2024 mega-election year will shape decade ahead

LAST year was a big 12 months for global politics and the economy. Yet 2024 could be an even more pivotal year, especially for elections. An estimated two billion people – across dozens of nations – are heading to the polls, perhaps more than in any other year in modern history.

Little wonder that markets are already looking ahead to these potentially game-changing, eye-catching ballots across the world, starting on Jan 7 with Bangladesh. These elections range from those in established and emerging great powers such as the United States and India, to pivotal middle powers such as Indonesia, Mexico and Russia that have significant international influence.

The most watched ballot, of course, will be the presidential election on Nov 5 in the US, with its 340 million population. It looks most likely that incumbent President Joe Biden, 81, will stand for a second term, despite his uneven poll numbers.