International Politics Thread

[Dorothy]

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Last Updated by Pikochu: March 4, 2022

A thread for international politics and international relations, to avoid clogging the American politics thread with international affairs. All warnings and notices from staff in that thread should be assumed to apply here.

ELECTIONS IN FEBRUARY 2022:

- Somalia (Legislative and Presidential, February 25). Delayed from December 2021 due to the political crisis. Presidential elections will be indirect.

- Belarus (Referendum, February 27). Various constitutional changes.

 

[Dorothy]

In Portugal, the results of the recent election have been finalized. With 119 seats, the centre-left Socialist Party has defeated its main rival, the liberal-conservatve, centre-right, and confusingly named Social Democratic Party, and achieved a governing majority in the bargain. The far-right Chega party experienced a strong favorable swing, winning 12 seats compared to their previous 1. The left-wing Bloco de Esquerda experiened their worst result since 2002, dropping to only 5 seats. However, leader Catarina Martins has said she is not resigning. The Portugese left saw losses across the board, with the alliance of the Communist Party and Greens halving their representation.

 

[WyndonCalling]

A lot of self-professed 'anti-imperialists' have got quite a quantity of egg on their faces now that Putin has said the quiet part out loud and confirmed that he wants to seize former territories of the Russian Empire (not that it wasn't extremely obvious in the first instance).

 

[Volphied]

A lot of self-professed 'anti-imperialists' have got quite a quantity of egg on their faces now that Putin has said the quiet part out loud and confirmed that he wants to seize former territories of the Russian Empire (not that it wasn't extremely obvious in the first instance).

Snowden before Putin's unhinged rant:


Snowden after Putin's unhinged rant:

 

[zoroarctic]

A lot of self-professed 'anti-imperialists' have got quite a quantity of egg on their faces now that Putin has said the quiet part out loud and confirmed that he wants to seize former territories of the Russian Empire (not that it wasn't extremely obvious in the first instance).

I think yesterday made it abundantly clear that promising to keep Ukraine out of NATO would have achieved exactly nothing.

 

[Volphied]

I think yesterday made it abundantly clear that promising to keep Ukraine out of NATO would have achieved exactly nothing.

Putin's insane public meltdown about how the existence of Ukraine is a "mistake" did manage to shut up almost all the folks who just ten days ago were crying about "the warmongering West" surrounding poor little Russia.

Poor little Russia can't help but invade Ukraine, Georgia and Moldavia, and vassalize Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Why did the Baltic States ran away to join the EU and NATO the moment they could? Did no one tell them that Russia wanted to give them a friendly bear hug too? /s

 

[Volphied]

 

[indigohex3]

We have elections coming up in the first half of the year here in Australia (it has to be held on or before 21 May), and the government of that jackass Scott Morrison and Mr. Potato Head Peter Dutton has basically played the China card to basically distract the public from all the stuff ups that the jackass' government has done (such as being on holidays in Hawaii while Australia burned a couple of years ago and the botched rollout of the vaccines and rapid antigen tests, the failure to introduce a federal ICAC, continue the list if you wish because there is too much of them). And it is looking like the Russia card is about to be played as well, accusing Russia of bullying Ukraine, while at the same time basically bullying the family from Biloela for over 1450 days for the "gravest crime" of seeking asylum by locking them up in Christmas Island despite many Australians wanting them to return to Biloela, while the Federal Government wants them to return to Sri Lanka to be persecuted for being Tamils.

https://twitter.com/emma__jayne14/status/1496404790993387522?s=20&t=xHp7paO9wWjCMODyZknsFw

It feels like that we are seeing a double standard when it comes to bullying here in Australia, standing up to bullying from Russia against Ukraine, while at the same time bullying a family into returning to a country that they fled from to face persecution. But no doubt there will be bribery come election time in the form of tax cuts for the rich to make us all forget the stuff ups from the government. For those who are interested, South Australia has its state elections on 19 March, but may be delayed if the Federal Election is held at the same time (South Australia has fixed terms while at the Federal level, we don't have fixed terms and it can be called at any time), and for me, we have state elections on 26 November (again, Victoria has fixed terms). Also note that at federal level, the Australian Electoral Commission (the independent body that oversees elections) has changed the boundaries in Victoria, including the new seat of Hawke named after former Prime Minister Bob Hawke and boundaries changes (I was in Fraser, but now back in Gorton, the same division I was in in the election before the last).

