It’s a big year for elections. Here in the United Kingdom where I live, the Labour Party won a landslide victory last week. But while it’s a new era for the country, it might not be for U.K. aid, with Labour currently offering something closer to continuity than radical change.
Meanwhile, in France, voting is ongoing as we speak. We won’t know the results until after this newsletter is sent, but with a swing to the far right in the first round of voting, some in the sector are already worried about whether there could be knock-on effects for aid. The ONE Campaign has a handy guide (in French) on the “colossal” stakes for development policy, noting that members of the National Assembly play a key role by voting on France’s budget — including official development assistance.
And looking ahead, Devex Pro members can join our exclusive conversation with Ben Rhodes, one of the U.S.’s foremost foreign policy commentators, to explore the implications of the U.S. election for global development.