to protest against the government over a common goal, holding caravans on January 23 and 24, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|date=January 24, 2021|title=Thousands take to streets protesting Brazil's Bolsonaro|website=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/article/brazil-rio-de-janeiro-coronavirus-pandemic-impeachments-sao-paulo-5ad797067890f06e0fd4d68bda7931fe|agency=APNews}}</ref>

On 8 January 2023, following the victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the Brazilian general elections of October 2022, supporters of the previous president, [[Biography:Jair Bolsonaro|Jair Bolsonaro]], attacked the Supreme Court of Brazil, the National Congress of Brazil and the Planalto Presidential Palace in the Três Poderes Plaza in the capital, [[Engineering:Brasília|Brasília]]. Senator Veneziano Vital do Rêgo, interim president of the Federal Senate, confirmed that rioters had breached the Chamber of Deputies' Green Hall and attempted to enter the Planalto Palace. Lula was not in Brasília at the time of the attack,<ref>{{cite web |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=8 January 2023 |title=Jair Bolsonaro supporters storm Brazil's presidential palace and supreme court |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/08/jair-bolsonaro-supporters-storm-brazils-presidential-palace-and-supreme-court |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108191923/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jan/08/jair-bolsonaro-supporters-storm-brazils-presidential-palace-and-supreme-court |archive-date=8 January 2023 |access-date= |website={{wipe|The Guardian}} }}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite web |last=Rocha |first=Lucas |title=Manifestantes furam bloqueio, entram na Esplanada e invadem o Congresso Nacional |trans-title=Protesters break through the blockade, enter the Esplanade and invade the National Congress |url=https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/politica/manifestantes-furam-bloqueio-e-entram-na-esplanada-em-brasilia/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108184449/https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/politica/manifestantes-furam-bloqueio-e-entram-na-esplanada-em-brasilia/ |archive-date=8 January 2023 |access-date=8 January 2023 |publisher=CNN Brazil}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=8 January 2023 |title=Bolsonaro supporters storm Brazilian Congress |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-64204860 |url-status=live |access-date=8 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108190508/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-64204860 |archive-date=8 January 2023}}</ref> and neither was Bolsonaro, who left Brazil for Orlando, United States, before Lula's inauguration.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Araujo |first1=Gabriel |last2=Boadle |first2=Anthony |last3=McGeever |first3=Jamie |last4=McGeever |first4=Jamie |date=2023-01-09 |title=Bolsonaro in hospital, 1,000 supporters detained after Brasilia riots |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-investigates-who-led-anti-democratic-riots-capital-2023-01-09/ |url-status=live |access-date=2023-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230110083832/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-investigates-who-led-anti-democratic-riots-capital-2023-01-09/ |archive-date=10 January 2023}}</ref>

==== Canada ====
In May and June 2021, the remains of hundreds of Indigenous people, including hundreds of children, were discovered near the former sites of four Canadian Indian residential schools in the provinces of Manitoba, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. In July, Inuk leader Mary Simon was appointed to be the 30th Governor General of Canada, the first Indigenous person to assume this role. Simon succeeded Chief Justice Richard Wagner, who had been acting as Administrator since the resignation of former Governor General Julie Payette in January.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Inuk leader Mary Simon named Canada's 1st Indigenous governor general|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-gg-mary-simon-1.6091376|website=CBC News}}</ref>

==== Chile ====
The 2019–2022 Chilean protests were a series of massive demonstrations and severe riots originated in Santiago and spread to all regions of Chile. The protests have been considered the "worst civil unrest" having occurred in Chile since the end of [[Biography:Augusto Pinochet|Augusto Pinochet]]'s [[Social:Military dictatorship of Chile (1973–1990)|military dictatorship]] due to the scale of damage to public infrastructure, the number of protesters, and the measures taken by the government.<ref name="Bloom">{{Cite web|date=19 October 2019|title=Bloomberg: "Santiago despierta en la devastación"|url=https://www.elmostrador.cl/dia/2019/10/19/bloomberg-santiago-despierta-en-la-devastacion/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020042309/https://www.elmostrador.cl/dia/2019/10/19/bloomberg-santiago-despierta-en-la-devastacion/|archive-date=20 October 2019|access-date=20 October 2019|website=El Mostrador|language=es}}</ref> On 25 October 2019, over 1.2 million people took to the streets of Santiago to protest against social inequality, demanding President Piñera's resignation, in what was called as "The biggest march of Chile."<ref name="ElPais">{{Cite web|last=ElPais|title=Al menos un millón de personas protestan en Santiago contra Piñera y la desigualdad social|url=https://www.elpais.com.uy/mundo/personas-protestan-santiago-chile-medio-estallido-social.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026031030/https://www.elpais.com.uy/mundo/personas-protestan-santiago-chile-medio-estallido-social.html|archive-date=26 October 2019|access-date=26 October 2019|website=Diario EL PAIS Uruguay|date=25 October 2019 |language=es}}</ref><ref name="nlaj2610">{{cite web|author=Naoim Larsson|date=26 October 2019|title=Chile protests: More than one million bring Santiago to a halt|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/chile-protests-million-bring-santiago-halt-191025223542333.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026165551/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/chile-protests-million-bring-santiago-halt-191025223542333.html|archive-date=26 October 2019|access-date=26 October 2019|website=Al Jazeera}}</ref> At least 29 people died,<ref>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/death-toll-rises-to-29-in-chile-protests/articleshow/73011385.cms "Death toll rises to 29 in Chile protests] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229014646/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/death-toll-rises-to-29-in-chile-protests/articleshow/73011385.cms|date=29 December 2019}}, ''Times of India'', 28 December 2019.</ref> and nearly 2,500 were injured and 2,840 arrested.<ref name="nlaj2610" /><ref name="deathtoll">{{cite web|date=24 October 2019|title=At least 18 dead and thousands arrested in Chile protests|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chile-news-santiago-at-least-18-dead-and-thousands-arrested-in-chile-protests-2019-10-24/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025191352/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chile-news-santiago-at-least-18-dead-and-thousands-arrested-in-chile-protests-2019-10-24/|archive-date=25 October 2019|access-date=24 October 2019|work=CBS News}}</ref>

On 15 November 2019, Chile's National Congress signed an agreement to hold a national referendum that would rewrite the constitution if it were to be approved.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}} The referendum was rescheduled from April to October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}} On 25 October 2020, Chileans voted 78.28 per cent in favor of a new constitution, while 21.72 per cent rejected the change. Voter turnout was 51 per cent. On 16 May 2021, the election of the 155 Chileans who will form the convention which will draft the new constitution was voted.<ref name="npr927859270">{{cite web|author=Bill Chappell|date=26 October 2020|title=Chile celebrates decision to rewrite constitution|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/10/26/927859270/chile-celebrates-voters-decision-to-scrap-constitution-start-over|access-date=27 October 2020|website=NPR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=26 October 2020|title=Jubilation as Chile votes to rewrite constitution|language=en|work=BBC|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-54687090|url-status=live|access-date=6 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102082639/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-54687090|archive-date=2 November 2020}}</ref> On 21 December 2021, former students leader and constitutional agreement negotiator, 35-year old leftist Gabriel Boric, was elected president of Chile in the 2021 Chilean presidential election with 55,86% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Gabriel Boric: los desafíos del presidente electo de Chile para cumplir su promesa de transformar el país|language=es|work=BBC News Mundo|url=https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-59730853|access-date=2021-12-24}}</ref>

====Colombia====
The 2019–20 Colombian protests were a collection of protests that began on 21 November 2019. Hundreds of thousands of Colombians demonstrated for various reasons. Some protested against various proposed economic and political reforms proposed by the government of Iván Duque Márquez, others against the few violent protestors and in favor of the Colombian peace process, and other issues.<ref name="CNN-2019" /> Another series of protests began in Colombia on 28 April 2021 against increased taxes and health care reform proposed by the government of President Márquez.