And in addition, overseas voting has begun in the Presidential Election in South Korea, which is being held on 9 March, and no doubt that will probably be in the top post in March (and for the record, I am following the elections there as I hope to move there in the next couple of years to teach English).

 

[ConfectionerMari]

I just noticed, holy heck. I have no words, I don't know what I can say, omg

 

[tazmily menace]

just now found out about the whole russia and ukraine thing going on and my anxiety is going through the roof rn omg

 

[ConfectionerMari]

just now found out about the whole russia and ukraine thing going on and my anxiety is going through the roof rn omg

I'll admit I'm probably not suited for giving advice and direction when I am also panicked, but take some deep breaths.

I'll be up all night since I slept too long if anyone needs someone to talk to

 

[TheCapsFan]

Well, shit.

This is like the first land war in Europe since WW2, correct?

 

[ConfectionerMari]

Well, shit.

you okay? Sorry for being a bit overbearing, I just want to make sure people are okay tonight. It's probably going to be a tough one, I'll try my best to comfort people seeing as how I can't sleep.

 

[TheCapsFan]

you okay? Sorry for being a bit overbearing, I just want to make sure people are okay tonight. It's probably going to be a tough one, I'll try my best to comfort people seeing as how I can't sleep.

Lmao, I'm all good. Worried for the people of Ukraine, of course, and worried for what this means for the rest of the world, but personally doing fine. I guess that speaks to my privilege. I don't mean it to.

 

[DawningWinds]

Well, shit.

This is like the first land war in Europe since WW3, correct?

You, uh, meaning WWII right? WWIII has yet to occur though um...
I do believe this is the first European land war since WW2, and since I stink at history I did a quick google search that seems to confirm that.

 

[ConfectionerMari]

I understand. I am fine as well because of my privilege, but I can't help but be worried for everyone. It's going to be tough tonight, so I'm going to try and comfort people as best as I possibly can. It's the least I can do.

---

I do believe this is the first European land war since WW2, and since I stink at history I did a quick google search that seems to confirm that.

There have been land wars I think, but this has been the first one in a while (according to my brother, a history hobbyist)

 

[tazmily menace]

I'll admit I'm probably not suited for giving advice and direction when I am also panicked, but take some deep breaths.

I'll be up all night since I slept too long if anyone needs someone to talk to

thanks, i guess.
i've been trying to get my mind off of it for a while, but it's getting increasingly hard to by the hour. i'm really sensitive to this kind of stuff, and obviously being on social media won't lower my anxiety because of fearmongering, but-

 

[ConfectionerMari]

i'm really sensitive to this kind of stuff, and obviously being on social media won't lower my anxiety because of fearmongering, but-

Yeah, I wish I could be of more comfort. I'm sorry, I hope things will be okay. I'm really quite scared myself

 

[TheCapsFan]

You, uh, meaning WWII right? WWIII has yet to occur though um...
I do believe this is the first European land war since WW2, and since I stink at history I did a quick google search that seems to confirm that.

Yeah, that was a pretty bad mistype, my bad.

 

[Volphied]

You, uh, meaning WWII right? WWIII has yet to occur though um...
I do believe this is the first European land war since WW2, and since I stink at history I did a quick google search that seems to confirm that.

The breakup of Yugoslavia in the 90s was the last great land war in Europe.

Russia has been waging a limited war against Ukraine since 2014, when it occupied parts of Donbas and the Crimea.