The Political Cycle

America – and the global Left – has a new political hero: a 33-year-old Ugandan-born New Yorker called Zohran Mamdani. How did a former rapper become one of the most prominent voices in progressive politics in just a few short weeks? Emily Tamkin , in DC, is joined by Rohan Venkat to discuss Mamdani's rise, whether it offers a playbook for anti-Trump politics, or whether this is just another examp...

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated once more this week, with Israel and Iran launching strikes against one another. Resolution remains unclear and the USA appears hesitant to act as peacemaker.  India, given its close diplomatic relationships with both Iran and Israel, has often been seen as a mediator. But where does it stand, given how unrest in Iran could have huge economic and tra...

It has become common in India for political candidates to promise regular cash handouts to women who fall under a certain income threshold. Of course, they have to win their elections first.  The cash handouts schemes have been the subject of increasing debate. Many are asking whether this is bribery, whether it is enough to live on, whether the government can afford it and whether it actuall...

Karol Nawrocki has won the race to be the next President of Poland. It follows a tense campaign, where the far-right Nawrocki was often labelled (by both critics and supporters) ‘the Polish Trump’. So who is the relative newcomer, how big was the margin, and what does this mean for Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland with a steadfast commitment to a united Europe? Rohan Venkat and Emily Tamk...

Last week, two Israeli Embassy staff were shot and killed after leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in DC, Washington. Once arrested, the shooter reportedly said “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.”  The murders have raised questions about how far-reaching antisemitism is in the USA. Was this, for example, an act against Israel’s war or an attack on innocent Jewish people li...

It’s now been more than a 100 days for Trump’s administration. The self proclaimed master of dealmaking has made international waves, with tariffs that have shaken (and confused) the world. But what do his deals look like now? And are politicians around the world starting to cotton on to how you keep him at bay? Is it just a case of giving him a large jet, as Qatar have done this week? The qu...

This week, India launched retaliatory attacks on Pakistani territory following last month's terror attacks that left 26 people dead in the tourist town of Pahalgam in Kashmir. That was the worst attack on civilians, on Indian soil, in 15 years, and it has reignited simmering tensions between the two nations, which focus on the disputed region of Kashmir. Operation Sindoor – as India has dubbed it...

Canadians went to the polls this week and completed a staggering turnaround for the Liberal party. Having trailed hugely at the start of the year, a new leader – suave former central banker Mark Carney – has found himself elected, via a minority, as the country's next PM. Is this a victory for technocratic leadership? Or have Canadian voters simply wanted to demonstrate their ideological distance...

On this week's episode of The Political Cycle , we're talking to Yamini Aiyar , Senior Visiting Fellow at the Saxena Center for Contemporary South Asia, about a recent Foreign Policy report she's co-authored on the question of efficiency. With Elon Musk's DOGE bringing the idea to a mainstream audience, do we need to better interrogate the motives behind this trend? Here, she talks to our Cyclist...

President Trump has been continuing his tornado of tariffs. Today, China was given a 104% tariff (naturally, this figure has changed in the few hours since we recorded). This has shocked the global economy, with stock markets around the world in fluctuation. But is this a tipping point? What recent global economic moments can we look at to guess what comes next? Is this anything like Brexit? Does...

In a blow to France’s far-right, Marine Le Pen has been barred from running for office for five years. The leader of the National Rally received a four-year prison sentence, two years of which were suspended, in addition to a €100,000 fine. Accused of embezzling EU funds, her hopes of becoming President in the immediate future have been dashed. But is the ruling an attack on far-right politics or...

Mass demonstrations have erupted in Turkey after the jailing of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. Thousands have gone to the streets to protest the silencing of President Erdogan’s most obvious opponent for the 2028 elections. What does this public anger tell us about the regime’s current strength in Turkey? And are there through lines with other far right governments world-wide?  Tom Hamilto...

Elon Musk and his DOGE squad continue their crusade against government bodies, slashing departments and firing federal employees. This, apparently, is done in the name of stripping things back, maximising efficiency and getting rid of the dark forces that obstruct government productivity.  But where did the idea of federal employees as a powerful force come from? And does it exist elsewhere i...