After the presidential elections on 29 May 2022, with a runoff on 19 June 2022, Gustavo Petro, a senator and former Mayor of Bogota, defeated Rodolfo Hernández Suárez, former Mayor of Bucaramanga, in the runoff election.<ref>{{cite news |date=29 May 2022 |title=Colombia's presidential race heads to runoff |work=Al Jazeera |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/29/colombias-presidential-race-heads-to-runoff |url-status=live |access-date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529231802/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/29/colombias-presidential-race-heads-to-runoff |archive-date=29 May 2022}}</ref> Petro's victory made him the first left-wing candidate to be elected president of Colombia.<ref>{{cite news |date=19 June 2022 |title=Leftist Gustavo Petro wins Colombian presidency |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/33d30a93-0f48-41ee-9847-4503c79ca7d9 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=19 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620074307/https://www.ft.com/content/33d30a93-0f48-41ee-9847-4503c79ca7d9 |archive-date=20 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Bocanegra |first1=Nelson |last2=Griffin |first2=Oliver |last3=Vargas |first3=Carlos |date=19 June 2022 |title=Colombia elects former guerrilla Petro as first leftist president |publisher=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombians-head-polls-tightest-election-recent-memory-2022-06-19/ |url-status=live |access-date=19 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620074307/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombians-head-polls-tightest-election-recent-memory-2022-06-19/ |archive-date=20 June 2022}}</ref> Petro, a former AD/M-19 member, was chosen as a candidate of the Historic Pact for Colombia alliance. Petro's left-wing platform encompassed support for land reform, [[Philosophy:Universal health care|universal health care]], continuing the Colombian peace process, and expanding [[Social:Social services|social services]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Turkewitz |first1=Julie |last2=Glatsky |first2=Genevieve |date=2022-06-21 |title=He Promised to Transform Colombia as President. Can He Fulfill That Vow? |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/20/world/americas/colombia-gustavo-petro-president.html |access-date=2022-06-23 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="The Dialogue 2022">{{cite web |last1=Carlsen |first1=Laura |last2=Dickinson |first2=Elizabeth |last3=Dimitroff |first3=Sashe |last4=Guzmán |first4=Sergio |last5=Molina |first5=Marco |last6=Shifter |first6=Michael |last7=Velez de Berliner |first7=Maria |date=21 June 2022 |title=What Will Petro's Presidency Mean for Colombia? |url=https://www.thedialogue.org/analysis/what-will-petros-presidency-mean-for-colombia/ |access-date=25 June 2022 |website=The Dialogue |publisher=Inter-American Dialogue}}</ref>

==== Cuba ====
At the 8th Congress of the Communist Party, Raúl Castro officially resigned as the First Secretary, the most powerful position in Cuba.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cuba's Raul Castro confirms he's stepping down, says he's 'fulfilled his mission'|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/cubas-raul-castro-confirms-stepping-head-communist-party-rcna689|access-date=2021-04-19|website=NBC News|date=16 April 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel was officially named First Secretary of the Communist Party following the resignation of Raúl Castro. He is the first person not of the Castro family to hold the position since the 1959 Cuban revolution.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-04-19|title=Cuba leadership: Díaz-Canel named Communist Party chief|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56802129|access-date=2021-04-26}}</ref>

A series of protests against the Cuban government and the ruling Communist Party of Cuba began on 11 July 2021, triggered by the shortage of food and medicine and the government's response to the resurgent COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-11|title=Thousands join rare anti-government protests in Cuba|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210711-thousands-join-rare-anti-government-protests-in-cuba|access-date=2021-07-18|website=France 24|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Robles|first=Frances|date=2021-07-11|title=Cubans Denounce 'Misery' in Biggest Protests in Decades|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/11/world/americas/cuba-crisis-protests.html|access-date=2021-07-18|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The protests have been described as the largest anti-government demonstrations since the Maleconazo in 1994.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Cubans hold biggest anti-government protests in decades; Biden says U.S. stands with people|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/11/cuba-protests/|access-date=2021-07-18|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

====Dominican Republic====

In March 2020, massive protests occurred in the Dominican Republic, due to announced postponement of national elections.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latinousa.org/2020/03/02/trabucazo2020photos/ |title=Photos: Dominicans Hold Massive #Trabucazo2020 Demonstration For Democracy|first=Tatiana|last=Fernandez Geara|date=March 2, 2020|website=latinousa.org}}</ref>

==== Ecuador ====
On 7 April 2020, The Criminal Court of the National Court of Justice found the former president Rafael Correa guilty of aggravated passive bribery in 2012–2016. He was sentenced to 8 years in prison in absentia for leading the corruption network that between 2012 and 2016 received "undue contributions" at to finance his political movement in exchange for awarding state contracts to businessmen along with Alexis Mera, former Judiciary Secretary of the Presidency, former Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, María de los Angeles Duarte, former congresswoman Viviana Bonilla and former Constitutional Judge and his secretary Pamela Martínez.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cabrera|first=José María León|date=2020-04-07|title=Ecuador's Former President Convicted on Corruption Charges|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/07/world/americas/ecuador-correa-corruption-verdict.html|access-date=2020-04-08|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-04-07|title=Ecuador ex-president Correa jailed in absentia|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-52208588|access-date=2020-04-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-04-08|title=L'ex-président de l'Équateur Rafael Correa condamné à huit ans de prison|url=https://www.france24.com/fr/20200408-l-ex-pr%C3%A9sident-de-l-%C3%A9quateur-rafael-correa-condamn%C3%A9-%C3%A0-huit-ans-de-prison|access-date=2020-04-08|website=France 24|language=fr}}</ref>

A series of protests against the economic policies of Ecuadorian president Guillermo Lasso, triggered by increasing fuel and food prices, began on 13 June 2022. Initiated by and primarily attended by Indigenous activists, in particular the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), the protests were joined by students and workers who have also been affected by the price increases. Lasso condemned the protests and labelled them as an attempted "coup d'état" against his government.<ref>{{cite web |date=24 June 2022 |title=Lasso denuncia un intento de golpe de Estado detrás de protestas en Ecuador |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/ecuador-protestas_lasso-denuncia-un-intento-de-golpe-de-estado-detr%C3%A1s-de-protestas-en-ecuador/47702026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625020247/https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/ecuador-protestas_lasso-denuncia-un-intento-de-golpe-de-estado-detr%C3%A1s-de-protestas-en-ecuador/47702026 |archive-date=25 June 2022 |access-date=29 June 2022 |publisher=Swiss Info |language=Spanish}}</ref>

A political crisis began in Ecuador on 17 May 2023 as a result of the impeachment trial against President Guillermo Lasso. The impeachment inquiry began in the National Assembly on 9 May and lasted until 17 May when Lasso dissolved parliament through the constitutional provision known as ''muerte cruzada'' ("mutual death"). This triggered the end of the impeachment inquiry as it dissolved the National Assembly and caused an earlier general election. This was the first time an Ecuadorian president had used this constitutional measure.<ref name="AP">{{cite web |last1=Garcia Cano |first1=Regina |last2=Solano |first2=Gonzalo |date=17 May 2023 |title=Ecuador's president dismisses legislature as it tries to oust him, in a move that promises turmoil |url=https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-president-dissolves-national-assembly-impeachment-ec47b677d44a7e0105959ecde8963ec0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518025938/https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-president-dissolves-national-assembly-impeachment-ec47b677d44a7e0105959ecde8963ec0 |archive-date=18 May 2023 |access-date=18 May 2023 |work=AP News}}</ref>

==== El Salvador ====
in the 2020 Salvadoran political crisis on 9 February 2020, the Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele ordered 1,400 Salvadoran soldiers from the Salvadoran Army to enter the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador to coerce the approval of a loan request of 109 million dollars from the {{wipe|United States}} for Bukele's security plan for El Salvador.<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|date=10 February 2020|title=Crisis en El Salvador: cuáles son los motivos de la fuerte tensión entre el presidente Nayib Bukele y el Congreso|newspaper=BBC News Mundo|url=https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-51440009|access-date=7 March 2020}}</ref> After winning a majority in the 2021 Salvadoran legislative election, President Bukele's party Nuevas Ideas voted to sack the country's Attorney General and the five judges of the Constitutional Court.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-05-06|title=El Salvador's parliament sacks the country's top judges|newspaper=The Economist|url=https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2021/05/06/el-salvadors-parliament-sacks-the-countrys-top-judges|access-date=2021-05-10|issn=0013-0613}}</ref>

==== Guatemala ====
Alejandro Giammattei became the new president in 2020. Later in the year, the 2020 Guatemalan protests breakout in response to COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricanes Eta and Iota.

