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5 Significant Global Political Events That Shaped 2022

OERLive rounds up five major political events that shaped the year that has been.

As the year comes to a close, it’s natural to reflect on the events and developments that have taken place over the past 12 months. It’s been a year filled with both challenges and triumphs, and there is much to celebrate and consider as we look back on the past year.

In this year-end review, we’ll take a look at some of the top global news stories of the year, highlighting the major events and trends that have shaped our world and will continue to influence us moving forward. From political shakeups to natural disasters, and cultural movements to scientific breakthroughs, it’s been a year full of change and progress.

Let’s take a moment to look back on the highlights of 2022 and the stories that have defined the year.

1. Ukraine-Russia Conflict

Editorial credit: Drop of Light / Shutterstock.com

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine, also known as the Russo-Ukrainian War, began in February 2014 after Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and provided support to pro-Russian separatists in the war in Donbas against Ukrainian government forces. The conflict has included naval incidents, cyber warfare, and heightened political tensions.

In February 2022, the situation escalated further as Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Events unfurled when Russia significantly increased its military presence near the border with Ukraine, including within neighbouring Belarus. Russian President Vladimir Putin strongly opposed the expansion of NATO and demanded that Ukraine be prohibited from joining the alliance.

On February 21, 2022, Russia officially recognised the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic as independent countries. Three days later, Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine, marking the beginning of a full-scale invasion.

This invasion was widely condemned by the international community, leading to numerous countries imposing sanctions on Russia and strengthening existing sanctions. Russia’s attempt to annex Kyiv, however, remains unsuccessful due to strong resistance and was abandoned in early April 2022.

Ukrainian counteroffensives in the South and North-East have recaptured significant areas since August, sources claim. In late September, Russia announced its annexation of parts of southern and eastern Ukraine, even though they were not fully occupied by Russian forces, which was met with widespread condemnation. The ongoing full-scale war has caused a significant refugee crisis and resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.

2. Political Chaos In The United Kingdom

In 2022, the United Kingdom experienced political turmoil that saw three prime ministers in just two months and the loss of the longest-reigning monarch in the world – Queen Elizabeth II (May She Rest In Peace).

The referenced “turmoil” was set in motion when more than 50 members of Boris Johnson’s government resigned in July 2022 in the span of 48 hours. Johnson subsequently resigned and was succeeded by Liz Truss, who had the shortest tenure of any British prime minister in history at just 45 days.

Truss won the position in a Conservative Party election in which only 0.3% of registered British voters were eligible to vote and immediately caused economic issues by cutting taxes, leading to a plummet in the value of the British pound.

The succeeding (and current) Prime Minister was Rishi Sunak – the first Prime Minister of colour in Britain. He faces stiff challenges, including a potential recession and high inflation, due to rising energy prices in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as ongoing issues with Brexit not providing the promised economic benefits. It must be noted that a return to the European Union is not currently an option.

3. The Triple Threat In Pakistan

Pakistan: Enthusiastic youth going towards the parade ground to attend Imran Khan’s political ‘Jalsa’ on March 27-2022 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Editorial credit: SYED FATEH ALI GILLANI / Shutterstock.com

Pakistan faced a number of crises in 2022, including political, economic, and climate-related issues. In April, Prime Minister Imran Khan lost a no-confidence vote in parliament, continuing a trend in which no Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term.

Khan responded by leading protests in the capital city of Islamabad to try to remove his successor, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In August, his actions resulted in him being charged with violating Pakistan’s antiterrorism laws, and in November was injured in a failed assassination attempt (which he blamed on Sharif and senior military officials), calling for early elections.

At the same time, Pakistan was dealing with a debt crisis and low foreign exchange reserves that threatened its ability to pay for debt and imports. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a bailout package in August to prevent an immediate economic collapse, but Pakistan still owes approximately US$30bn to China and must repay roughly US$2bn in foreign loans overall in 2023.

These measures will likely slow economic growth and increase inflation. Adding to the woes, in August, heavy monsoon rains and melting glaciers caused widespread flooding that affected one-third of the country and destroyed over one million homes, further worsening the already dire situation in Pakistan. It is likely that the country’s 225 million citizens will face difficult conditions in 2023.

4. US-China Tensions Grow

The competition for global influence between China and the United States continued to intensify in 2022. In October 2022, American President Joe Biden’s administration released its National Security Strategy, stating that “China harbours the intention and, increasingly, the capacity to reshape the international order in favour of one that tilts the global playing field to its benefit” and that the United States intends to “win the competition.”

The administration cited China’s militarisation of the South China Sea, support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, efforts to intimidate Taiwan, and theft of intellectual property as reasons for abandoning its previous policy of welcoming China’s rise.

Relations between the two countries became strained in August when China responded aggressively to a visit to Taiwan by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In October, President Biden took steps to limit China’s rise by denying it access to advanced semiconductor chips and technology necessary for dominant positions in fields such as artificial intelligence.

He also encouraged allies to adopt a tough stance on China, but these efforts were undermined by the U.S. tendency to act unilaterally, weak trade initiatives, and an industrial policy that could potentially harm these same allies.

In November, Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit and promised to work to reduce tensions and cooperate on issues such as climate change and public health. However, mutual mistrust and animosity are likely to continue to shape the relationship in the coming years.

5. Iran Protests

Iran’s leaders may be tormented by the reality that regimes that arise from protests can also be toppled by them. This was demonstrated in 2022 when the country faced the most significant challenge to its rule since coming to power in 1979.

The protests began in September when a woman named Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian, was arrested in Tehran by “morality police” for failing to cover her hair properly and subsequently died in police custody.