Ballot to Talk About

Sam and Chern look back at results from the recent state election in Tasmania, Australia, and the parliamentary election in South Korea. In Tasmania, Jeremy Rockliff’s Liberals won a historic fourth term, but what will be the consequences of losing their overall majority? Did the change in National Assembly make-up make a big difference? Should Labor be disappointed, and was Rebecca White a personal drag on the campaign? In South Korea, will a repeat Democratic Party landslide be a big problem for President Yoon Suk Yeol? How did the Opposition pull off such a big result again? And why were Green Onions such a big campaign feature? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

Sam and Chern look back at results from Portugal’s General Election and look ahead to next week’s state election in Tasmania, Australia. In Portugal, Luis Montenegro’s Democratic Alliance topped the polls, but have a difficult decision to make in finding a governing partner. What will the eventual government look like, and will Chega play a formal role in it? Did the Socialists overperform, and why did the Democratic Alliance fail to fully capitalise on Socialist dysfunction? In Tasmania, the Liberals are eyeing up a fourth term, but will the change in overall legislative seat count make that a tricky objective? Is it third time lucky for Rebecca White and the Labor Party? And what will be the role of Independents in the election results and government formation? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

Sam and Chern look back at results from Indonesia’s General Election and look ahead to next week’s snap parliamentary election in Portugal. In Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto has won a commanding victory in one round, but what motivated this big victory? Did Jokowi’s tacit endorsement make the difference? And why was there a disparity between the presidential and legislative election results as things stand? In Portugal, why are voters back at the polls just two years after the Socialist majority was obtained? What will the role of Chega be, and are they heading into government? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

Sam and Chern look back on results from the contested General Election in Pakistan and the presidential election in Finland. In Pakistan, despite Imran Khan’s prison sentence and PTI’s legal setbacks, PTI-backed candidates have topped the polls in a plurality of seats. What will the eventual Government look like? What is next for the PTI-backed candidates as they head into Opposition? And will the likely marriage of convenience coalition survive? In Finland, how did comeback kid Alexander Stubb beat Pekka Haavisto? What issues were on the line? And why did the Presidency take on more significance in the wake of Finland’s NATO accession? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

Sam and Chern dive into results from the first two primary contests in the US presidential election, and preview the upcoming General Election in Indonesia. In the US, is a Biden-Trump rematch now inevitable, and is the primary season finished before it even really got started? Is there a viable path left for Nikki Haley? And are there any signs for concern for Donald Trump as he emerges from this contested primary? In Indonesia, what is Joko Widodo’s legacy as he vacates the presidency? Why is Prabowo Subianto the favourite heading into the Valentine’s Day poll? And why is Jokowi seemingly backing an opposition candidate above his own party? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

Sam and Chern look at results from Taiwan’s elections as the first electoral event of 2024, and comment on recent electoral events in Bangladesh. In Taiwan, how did Lai Ching-te win a third consecutive presidential term for the DPP? Given the strength of the third candidate, did the Opposition miss an opportunity to recapture the presidency? Why did Kuomintang do much better in the legislative elections? And given Beijing’s attention on this election, what will be the potential geopolitical consequences? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

This week’s episode looks ahead to the year 2024 in politics and elections, discussing the polls to look out for and the themes we might be talking about as the year rolls on. 2024 is a huge year for democracy, with 75% of the world’s democracies and 50% of the global population going to the ballot box. Amongst others, the US, the UK, India, Mexico, Indonesia and South Africa will all be holding national elections. This week, Sam and Chern preview the electoral calendar, picking out some highlights and previewing some stories that are likely to define the political year region by region. Will 2024 be a year of change as multiple incumbents look vulnerable heading into this cycle?