==== Haiti ====
The 2021 Haitian protests were a mass protest movement consisting of popular movement and opposition mass street demonstrations and violent protest marches across Haiti that began on 14 January in protest at president Jovenel Moïse's plan to run for one more year in power. The protests and civil unrest that paralysed Haiti hit hard. Since the 14 January protest, hundreds of thousands took part in weekly protests calling for the government to resign.<ref>{{cite web|date=March 3, 2021|title=Haiti's Protests: Images Reflect Latest Power Struggle|url=https://www.cfr.org/article/haitis-protests-images-reflect-latest-power-struggle|agency=Council of Foreign Relations}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=15 February 2021|title=Dispute over Haiti presidential term triggers unrest|work=BBC News|agency=BBC|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-56069575}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=9 February 2021|title=Haiti protests continue despite police crackdown|url=https://www.africanews.com/2021/02/09/haiti-protests-continue-despite-police-crackdown//|agency=AfricaNews}}</ref>

President Moïse said he foiled a coup attempt to kill him and overthrow the government in February 2021; at least 23 people were arrested.<ref>{{Cite news|date=7 February 2021|title=Haiti political turmoil: Judge and police officer among 23 arrested for 'coup attempt'|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-55975442|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607014022/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-55975442|archive-date=7 June 2021}}</ref> He was assassinated on 7&nbsp;July 2021 at 1&nbsp;a.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|00]]) when a group of 28 gunmen stormed his residence and opened fire.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|last1=Dupain|first1=Etant|last2=Lemos|first2=Gerardo|last3=Kottasová|first3=Ivana|last4=Hu|first4=Caitlin|title=Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated in attack on his residence|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/07/americas/haiti-president-jovenel-moise-attack-intl/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707132610/https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/07/americas/haiti-president-jovenel-moise-attack-intl/index.html|archive-date=7 July 2021|website=CNN|date=7 July 2021 }}</ref> First Lady Martine Moïse was also shot multiple times in the attack. Joseph Lambert, the President of the Senate, was nominated as provisional President of Haiti by a group of senators, potentially succeeding Jovenel Moïse.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Haiti senators nominate Joseph Lambert as president |date=2021-10-07|url=https://www.dw.com/en/haiti-senators-nominate-joseph-lambert-as-president/a-58222978|access-date=2021-07-11|website=Deutsche Welle|language=en-GB}}</ref> Following the assassination, Ariel Henry assumed the office of acting prime minister on 20 July.

In September 2022, Henry announced that the government would be ending fuel subsidies and that the price of [[Chemistry:Petroleum|petroleum]] products would be increasing; this led to protests, including a demonstration in [[Place:Port-au-Prince|Port-au-Prince]] that escalated to a [[Social:Riot|riot]] days later.<ref name="Hauteville 2022">{{cite web |last=Hauteville |first=Jean-Michael |date=17 September 2022 |title=Haiti suffers deadly demonstrations against rise in fuel prices |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2022/09/17/haiti-suffers-deadly-demonstrations-against-rise-in-fuel-prices_5997305_4.html |access-date=21 October 2022 |website=Le Monde |language=en}}</ref> In response to the government, a federation of over a dozen gangs blockaded the country's largest fuel terminal.<ref name="Danticat 2022">{{cite magazine |last=Danticat |first=Edwidge |date=21 October 2022 |title=The Fight for Haiti's Future |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-fight-for-haitis-future |access-date=24 October 2022 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Isaac |first1=Harold |last2=Ellsworth |first2=Brian |date=2022-09-27 |title=Gang blockade cripples Haiti fuel supplies, hospitals prepare to close |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/gang-blockade-cripples-haiti-fuel-supplies-hospitals-prepare-close-2022-09-27/ |access-date=2022-10-18}}</ref> This blockade and the surrounding unrest has led to the temporary closure of foreign embassies in Haiti, as well as resource shortages, hospital service reductions, school closures, and workers being unable to commute to work.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sanon |first1=Evens |last2=Coto |first2=Dánica |date=4 October 2022 |title=Haiti at breaking point as economy tanks and violence soars |url=https://apnews.com/article/inflation-caribbean-united-nations-economy-port-au-prince-56d75dbd2a77ac97901c81456e6b2e35 |access-date=18 October 2022 |website=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>

On 11 October 2022, Henry and his cabinet requested the deployment of foreign troops to oppose the gangs and anti-government demonstrations in Port-au-Prince.<ref name="U.S. and Canada armored vehicles">{{cite web |date=16 October 2022 |title=The U.S. and Canada sent armored vehicles and supplies to Haiti to help fight a gang |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/10/16/1129341182/usa-and-canada-armored-vehicles-supplies-haiti-help-fight-gang |access-date=20 October 2022 |website=NPR}}</ref><ref name="Coto 11 Oct. 2022">{{cite web |last=Coto |first=Dánica |date=11 October 2022 |title=Haiti's request for troops resurrects troubled history of foreign interventions |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/how-haitis-request-for-troops-resurrects-troubled-history-of-foreign-interventions |access-date=20 October 2022 |website=PBS}}</ref> On 15 October, the United States and Mexico sent armored vehicles and military equipment to aid the Haitian government.<ref name="Coto 15 Oct. 2022">{{cite web |last=Coto |first=Dánica |date=15 October 2022 |title=US, Canada send armored vehicles to bolster Haiti's police |url=https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gangs-violence-us-canada-send-armored-vehicles-e9b8d65dd858ef5c2fc4ca9a5568fd02 |access-date=25 October 2022 |website=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref> On 21 October, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to approve sanctions on Haiti, namely an asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo aimed at the country's armed gangs.<ref name="Nichols and Garcia 2022">{{cite web |last1=Nichols |first1=Michelle |last2=Garcia |first2=David Alire |date=21 October 2022 |title=U.N. unanimously passes Haiti sanctions, targets gang leader |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/un-approves-haiti-sanctions-imposes-measures-gang-leader-2022-10-21/ |access-date=21 October 2022 |website={{wipe|Reuters}} |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Kelemen 21 Oct. 2022">{{cite web |last=Kelemen |first=Michele |date=21 October 2022 |title=The U.N. imposes sanctions against Haiti's gang members |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/10/21/1130644817/the-u-n-imposes-sanctions-against-haitis-gang-members |access-date=21 October 2022 |website=NPR |language=en}}</ref>

