Election was motivated by the dismissal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the peaceful transition of power
A this Thursday (Dec 19, 2024) chose Bangladesh as the country of 2024. The recognition is given to the nation that, according to the British magazine, has made the most progress in a year.
The election was motivated by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from office in August, after long protests and the peaceful transition of power in the Asian country, which has a history of violence.
At the moment, Muhammad Yunus, winner of the Nobel Prize in economics, o Bangladesh on an interim basis. Known as the “banker of the poor”, Yunus, 84 years old, was an opponent of Hasina.
“Muhammad Yunus restored order and stabilized the economy. In 2025, it will need to repair ties with India and decide when to hold elections — first by ensuring that the courts are neutral and that the opposition has time to organize. None of this will be easy. But for overthrowing a despot and taking steps toward a more liberal government, Bangladesh is our country of the year.”he tells the magazine.
In addition to Bangladesh, 4 other countries completed the ranking and Economist of 5 countries that advanced the most in 2024. They were:
- 2nd) Syria – the position was motivated by the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad, which ended almost 50 years of his family’s dictatorship in the Middle Eastern country. The country was not chosen as “country of the year” due to the instability that still persists in its territory;
- 3º) Argentina – economic reforms “radicals” made by the government of President Javier Milei (La Libertad Avanza, right) were praised by the magazine, but the appreciation of the Argentine peso and the price shock faced by the population was criticized;
- 4th) South Africa – the defeat of the African National Congress in the 2024 legislative elections and the subsequent need to form a coalition to govern caused optimism in the magazine, which says that South Africa has a “chance for better government”;
- 5th) Poland – the magazine states that in 2024 Prime Minister Donald Tusk (Civic Platform, center) corrected the errors of previous administrations and removed the country’s existing alignment with the Hungarian government of Viktor Orbán. The magazine accuses former Polish rulers of “erode liberal democratic norms”.