This week’s episode takes a look back at 2023 in politics with Sam and Chern talking through their annual series of awards. What was the most consequential election of the year and the biggest surprise? Did THAT really happen in 2023? Who was the worst politician this year? And which politicians should we be looking out for in 2024 and beyond? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

Sam and Chern look at results from six Indian state elections from the second half of 2023, including Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Which are the most significant results from this year? Why is the BJP strong in the North and Congress better-placed in the Southern states? Have any of these results altered the narrative ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha election? And is Modi on track for a historic third term? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

Sam and Chern break down the year in UK politics and the state of the Conservative and Labour parties. Have either party’s reshuffles changed the political narrative in the UK? Has Rishi Sunak done anything in 2023 to improve the Conservative chances of victory in the next General Election? Do the 2023 by-election results indicate an inevitable Labour victory? And has the SNP hegemony in Scotland come to an end? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

Sam and Chern break down results from this week’s elections in Argentina and the Netherlands. In Argentina, how did Javier Milei comfortably defeat Sergio Massa for the presidency? How will Milei overcome a lack of a majority in Congress? And how will Argentina’s allies work with Milei? In the Netherlands, what will the eventual Government look like following the PVV’s win? How did Geert Wilders manage to top the polls for the first time, and can he become Prime Minister? And as Timmermans, Omtzigt and Yeşilgöz-Zegerius plot their next move, who is the biggest loser after this tight campaign? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

Sam and Chern break down the year in US politics and the recent off-year electoral cycle. After a few weeks of three gubernatorial races, state legislatives contests and Ohio ballot initiatives, were there any big surprises? How did Democrat Andy Beshear win re-election in a strong Republican state on the federal level? Why did Glenn Youngkin fail to win a Republican trifecta? And after another strong pro-choice vote in the Ohio referendum, will that issue continue to boost Democratic turnout as they head into 2024? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

Sam and Chern break down results from two recent presidential elections in South America – one in Ecuador and the other in Argentina. In Ecuador, how did Daniel Noboa defeat the Correa-backed Luisa González? And can Ecuador’s youngest President turn around their fortunes in just eighteen months? In Argentina, how did Sergio Massa outperform polling expectations to win the first round? Can Javier Milei rally the Opposition to defeat the incumbent Peronists? And what should we expect ahead of the second round later this month? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

Sam and Chern break down results from two recent parliamentary elections – one in New Zealand and the other in Poland. In New Zealand, how did Christopher Luxon’s National Party overturn Labour’s majority? Will they need to negotiate with Winston Peters and NZF as well as ACT? And what is next for Chris Hipkins and the Labour Party? In Poland’s consequential election, how did the Tusk-led Opposition prevent a third term for the Law and Justice Party? What comes next? And can the three Opposition parties create a workable coalition agreement? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

Sam and Chern discuss results from recent elections in the German states of Hesse, Bremen and Bavaria, and Luxembourg’s parliamentary election. Why did the SPD do much better in Bremen than their poor showings in Hesse and Bavaria? Why did all federal coalition parties lose ground against incumbent CSU/CDU Governments? And what impact will this have on the federal coalition? In Luxembourg, why is the CSV returning to power after a decade? Why did the Green Party do so badly relative to other coalition parties? And what coalition option will CSV pursue? Will Xavier Bettel be back in Government but not as PM? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

Sam and Chern discuss the results from Slovakia’s parliamentary election and from the provincial election in Manitoba, Canada. In Slovakia, how did Robert Fico’s Smer party win the tight election? Why did Peter Pellegrini take Hlas into a Smer-led coalition? And what will the impact of Fico’s premiership be on Slovakian domestic and foreign policy? In Manitoba, how did the NDP prevent a Progressive Conservative third term? Was it Heather Stefanson’s loss, or Kinew’s win? And what are the federal implications? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

Sam and Chern discuss the state of federal politics in Canada and look ahead to the upcoming Indigenous Voice Referendum in Australia. What are the notable appointments in Trudeau’s reshuffle? Will the scale of the reshuffle help to reverse the declining fortunes of the Liberals? And what, if any, will be the impact of the Speaker resignation and the Indian diplomatic dispute? And in Australia, how has the ‘No’ campaign taken the lead in the Voice referendum after a period of ‘Yes’ lead? How has the Liberals’ side of the argument seemingly won the debate, despite Labor still leading the polls? And can ‘Yes’ turn it around in the final two weeks? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