==== Honduras ====
In 2021, a former cartel leader testified in a {{wipe|New York City}} court that he had bribed President Juan Orlando Hernández with 250,000 US dollars to prevent extradition to the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-11|title=Convicted drug trafficker testifies that he bribed Honduran president|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/11/honduras-president-juan-orlando-hernandez-drug-trafficker-bribe-testimony|access-date=2021-05-10|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref>  His brother Tony Hernández was sentenced to life in prison on allegations of drug trafficking, with court documents claiming that the two had conspired to engage in "state-sponsored drug trafficking".<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-03-31|title=Honduras drugs: President's brother gets life in prison|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56589088|access-date=2021-05-10}}</ref>

The leftist Xiomara Castro became in 2021 the country's first female president, as well as the first president not to be a member of either the Liberal Party or the National Party since democracy was restored in 1982.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Díaz|first1=Bastián|date=29 November 2021|title=Xiomara Castro, la izquierdista que se perfila como la primera mujer Presidenta de Honduras|url=https://www.latercera.com/la-tercera-pm/noticia/xiomara-castro-la-izquierdista-que-se-perfila-como-la-primera-mujer-presidenta-de-honduras/5OUIYDF5ORAQRE5KHJIMBHZ7YA/|website=La Tercera}}</ref>

====Mexico====
As the Fourth Transformation enters its second year, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) faces challenges involving social violence (particularly drug-related and other killings),<ref>[https://aristeguinoticias.com/0201/mexico/senala-amlo-que-su-reto-para-2020-es-serenar-a-mexico/ Señala AMLO que su reto para 2020 es serenar a México] Aristegui Noticias, 2 Jan 2020  [https://www.univision.com/noticias/america-latina/una-reaparicion-fortalecida-del-narco-y-la-presion-de-trump-la-seguridad-sera-el-mayor-reto-de-amlo-en-2020 Una "reaparición fortalecida" del narco y la presión de Trump: la seguridad será el mayor reto de AMLO en 2020] by Patricia Velez Santiago, Univision Noticias, 2 Jan 2020</ref> corruption, major infrastructure development, universal health care,<ref>[https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/mexico/sociedad/sector-salud-el-principal-reto-para-el-gobierno-de-amlo-en-2020-4638480.html Sector salud, el principal reto para el gobierno de AMLO en 2020] El Sol de Mexico, 29 December 2019</ref>  and decentralization of the government.<ref>{{cite web|website=Diario Contrapeso Ciudadano|title=Top 5: Retos de AMLO en 2020|language=es|trans-title=Top 5: Challenges for AMLO in 2020|date=Jan 8, 2020|url=https://www.contrapesociudadano.com/top-5-retos-de-amlo-en-2020/}}</ref><ref>[https://billieparkernoticias.com/define-amlo-los-dos-retos-por-resolver-este-2020-seguridad-publica-y-seguridad-social/ Define AMLO los dos retos por resolver este 2020: Seguridad Pública y Seguridad Social.] Billie Parker Noticias, 14 Jan 2020</ref> At a news conference on January 15, 2020, journalist Jorge Ramos pointed that during AMLO's first year as president, there were more homicides than under his predecessors; Ramos asked if a change in strategy and/or personal were required. The president assured him that we would see results by December.<ref>[https://www.proceso.com.mx/614236/amlo-jorge-ramos-seguridad AMLO responde a Jorge Ramos: en diciembre, resultados sobre seguridad] by Sara Pantoja, Proceso, 15 Jan 2020</ref>

Following several notorious cases of femicide, violence against women emerges as a priority concern. Hundreds of thousands march on March 8<ref>[https://www.msn.com/es-mx/noticias/mujeres/marchan-m%C3%A1s-de-15-mil-en-monterrey/ar-BB10Wwwk More than 15,000 march in Monterrey] {{in lang|es}} by Caroline Leon, Milenio, 9 Mar 2020  [https://politica.expansion.mx/mexico/2020/03/08/miles-mujeres-marchan-cdmx-consignas-pintas-reclamos-justicia Thousands of women march on CDMX between slogans, graffiti, and claims for justice] {{in lang|es}} Expansion Politica, 8 Mar 2020</ref> and millions of women strike on March 9, 2020.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-51736957 Fury fuels historic women's strike in Mexico] By Will Grant
BBC News, 9 Mar 2020  [https://www.msn.com/es-mx/noticias/mexico/hoy-ellas-no-llegaron-as%C3%AD-luce-m%C3%A9xico-por-el-el9nadiesemueve/ar-BB10WyzH "Today, they did not arrive": This is how Mexico looks for # El9NadieSeMueve] {{in lang|es}} by Gustavo Álvarez, 24 Horas, 9 Mar 2020  [https://www.msn.com/es-mx/noticias/mexico/paro-de-mujeres-paraliza-la-c%c3%a1mara-de-diputados/ar-BB10XzHs Women's strike paralyzes the Chamber of Deputies] by Fernando Damián, Milenio, 9 Mar 2020  [https://www.msn.com/es-mx/video/noticias/cierran-sucursales-bancarias-ante-paro-de-mujeres/vi-BB10X1gh Bank branches closed in response to women's strike] {{in lang|es}} La Jornada, 9 Mar 2020</ref>

