June 30, 2024
All eyes are on two elections that could have big knock-on effects for aid this week. The French are voting as we speak in one of their most significant elections for decades, amid a far-right surge in the polls. Incumbent President Emmanuel Macron has generally been seen as a friend to aid; French aid spending has risen considerably on his watch. But there have been recent cuts, which some observers have attributed, at least in part, to his need to placate anti-aid voters on the right. Unless there’s a landslide, today’s vote will be the first of two rounds — the second happening this time next week — but by tomorrow we’ll have a sense of where things are headed.
Meanwhile on Thursday, Brits are heading to the polls in an election that’s expected to take them toward the center-left, with a victory for the Labour Party predicted. That’s generally considered good news for aid since the Conservatives have caused some chaos in the sector in recent years — although Labour has no immediate plans to reverse those decisions, so the main benefit in the short term might merely be a sense of stability and a fresh start.