Sam and Chern preview two upcoming elections on opposite sides of the globe in New Zealand and Poland. In New Zealand, how has Labour gone from a triumphant majority to at real risk of falling out of office in just one term? How has Christopher Luxon transformed the fortunes of the National Party, and what is the state of Labour under Chris Hipkins? In Poland, is the Law and Justice Party poised for an unprecedented third term? Can Donald Tusk overcome poor personal ratings to return the opposition to power? And why is this election so significant to the European Union? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

Sam and Chern preview two upcoming snap European elections, one in Slovakia and the other in the Netherlands. How did both of these countries end up with early elections? With their fourth Prime Minister in three and a half years, Slovakia is heading for an early parliamentary election with the return of former Prime Minister Robert Fico on the cards. Who are the main contenders to take over the Slovakian premiership and what are the potential geopolitical consequences? And in the Netherlands, as Mark Rutte’s tenure as the longest serving Dutch Prime Minister ends, what is his legacy? And which parties are poised to benefit from his departure? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

Sam and Chern turn their attention to Latin America and two presidential elections – the concluded two rounds in Guatemala and the upcoming second round in Ecuador. Bernardo Arévalo became the surprise winner in Guatemala, but how did he overcome the institutional opposition? And why did three-time runner-up Sandra Torres fail to cross the line again? In Ecuador, as Daniel Noboa and Luisa Gonzalez prepare for an October run-off, who is best placed to win? And why is Ecuador in election mode two years ahead of schedule? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

Sam and Chern look back at results from Spain's July General Election and look ahead to what's to come in the rest of the 2023 electoral calendar. Is Pedro Sanchez now the favourite to form the next Spanish Government? What happened since the Autonomous Community elections to change the Peoples Party fortunes so significantly? What's next for Alberto Feijoo, and who are the winners and losers? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

This week Sam and Chern discuss the 2022-23 term of the US Supreme Court and some of the most consequential decisions made. How can the Roberts Court be assessed relative to the last term that saw the momentous Dobbs vs Jackson ruling? What are some of the most important and interesting cases? Is this Court a truly Conservative one? And why are the Republican-appointees so seemingly split on voting rights cases?

As we reach the halfway point in 2023, Sam and Chern also look back on the first half of the year in politics. What have been the most interesting and consequential elections so far? And what lies in store for the remainder of 2023? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

Sam and Chern look back at results from the two recent Greek parliamentary elections that saw the re-election of Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ New Democracy party in emphatic style. Despite comfortably topping the polls in May, why did Mitsotakis trigger an immediate re-run of the election? And how did New Democracy overcome the various scandals and policy issues plaguing them in the last term? What’s next for Aléxis Tsípras, Syriza and PASOK as they contest to be the main left-wing opposition in Greece? And why did this election see the entry of three far-right parties into the Hellenic Parliament? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

This week Sam and Chern discuss recent electoral results in Montenegro before diving into the early days of the 2024 Republican presidential primary in the US. In Montenegro, what has motivated opposition wins in the presidential and parliamentary elections this year? What has caused the dramatic fall in support for long-term leader Milo Đukanović? And what will the eventual Government look like after Jakov Milatovic's Europe Now fell short of a majority?