====Nicaragua====
In May 2021, Nicaragua's Supreme Electoral Council revoked the legal status of opposition party the Democratic Restoration Party (PRD).<ref name="npr">{{cite news|last1=Kahn|first1=Carrie|date=20 May 2021|title=Ortega Targets Opposition Figures As Nicaraguan Elections Approach|language=en|work=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/05/20/998795586/ortega-targets-opposition-figures-as-nicaraguan-elections-approach|url-status=live|access-date=24 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524163916/https://www.npr.org/2021/05/20/998795586/ortega-targets-opposition-figures-as-nicaraguan-elections-approach|archive-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> The same week, the Ortega government opened an investigation into Cristiana Chamorro, alleging money laundering,<ref>{{Cite web|date=21 May 2021|title=Nicaragua opens probe into presidential hopeful Chamorro|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/nicaragua-opens-probe-into-presidential-hopeful-chamorro-2021-05-21/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524171704/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/nicaragua-opens-probe-into-presidential-hopeful-chamorro-2021-05-21/|archive-date=24 May 2021|access-date=24 May 2021|website=Reuters}}</ref> which threatened to disqualify her candidacy as people under investigation are barred from running.<ref name="npr" /> The same day, the police also raided the news offices of her brother Carlos's media channel, Confidencial.<ref name="npr" /> On 5 June, the Ortega administration arrested Arturo Cruz.<ref name="confi">{{Cite web|date=2021-06-05|title=Régimen arresta al precandidato presidencial Arturo Cruz|url=https://www.confidencial.com.ni/politica/regimen-retiene-en-el-aeropuerto-al-precandidato-presidencial-arturo-cruz/|access-date=2021-06-05|website=Confidencial|language=es}}</ref> On 8 June, the government arrested Félix Maradiaga, a leader of the Blue and White National Unity (UNAB) opposition group.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-08|title=Nicaragua arrests a third potential challenger to Ortega|url=https://www.wral.com/nicaragua-arrests-a-third-potential-challenger-to-ortega/19716595/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608202322/https://www.wral.com/nicaragua-arrests-a-third-potential-challenger-to-ortega/19716595/|archive-date=2021-06-08|access-date=2021-06-08|website=WRAL.com|language=en}}</ref> Later the same day they arrested economist Juan Sebastián Chamorro, the fourth pre-candidate to be detained.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Nicaragua arrests 2 more potential challengers to Ortega|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/nicaragua-arrests-a-third-potential-challenger-to-ortega/2021/06/08/1cd59e9c-c895-11eb-8708-64991f2acf28_story.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610035211/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/nicaragua-arrests-a-third-potential-challenger-to-ortega/2021/06/08/1cd59e9c-c895-11eb-8708-64991f2acf28_story.html|archive-date=2021-06-10|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> On 20 June, the government arrested Miguel Mora, a pre-candidate affiliated with the PRD until the government revoked its charter.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Policía Nacional captura a Miguel Mora|language=es|work=Vos TV|url=https://www.vostv.com.ni/nacionales/18504-policia-nacional-captura-a-miguel-mora/|access-date=2021-06-21}}</ref> Peasant leader Medardo Mairena was also arrested on the night of 5 July 2021,<ref name=":pais21">{{cite news|last1=Miranda|first1=Wilfredo|date=6 July 2021|title=Ortega encarcela a líderes estudiantiles y del movimiento campesino en Nicaragua|language=es|work=EL PAÍS|url=https://elpais.com/internacional/2021-07-06/ortega-encarcela-a-lideres-estudiantiles-y-del-movimiento-campesino-en-nicaragua.html|access-date=6 July 2021}}</ref> On 9 July, law professor and Civic Alliance attorney María Asunción Moreno announced her intention to register as a pre-candidate with the CxL.<ref name="100noticias.com.ni-2021">{{Cite web|date=July 10, 2021|title=Fiscalía cita a María Asunción Moreno tras anunciar su precandidatura presidencial|url=https://100noticias.com.ni/politica/108649-precandidata-presidencial-asuncion-moreno-fiscalia/|access-date=2021-07-25|website=100noticias.com.ni|language=es}}</ref> The following day, she received a summons from the government,<ref name="100noticias.com.ni-2021" /> and, following information that she would be arrested, went into hiding and later into exile.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-26|title=Aspirante presidencial denuncia "persecución" y abandona Nicaragua|url=https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2021/07/26/aspirante-presidencial-maria-asuncion-moreno-denuncia-persecucion-abandona-nicaragua-orix/|access-date=2021-08-02|website=CNN|language=es}}</ref> On 12 July, Luis Fley confirmed he had gone into exile in response to "threats from the dictatorship to arrest me".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-12|title=Luis Fley, precandidato presidencial, se exilia por amenazas de ser encarcelado por el régimen|url=https://www.laprensa.com.ni/2021/07/12/politica/2850327-luis-fley-precandidato-presidencial-se-exilia-por-amenazas-de-ser-encarcelado-por-el-regimen|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713001039/https://www.laprensa.com.ni/2021/07/12/politica/2850327-luis-fley-precandidato-presidencial-se-exilia-por-amenazas-de-ser-encarcelado-por-el-regimen|archive-date=July 13, 2021|access-date=2021-07-13|website=La Prensa|language=es}}</ref> Later on 24 July, the government announced the investigation and then the arrest of ACxL conservative pre-candidate Noel Vidaurre,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-24|title=Régimen de Daniel Ortega arrestó a otro candidato presidencial|url=https://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/nacional/daniel-ortega-detenciones/862352/2021/|access-date=2021-07-24|website=Noticias de El Salvador|language=es}}</ref> Most of those already arrested are accused of violations of Law 1055, "performing acts that undermine independence, sovereignty, and self-determination".<ref name="confijul6">{{cite news|date=6 July 2021|title=Policía detiene a estudiantes y líderes campesinos en redada nocturna|language=es|work=Confidencial|url=https://www.confidencial.com.ni/nacion/policia-detiene-a-dos-estudiantes-y-cuatro-lideres-campesinos-en-una-sola-noche/|access-date=7 July 2021}}</ref>

On 15 June, the Permanent Council of the [[Organization:Organization of American States|Organization of American States]] put out a statement saying it "unequivocally condemns the arrest, harassment and arbitrary restriction imposed on potential presidential candidates, political parties and independent media outlets" and called for "the immediate release of potential candidates and all political prisoners."<ref name="Confidencial-2021">{{Cite web|date=2021-06-16|title=OAS Condemns Arrests of Opposition in Nicaragua|url=https://www.confidencial.com.ni/english/oas-resolution-condemns-arrests-of-opposition-in-nicaragua/|access-date=2021-06-22|website=Confidencial|language=en}}</ref> A large majority of member states (26) endorsed the statement;<ref name="Confidencial-2021" /> Following Mora's arrest, Mexico and Argentina jointly recalled their ambassadors from Nicaragua for consultation, citing "the worrying political-legal actions carried out by the Nicaraguan government in recent days that have put at risk the integrity and freedom of various opposition figures (including presidential candidates), Nicaraguan activists and businessmen".<ref name="apjun21">{{cite news|date=2021-06-21|title=Embajadores de México y Argentina en Nicaragua, a consultas|work=AP NEWS|url=https://apnews.com/article/noticias-5d8f560e426729ca8e8f02e8196707b5|access-date=21 June 2021}}</ref>

====United States====

The impeachment trial of Donald Trump found him not guilty in February 2020. The 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries ended up supporting moderate Joe Biden (former Vice President to [[Biography:Barack Obama|Barack Obama]]) as the party's nominee, over more progressive choices such as Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren. The presidential campaign was dominated by the issues of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic fallout. A month before the election, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died unexpectedly, leading to the nomination and confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett as her replacement by the sitting President Trump and the Republican-held Senate. The election ended with Biden winning. Trump made numerous false allegations of election fraud and attempted to overturn the election results, but this failed.

=====George Floyd protests=====
The George Floyd protests are an ongoing series of protests, lootings, riots, and demonstrations against police brutality and racism in policing. The protests began in the United States in Minneapolis on May 26, 2020,<ref>{{cite news|author=Taylor, Derrick Bryson|date=June 2, 2020|title=George Floyd Protests: A Timeline|newspaper={{wipe|The New York Times}}|url=https://www.nytimes.com/article/george-floyd-protests-timeline.html|access-date=June 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602235547/https://www.nytimes.com/article/george-floyd-protests-timeline.html|archive-date=June 2, 2020}}</ref>
after George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was [[Biography:Murder of George Floyd|murdered]] by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes during an arrest the previous day.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rumpf|first1=Sarah|date=May 29, 2020|title=Derek Chauvin Had Knee on George Floyd's Neck for Almost 3 Minutes AFTER Floyd Was Unresponsive: Officials|url=https://www.mediaite.com/uncategorized/officials-say-derek-chauvin-had-knee-on-george-floyds-neck-for-almost-3-minutes-after-floyd-was-unresponsive/|website=Mediaite|language=en|quote=The defendant had his knee on Mr. Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in total. Two minutes and 53 seconds of this was after Mr. Floyd was non-responsive, concludes the complaint.}}</ref>