With Donald Trump’s ongoing trade wars, the markets have been rattled. Tariffs come and go, but uncertainty remains. As for the American people, who were promised cheaper every day items, are they seeing more money in their pockets? Will eggs ever be a normal price again? And if not, are voter’s ready to grin and bear short term financial pain?  Rohan Venkat , Tom Hamilton and Emily Tamk...

Trump 2.0 has been characterised by unpredictability. In recent days, we’ve seen a tariff war with Canada and Mexico, a shouting match in the Oval Office and the reignited call to welcome Greenland in to United States territory.  So how is this unpredictability being handled by international leaders, and how do the common public feel about him abroad?  Rohan Venkat , Emily Tamkin and Tom...

Donald Trump has ripped up the rulebook on post-war Western defence strategy, indicating that conflict in Europe is Europe’s problem. What does this shift mean for those caught between Russia and the USA? Is the Western world ready to go without the backing of the USA?  Rohan Venkat , Emily Tamkin and Tom Hamilton discuss. Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode: https://sny...

Since 2021, Olaf Scholz has been the Social Democrat chancellor of Germany. But in November, his three way coalition collapsed in spectacular fashion. Now, the country is off to the polling booths. So, who are the front-runners and what could German leadership look like in the near future? And how has Elon Musk injected himself in to the equation?  Rohan Venkat and Emily Tamkin discuss with C...

The BJP have won big in New Delhi, a seat of huge symbolic importance to the party. But how did they cross the line after such a long time in the doldrums? And how did they silence Arvind Kejriwal, the, now former, Chief Minister of New Delhi and a significant thorn in Modi’s back during the last general election?  Tom Hamilton , Emily Tamkin and Rohan Venkat are joined by Dhrubo Jyoti , Seni...

Slovakia is at a turning point. The Prime Minister, Robert Fico, has been signalling a tilt towards a pro-Russian style of governing. However, with widespread peaceful protests across the country, is this plan working? Investigative journalist, Tomáš Madleňák , speaks to Emily Tamkin and Tom Hamilton about Fico’s Slovakia and why this shift to electoral authoritarianism is so concerning. Here...

Warning alarms are ringing for the Indian economy, with growth slowing to a precarious level. Ahead of Narendra Modi’s next budget, nerves have been rattled. So who do governments blame when the economy isn’t clicking on all cylinders? As ever, Emily Tamkin, Rohan Venkat and Tom Hamilton discuss. Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode: https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/meet-th...

Donald Trump is back in the Oval Office. How did the world – from India to the UK – react to his return to the top job? How are the first spate of executive orders being received? And will the racket around Trump and cronies like Elon Musk drown out important global stories? As ever, Emily Tamkin, Rohan Venkat and Tom Hamilton discuss. Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode: https://...

Wildfires are raging in California causing huge damage to property and lives, and sparking a political row. Who is to blame? Republicans are calling our the state's liberal Governor Gavin Newsom and the preparedness of the West coast state for such a disaster. But others are citing this as an example of long-standing failures to tackle climate change and the way that it exacerbates natural disaste...

We're starting 2025 with a cheerful subject: the rise, and rise, of a new class of international oligarchs. With Elon Musk – the world's richest man and most pathological tweeter – dominating headlines in the UK, as well as the US, questions are emerging about undue influence from a minority of super-rich people. Why is Mr Musk pushing the King of England to dismiss Prime Minister Keir Starmer? An...

It's been: a year. 2024, the biggest election year in the history of democracy, is almost over. In this final episode of our year, Emily Tamkin, Rohan Venkat and Tom Hamilton look back at elections in the US, India and the UK, as well as the trends that have dominated global political currents, and ask whether 2024 has been quite as rough as it seems. Here are the Trike Recommendations from this e...

Recent events in Georgia and Romania have exposed, once again, the influence that Russia still exerts on the world. But while it's clear that Moscow wants Russia to be a major player on the world stage (once again), it's not entirely apparent how it expects to operate in this multipolar world. Are other superpowers willing to let Vladimir Putin meddle in democracy or will interference – as is the...