In the US, despite Iowa being 8 months away, the Republican primary is beginning to heat up, but is Donald Trump’s win already inevitable? This podcast unpacks the state of the race and the other runners and riders. Is Ron DeSantis still the best-positioned candidate to win if Donald Trump falters? What other US elections are to look forward to in 2023? And why was Janet Protasiewicz’s win in Wisconsin so significant? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

Sam and Chern look back at results from the mammoth set of regional elections in Spain last month and look ahead to the surprise snap General Election in July. Why did the Peoples Party do so well across the Spanish Autonomous Communities? Did the Socialist Party have a worse than expected night? Why did Pedro Sanchez call a snap election in the wake of widespread losses? What will be the impact of the fractious Sumar alliance? And is Alberto Núñez Feijóo the favourite to be Spain’s next Prime Minister? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

This week Sam and Chern discuss results from the second round of Turkey’s presidential election, and the provincial election in Alberta, Canada. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has won another five year term following his first ever run-off election, but after the results of the first round, was this inevitable? How did Erdoğan win? What’s next for the Opposition and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as they head into the 2024 local elections? And what might the democratic consequences be?

In Alberta, Danielle Smith’s United Conservatives, despite losing seats, have obtained another majority, but the NDP will form the largest opposition in Albertan history. Why was this election so close, and which party has the most to be pleased about? In Canada’s most conservative province, are the Conservatives just too difficult to beat? And what will be the federal implications? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week Sam and Chern discuss results from the local elections in Northern Ireland and the new Cabinet in Queensland, Australia. With an election expected late next year, Anastasia Palaszczuk has reshuffled her team in an attempt to reset her government. What are the notable appointments? Will it provide the reset she is looking for? And is it an admission that the government has been struggling recently?

In Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein has become the largest party in local government for the first time, but where are their new votes coming from? Do these results make the restoration of government at Stormont more or less likely? Are the UUP and SDLP in terminal decline? And have the DUP received an endorsement of their continued boycott despite the nationalist surge? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week Sam and Chern discuss results from two elections last week – the first round of Turkey’s presidential election, and the momentous parliamentary election in Thailand. As Pita Limjaroenrat seeks to amass the necessary votes to become Prime Minister, Thailand is on the verge of significant societal and political change. Why did Pheu Thai and the Sinawatras fail to top the polls after strong opinion poll results? What motivated the surge in Move Forward support? And what lies ahead for the military and royalist bloc in Thailand?

As Turkish voters prepare to return to the polls for the second round of their presidential election, this podcast discusses whether Recep Tayyip Erdoğan holds an insurmountable lead. Why did Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu underperform relative to opinion polls, and was his candidacy flawed from the beginning? What could explain the long term strength of Erdoğan? And what will the second round have in store? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week Sam and Chern look at results from Paraguay’s recent Presidential Election and looks ahead to this month’s bumper day of Regional Elections in Spain. Santiago Peña won the presidency to continue the dominance of the Colorado Party, but why did this buck the recent trend in South America? And why do the Opposition continue to struggle to stop the Colorado Party success?

As Spain prepares for 12 of its autonomous communities to go to the polls, this week also pinpoints some of the key races to watch ahead of a Winter General Election. Will the right take over in Valencia and Aragon? How are regionalist parties faring in Cantabria? And will the Citizens Party collapse help the Peoples Party across the board? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

Sam and Chern look back at results from last week’s English Local Elections. As the Conservative Party reels from 1000+ seat losses, is Labour on track for power in 2024? Which Council results best summarise the state of national politics? Are the Liberal Democrat results indicative of big results to come in a General Election? And how should both Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak respond to this latest electoral test? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

Sam and Chern look back at results from Finland’s parliamentary election earlier this month. As the tenure of Finland’s youngest Prime Minister comes to an end with Sanna Marin preparing to leave office, how did the National Coalition win the election? Why were Marin’s coalition partners unable to perform well enough to keep them in Office? And as Petteri Orpo begins coalition talks, how likely is a right-wing Government formally including the populist Finns to form? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

This week’s episode looks back on results from two state elections: Prince Edward Island, Canada and New South Wales, Australia. In Prince Edward Island, Dennis King’s Progressive Conservatives put in a dominant performance to retain Office. How did they win such a decisive victory? And despite reclaiming Official Opposition status, how can the Liberals regroup and become competitive again?