The unrest began as local protests in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota before quickly spreading across the entire nation as well as George Floyd protests outside the United States in support of Black Lives Matter. While the majority of protests have been peaceful,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lovett|first=Ian|date=2020-06-04|title=1992 Los Angeles Riots: How the George Floyd Protests Are Different|language=en-US|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-george-floyd-protests-in-los-angeles-differ-from-1992-riots-11591263005|url-access=subscription|access-date=2020-06-07|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> demonstrations in some cities descended into [[Social:Riot|riot]]s and widespread looting,<ref>{{cite web|last=Betz|first=Bradford|date=May 31, 2020|title=George Floyd unrest: Riots, fires, violence escalate in several major cities|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/george-floyd-cities-brace-riots-national-guard-troops-mobilize|access-date=June 1, 2020|website=Fox News|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-05-31|title=Widespread unrest as curfews defied across US|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52865206|access-date=2020-06-07}}</ref> with some being marked by street skirmishes and strong police reaction, notably against some peaceful protesters and members of the media.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kindy|first1=Kimberly|last2=Jacobs|first2=Shayna|last3=Farenthold|first3=David|date=June 5, 2020|title=In protests against police brutality, videos capture more alleged police brutality|language=en|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/protests-police-brutality-video/2020/06/05/a9e66568-a768-11ea-b473-04905b1af82b_story.html|access-date=June 6, 2020}}</ref> At least 200 cities imposed [[Social:Curfew|curfew]]s by 3 June, while at least 27 states and Washington, D.C, activated over 74,000 National Guard personnel due to the mass unrest.<ref name="WarrenBI">{{cite news|last1=Warren|first1=Katy|last2=Hadden|first2=Joey|date=June 4, 2020|title=How all 50 states are responding to the George Floyd protests, from imposing curfews to calling in the National Guard|work=Business Insider|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/us-states-response-george-floyd-protests-curfews-national-guard-2020-6|access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref><ref name="BrowneCNN">{{cite news|last1=Browne|first1=Ryan|last2=Lee|first2=Alicia|last3=Rigdon|first3=Renee|title=There are as many National Guard members activated in the US as there are active duty troops in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan|work=CNN|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/us/national-guard-protests-states-map-trnd/index.html|access-date=June 2, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Brantley">{{cite news|last1=Brantley|first1=Max|date=June 1, 2020|title=Governor reveals National Guard activated and participated in shutdown of Sunday demonstration|work=Arkansas Times|url=https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2020/06/01/governor-on-demonstrations|access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref> From the beginning of the protests to June 3, at least 11,000 people had been arrested,<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 3, 2020|title=Associated Press tally shows at least 9,300 people arrested in protests since killing of George Floyd|url=https://apnews.com/c51f66bd298157c52520ef56026e4857|access-date=June 3, 2020|work=Associated Press}}</ref> including all four police officers who were present while Floyd was murdered.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Condon|first1=Bernard|last2=Richmond|first2=Todd|last3=Sisak|first3=Michael R.|date=June 3, 2020|title=What to know about 4 officers charged in George Floyd's death|url=https://abc7chicago.com/6229951/|access-date=June 6, 2020|website=ABC7 Chicago|language=en}}</ref>

===== 2020 elections and aftermath =====
{{excerpt|Attempt to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election|paragraphs=1|templates=no|references=yes}}

====Peru====
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru, President Vizcarra instituted stay-at-home orders and issued relief funds, but existing inequality, overcrowding and a largely informal economy saw Peru being heavily affected by the pandemic. As a result, Peru's [[Finance:Gross domestic product|gross domestic product]] declined thirty percent, increasing political pressure on Vizcarra's government. In September 2020, Congress opened impeachment proceedings against Vizcarra on grounds of "moral incapacity", accusing him of [[Social:Influence peddling|influence peddling]] after audio recordings were released by an opposition legislator, but the process did not receive enough votes to remove him from office.

On 9 November 2020, the Peruvian Congress impeached Vizcarra a second time, after declaring him "morally incompetent"; he was removed from office.<ref>{{cite web|title=Congreso peruano aprueba moción de vacancia y destituye al Presidente Martín Vizcarra|url=https://www.emol.com/noticias/Internacional/2020/11/09/1003313/Congreso-peru-destituya-Vizcarra.html|website=El Mercurio|access-date=9 November 2020|language=es-ES|date=9 November 2020}}</ref> The President of Congress, Manuel Merino, succeeded him as President of Peru the following day.<ref>{{cite web|title=El jefe del Congreso, Manuel Merino, asumirá este martes como nuevo Presidente de Perú|url=https://www.emol.com/noticias/Internacional/2020/11/09/1003317/Manuel-Merino-asumira-presidente-Peru.html|website=El Mercurio|access-date=9 November 2020|language=es-ES|date=9 November 2020}}</ref> Vizcarra's removal from office was seen as a coup by many Peruvians,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Peru's swears in new leader as political turmoil hits nation|url=https://www.startribune.com/peru-impeachment-plunges-nation-into-new-political-turmoil/573024511/|access-date=2020-11-13|website=Star Tribune}}</ref> political analysts<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-12|title=They threw out the president. Now Peru's anti-corruption drive looks in doubt|url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-11-12/peru-president-ousted-anti-corruption-drive-in-doubt|access-date=2020-11-13|website={{wipe|Los Angeles Times}}|language=en-US}}</ref> and media outlets in the country,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-10|title=Golpe de estado editorial|url=https://larepublica.pe/opinion/2020/11/10/golpe-de-estado-editorial/|access-date=2020-11-13|website=La República|language=es-PE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-11-12|title=Manuel Merino presentó al Gabinete de Antero Flores-Aráoz en medio de protestas NNAV {{!}}TVPE {{!}}VIDEO {{!}}VIDEOS {{!}}PAIS {{!}} VIDEOS|url=https://elcomercio.pe/videos/pais/manuel-merino-presento-al-gabinete-de-antero-flores-araoz-en-medio-de-protestas-nnav-tvpe-video-videos-pais-noticia/|access-date=2020-11-13|website=El Comercio|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-11|title=Manuel Merino: crean pedido para rechazar vacancia contra Martín Vizcarra y el golpe de Estado|url=https://libero.pe/ocio/1593090-manuel-merino-firmar-peticion-rechazar-golpe-martin-vizcarra-change-org-nuevo-presidente-peru-2020-accion-popular|access-date=2020-11-13|website=Líbero|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Trujillo: miles de ciudadanos marchan contra gobierno de Manuel Merino|url=https://elpopular.pe/actualidad/2020/11/12/golpe-estado-miles-ciudadanos-trujillo-marchan-gobierno-manuel-merino-video-37380|access-date=2020-11-13|website=El Popular|date=12 November 2020 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-10|title=Inconformes consideran toma de protesta de Manuel Merino como golpe de Estado|url=https://noticieros.televisa.com/videos/inconformes-consideran-toma-de-protesta-de-manuel-merino-como-golpe-de-estado/|access-date=2020-11-13|website=Noticieros Televisa|language=es-MX}}</ref> resulting in the beginning of the 2020 Peruvian protests. Following the deaths of protesters, Merino resigned after only five days.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Stefano Pozzebon, Claudia Rebaza and Jaide Timm-Garcia|title=Peru's interim president resigns after just five days|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/15/americas/peru-interim-president-resigns-intl/index.html|access-date=2020-11-16|website=CNN|date=15 November 2020 }}</ref> The new president chosen by the legislature was Francisco Sagasti, a former [[Organization:World Bank|World Bank]] official characterised as a "centrist technocrat".<ref>{{Cite news|title=Peru elects new president in attempt to restore stability|url=https://www.ft.com/content/9eba57a7-03ad-4998-a072-bc88a726263f|access-date=2020-11-18|newspaper=Financial Times|date=16 November 2020 }}</ref>

After the 2021 Peruvian general election won by Pedro Castillo, the candidate of the Marxist Free Peru party, runner-up Keiko Fujimori disseminated claims of electoral fraud.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Collyns|first1=Dan|date=8 June 2021|title=Peru elections: Fujimori's fraud claims criticised as rival's narrow lead widens|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/08/keiko-fujimori-claims-irregularities-peru-presidential-election-pedro-castillo|access-date=8 June 2021|website={{wipe|The Guardian}}|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=8 June 2021|title=Keiko Fujimori alleges fraud in tight Peru election|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210608-keiko-fujimori-alleges-fraud-in-tight-peru-election|access-date=8 June 2021|publisher=France 24|language=en}}</ref> Observers from the Inter-American Union of Electoral Organizations, the [[Organization:Organization of American States|Organization of American States]], and the [[Social:Progressive International|Progressive International]] denied any instances of widespread fraud and praised the accuracy of the elections.<ref>{{Cite web|date=8 June 2021|title="We must defend popular sovereignty in Peru"|url=https://progressive.international/wire/2021-06-08-we-must-defend-popular-sovereignty-in-peru/en|access-date=10 June 2021|website=[[Social:Progressive International|Progressive International]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=9 June 2021|title=Perú: Castillo se proclama vencedor sin los resultados definitivos del conteo oficial|url=https://www.france24.com/es/am%C3%A9rica-latina/20210609-peru-castillo-declara-ganador-sin-resultados-oficiales|access-date=10 June 2021|publisher=France 24}}</ref> A letter signed by almost one-hundred retired officers of the Peruvian armed forces was written calling on current military leaders in Peru to refuse recognizing the election of Castillo into the presidency.<ref name="The Guardian-2021">{{Cite web |date=2021-06-20 |title=Peru: Fujimori cries electoral fraud – and unleashes torrent of racism |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/20/peru-elite-election-pedro-castillo-keiko-fujimori |access-date=2021-06-22 |website={{wipe|The Guardian}} |language=en}}</ref> President Francisco Sagasti condemned the letter, stating: "They want to incite top commanders of the Army, Navy, and Air force to break the rule of law."<ref name="The Guardian-2021" />

Since taking office, Castillo distanced himself from Free Peru, adopted more moderate left-wing cabinets and was later described as holding conservative or right-wing political positions. Going through four cabinets in a little over six months and his choice of appointing close acquaintances as officials led to his government facing the most unstable beginning in more than twenty years, with questions arising about his apparent inexperience for office. Following failed impeachment proceeding in December 2021 and March 2022, a transportation union leader who previously cooperated with politicians and businessmen to destabilize Castillo's government helped organize a general strike that expanded into the 2022 Peruvian protests.

On 7 December 2022, President of Peru Pedro Castillo attempted to dissolve Congress in the face of imminent impeachment proceedings by the legislative body because of profiting off of government contracts, immediately enacting a [[Social:Curfew|curfew]], establishing an emergency government and calling for a constituent assembly.<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 December 2022 |title=Presidente Pedro Castillo disuelve temporalmente el Congreso de Perú |language=es |website=CNN |url=https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2022/12/07/presidente-pedro-castillo-cierra-temporalmente-el-congreso-de-peru/ |access-date=2022-12-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Chillitupa Tantas |first=Rodrigo |date=7 December 2022 |title=Presidente de Perú disuelve Congreso, declara "gobierno de excepción" y llama a elecciones |language=es |website=Voz de América |url=https://www.vozdeamerica.com/a/presidente-de-peru-pedro-castillo-disuelve-el-congreso-/6866334.html |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> The act was recognized by politicians, the Constitutional Court of Peru and media as a coup d'état, with some comparing it to the ''autogolpe'' of Alberto Fujimori during the 1992 Peruvian self-coup d'état.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Spinetto |first1=Juan Pablo |date=7 December 2022 |title=Peru Constitutional Court Calls Castillo's Dissolution of Congress a Coup |newspaper=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-07/peru-constitutional-court-calls-dissolution-of-congress-a-coup |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=7 December 2022 |title=Pedro Castillo disuelve el Congreso, anuncia que intervendrá el PJ y decreta Estado de Excepción |language=es |work=Perú.21 |url=https://peru21.pe/politica/pedro-castillo-disolvio-el-congreso-y-anuncia-nueva-constitucion-lo-ultimo-urgente-politica-noticia/ |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref><ref name="Aquino-2022">{{cite news |last=Aquino |first=Marco |date=7 December 2022 |title=Peru's Castillo threatens to dissolve Congress as political crisis deepens |language=en |work={{wipe|Reuters}} |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/perus-president-says-will-dissolve-congress-calls-elections-2022-12-07/ |access-date=2022-12-07}}</ref> Numerous members of Castillo's government resigned from their positions shortly after he announced the dissolution of Congress, and the Peruvian Armed Forces also refused to support his actions.<ref name="Aquino-2022" /><ref>{{cite news |date=8 December 2022 |title=Pedro Castillo cierra el Congreso, en vivo: disolución, mensaje del presidente y últimas noticias |language=es-pe |work=Diario AS |url=https://peru.as.com/actualidad/pedro-castillo-cierra-el-congreso-en-vivo-mensaje-del-presidente-y-ultimas-noticias-n/}}</ref>

====Venezuela====
The Crisis in Venezuela and its presidential crisis continued in 2020.

On 5 January, the [[Organization:2020 Venezuelan National Assembly Delegated Committee election|2020 Venezuelan National Assembly Delegated Committee election]] was disputed between Luis Parra and opposition leader Juan Guaidó.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-01-06|title=Two Venezuela lawmakers declare themselves Speaker|language=en-GB|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-51000419|access-date=2020-01-06}}</ref> On 19 January, Guaidó left Venezuela and arrived in Colombia, planning to meet with Mike Pompeo, as well as traveling to Europe and the United States later.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Juan Guaidó llegó a Colombia y se reunirá con Mike Pompeo|url=https://www.infobae.com/america/venezuela/2020/01/19/juan-guaido-llego-a-colombia-para-reunirse-con-mike-pompeo/|website=Infobae|language=es|access-date=19 January 2020}}</ref>

On 26 March, the Department of State declared a $15 million bounty on Nicolás Maduro, as well as $10 million each on Diosdado Cabello, Hugo Carvajal, Clíver Alcalá Cordones and Tareck El Aissami, for charges of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.<ref>{{cite web|title=Department of State Offers Rewards for Information to Bring Venezuelan Drug Traffickers to Justice|url=https://www.state.gov/department-of-state-offers-rewards-for-information-to-bring-venezuelan-drug-traffickers-to-justice/|date=26 March 2020|website=state.gov}}</ref> Following this, Clíver Alcalá, a former general residing in Colombia, published a video claiming responsibility for a stockpile of weapons and military equipment seized in Colombia.<ref name="cliverAJ">{{Cite web|title=Alleged Nicolas Maduro co-conspirator is in US custody: Report|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/alleged-nicolas-maduro-conspirator-custody-report-200328021011803.html|date=28 March 2020|website=AlJazeera|access-date=2020-04-08}}</ref> According to Alcalá, he had made a contract with Guaidó and "American advisers" in order to buy weapons to remove Maduro.<ref name="cliverAJ" /> Alcalá did not present any evidence<ref name="cliverAJ" /> and Guaidó rejected the allegations.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Guaidó niega haber firmado contrato con Clíver Alcalá para supuesta "operación armada"|url=https://www.elespectador.com/noticias/el-mundo/guaido-niega-haber-firmado-contrato-con-cliver-alcala-para-supuesta-operacion-armada-articulo-912001|date=30 March 2020|website=El Espectador|language=ES|access-date=8 April 2020}}</ref> After wishing farewell to his family, Alcalá surrendered to US authorities on 27 March.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Berwick|first=Angus|date=28 March 2020|title=Alleged Maduro accomplice surrenders to U.S. agents, will help prosecution: sources|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-venezuela-dea-exclusive-idUSKBN21E3IQ|access-date=2020-04-08}}</ref>

On 3 May, eight former Venezuelan soldiers were killed and seventeen rebels were [[Social:Prisoner of war|captured]] on 3 May, including two American security contractors, after approximately 60 men landed in Macuto and tried to invade Venezuela. The members of the naval attack force were employed as [[Finance:Private military company|private military contractors]] by Silvercorp USA and the operation aimed to depose Maduro from power.<ref name="skybotchedplot">{{Cite web|title=Venezuela attack: Former US special forces soldier says he led botched plot to overthrow President Maduro|url=https://news.sky.com/story/venezuela-attack-former-us-special-forces-soldier-says-he-led-botched-plot-to-overthrow-president-maduro-11982836|website=Sky News|language=en|access-date=2020-05-05}}</ref>

===Oceania===
====Australia====
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Cabinet was established while Australia received praise during 2020 for being one of the few Western countries to successfully suppress the virus,<ref>{{Cite news |title=Australia has almost eliminated the coronavirus — by putting faith in science |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/australia-coronavirus-cases-melbourne-lockdown/2020/11/05/96c198b2-1cb7-11eb-ad53-4c1fda49907d_story.html |url-status=live |access-date=2021-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531210131/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/australia-coronavirus-cases-melbourne-lockdown/2020/11/05/96c198b2-1cb7-11eb-ad53-4c1fda49907d_story.html |archive-date=31 May 2021 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> though the slow pace of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout was criticized.<ref>{{cite web |last=Topsfield |first=Jewel |date=30 May 2021 |title=Why has the vaccine rollout been so slow? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/why-has-the-vaccine-rollout-been-so-slow-20210529-p57wao.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> In 2021, the country joined the [[Organization:AUKUS|AUKUS]] security pact amid increased tensions between Australia and China<ref>{{cite web |last=Hadley |first=Erin |date=29 December 2021 |title=Australia-China relations continued to sour in 2021. What can we expect in 2022? |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-29/australia-china-relations-in-2022-tensions-trade-rights-olympics/100719632 |work=ABC News |access-date=30 December 2021}}</ref> The Morrison government was defeated at the 2022 Australian federal election, with Scott Morrison subsequently announcing he would resign as the leader of the Liberal Party.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-20 |title=Live: Morrison calls Albanese to concede electoral defeat as Labor, independents unseat Coalition |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-21/federal-election-live-blog-scott-morrison-anthony-albanese/101085640 |access-date=2022-05-21}}</ref>

==== Kiribati ====
A constitutional crisis began in Kiribati when the Cabinet of Kiribati suspended two of its [[Social:Judge|Court Justices]]. High Court Judge David Lambourne was suspended in May 2022 while Chief Justice Bill Hastings was suspended on 30 June 2022, both over allegations of misconduct.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 July 2022 |title=Kiribati faces constitutional crisis after government suspends both high court justices |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/01/kiribati-faces-constitutional-crisis-after-government-suspends-both-high-court-justices |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812140947/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/01/kiribati-faces-constitutional-crisis-after-government-suspends-both-high-court-justices |archive-date=12 August 2022 |access-date=12 August 2022 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 July 2022 |title=Kiribati suspends its chief justice over article |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/470451/kiribati-suspends-its-chief-justice-over-article |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812140943/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/470451/kiribati-suspends-its-chief-justice-over-article |archive-date=12 August 2022 |access-date=12 August 2022 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}</ref> A court ruling overturned the suspension and subsequent deportation of Lambourne. In response, the government suspended all judges from the Kiribati Court of Appeal on 6 September 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Kiribati suspends all remaining senior judges after row over Australian justice's deportation |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/kiribati-suspends-court-of-appeal-judges/101407060 |url-status=live |access-date=6 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906003705/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/kiribati-suspends-court-of-appeal-judges/101407060 |archive-date=2022-09-06}}</ref>

====New Zealand====
In the 2020 New Zealand general election, the governing Labour Party, led by incumbent Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won the election in a [[Social:Landslide victory|landslide victory]] against the National Party, led by Judith Collins.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Roy|first1=Eleanor Ainge|last2=Graham-McLay|first2=Charlotte|date=2020-10-17|title=Jacinda Ardern hails 'very strong mandate' after New Zealand election landslide|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/17/jacinda-arderns-labour-party-set-for-victory-in-new-zealand-election|access-date=2020-10-17|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> It was the first time a New Zealand political party has secured a [[Social:Majority government|majority government]] under the [[Social:Mixed-member proportional representation|mixed-member proportional representation]] (MMP) system introduced in 1996.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-10-17|title=New Zealand election: Jacinda Ardern's Labour Party scores landslide win|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54519628|access-date=2020-10-17}}</ref> Labour also achieved the highest percentage of the popular vote (49.1%) for any political party since the 1951 general election (where the then-National Party won 54.0% of the popular vote). Labour also achieved its third-highest ever percentage of the popular vote (49.1%) in its political history, surpassed only by its previous general election victories of 1938 (55.8%) and 1946 (51.3%).{{citation needed|date=July 2021}} Conversely in this election, the National Party obtained the second-lowest ever percentage of the popular vote (26.79%) in its history, second only to the lowest percentage obtained in 2002 (20.93%).{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

==== Samoa ====
A constitutional crisis began in Samoa on 22 May 2021 when the O le Ao o le Malo (Head of State) Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II issued a proclamation purporting to prevent the Legislative Assembly of Samoa from meeting in the wake of the 2021 Samoan general election.<ref name="SOcrisis1">{{cite web|author=Joyetter Feagaimaali'i|date=22 May 2021|title=Head of State suspends Parliament|url=https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/84480|access-date=22 May 2021|publisher=Samoa Observer|quote="Samoa has been thrown into a constitutional crisis"}}</ref> Court rulings had upheld the election results, giving a parliamentary majority to the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party, led by Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa. On 24 May 2021, a makeshift ceremony was held outside of Parliament to swear in Mataʻafa as prime minister. On 23 July the Court of Appeal declared that the ceremony was binding and that FAST had been the government since that date.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Court declares F.A.S.T. Government; impasse over|url=https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/87898|access-date=2021-07-28|website=Samoa Observer}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-23|title=Samoa's political crisis ends and first female prime minister installed after court ruling|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/23/samoas-political-crisis-ends-and-first-female-prime-minister-installed-after-court-ruling|access-date=2021-07-28|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref>

==== Solomon Islands ====
The 2021 Solomon Islands unrest was a series of demonstrations and violent riots in the Solomon Islands, which began on 24 November 2021. Australia responded to the unrest by deploying Australian Federal Police and Australian Defence Force personnel following a request from the Sogavare government under the Australia-Solomon Islands Bilateral Security Treaty.<ref name="Andrews">{{cite press release|last=Andrews|first=Karen|date=25 November 2021|title=Joint media release - Solomon Islands|url=https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/KarenAndrews/Pages/joint-media-release-solomon-islands.aspx|location=Canberra|publisher=Australian Government|access-date=26 November 2021}}</ref>

==== Vanuatu ====
Gracia Shadrack, Vanuatu's speaker, declared in 2021 that the seats of the prime minister Bob Loughman, the deputy prime minister, and 16 other MPs are vacant after they boycott parliament for three days.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-08|title=Legal challenge looms after Vanuatu speaker declares most govt seats vacant|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/444254/legal-challenge-looms-after-vanuatu-speaker-declares-most-govt-seats-vacant|access-date=2021-06-14|website=RNZ|language=en-nz}}</ref> Supreme Court of Vanuatu Justice Oliver Saksak placed a stay on speaker Gracia Shadrack's vacation of the 18 seats of parliament until a court could formally consider the dispute.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-09|title=Judge stays Vanuatu Speaker's move|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/444381/judge-stays-vanuatu-speaker-s-move|access-date=2021-06-14|website=RNZ|language=en-nz}}</ref>

==See also==
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;General overviews
* [[History:Political history of the world|Political history of the world]]
* [[History:21st century|21st century]]
* List of protests in the 21st century

;Specific issues and topics
* Brexit negotiations
* [[Medicine:Coronavirus disease 2019|Coronavirus disease 2019]]

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;Country and regional entries and timelines
* 2020 in the United States
* 2020 in United States politics and government
* 2020 in the Caribbean
* 2020 in Central America
* 2020 in East Africa
* 2020 in West Africa
{{category see also|2020 by country}}

;Related decade overviews
* 2020s decade overviews:
**2020s in United Kingdom political history
**2020s in United States political history
;Categories
{{category see also|21st-century social movements|Category:21st-century conflicts}}
{{category see also|2020s|2020s in politics|2020s economic history}}
{{category see also|2020|2020 in politics|2020 by country|2020 in law}}

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==Notes==
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==References==
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[[Category:Contemporary history]]

{{Sourceattribution|2020s in political history|1}}