In New South Wales, there was a change in Government, ensuring that Labor is governing all mainland states in Australia simultaneously for only the second time. How did Chris Minns succeed in the race to become Premier? And will Labor be disappointed to miss out on a majority? What’s next for the Liberals and where will their next leader come from? Why were the Teals unable to replicate their federal successes? And after NSW and the Aston by-election, what will be the federal implications for Liberal Leader Peter Dutton? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week’s episode looks at the election of Humza Yousaf as the new leader of the Scottish National Party and the legacy of Nicola Sturgeon. Sam and Chern unpack the results, and discuss what may be next for the SNP as they begin a period without Salmond or Sturgeon at the helm for the first time in 20 years. How did Humza Yousaf win the election? And how did he fend off close rival Kate Forbes? What will be the legacy of Nicola Sturgeon as she leaves frontline Scottish politics? And what is next for the SNP as their poll ratings suffer a short-term slump? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

This week’s episode looks ahead to next week’s New South Wales State Election which sees the incumbent Coalition Government looking to win a fourth term in office. As Dominic Perrottet and Chris Minns enter their first campaigns as leaders of the Liberal and Labor parties, Sam and Chern unpack the campaign so far and look at where in the state this race will be won or lost. What have been the main themes of this campaign? Who are Dominic Perrottet and Chris Minns? With both parties needing to gain seats to form a majority, what does the route to a fourth Coalition term look like? And why is this race so close? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

This week’s episode looks at results from Nigeria’s Presidential Election and last weekend’s parliamentary election in Estonia. Bola Tinubu came out victorious in Nigeria, extending the APC’s rule, but the campaign was dominated by a three-candidate contest and the surge of support for Labour Party candidate Peter Obi. What motivated Bola Tinubu’s victory? What was the driver of Peter Obi’s unlikely candidacy? What role does religion and ethnicity play in Nigerian elections? And amidst the challenges to the results, what is next for Africa’s largest democracy?

As incumbent Prime Minister Kaja Kallas reflects on the big victory for her Reform Party, Sam and Chern also unpack the results from Estonia. What were some of the reasons behind Kallas’s commanding performance? What role did Ukraine policy play in this election? Why did the Conservatives marginally underperform the polls and the Centre Party fall behind? And what will the eventual government look like? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week’s episode looks at results from two sets of state elections – the German capital of Berlin and the three Northeastern Indian states of Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland. Berlin was conducting a court-enforced repeat of its 2021 state election, and the CDU topped the polls for the first time since 1999. How did the CDU manage to make such significant gains? Did the fact it was a rerun impact the headline results? What will the eventual Government look like? And after another disappointing night for the FDP, will they begin to rethink participation in the federal government?

In the three Indian states, it was another good month for the BJP and its allies ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Amidst big wins for regionalist parties, who is the role of national parties in this region of India? And what role do the different demographics play? Has the first round of elections in 2023 continued 2022 national trends? And what can the Congress Party do to turn around their fortunes? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week’s episode looks at Rishi Sunak’s minor Cabinet reshuffle, and also at President Joe Biden’s third State of the Union Address. Rishi Sunak has found a replacement to Nadhim Zahawi, but also took the opportunity to restructure the machinery of Government and shake-up his Cabinet. Was this reshuffle surprisingly broad? What will these departmental reconfigurations mean for policy delivery? And what does it say about Sunak’s priorities as the long road to the 2024 General Election begins?

In the US, Joe Biden addressed the newly divided Congress to outline his legislative plans and administrative achievements. What were the key takeaways from this political set piece? Was this Joe Biden doing a soft launch of his re-election campaign? And what is the role of State of the Union Addresses more generally? Do they play an important role? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week’s episode looks back at results from the Czech Presidential election, and also unpacks Chris Hipkins’ first Cabinet as New Zealand Prime Minister. In Czechia, Petr Pavel decisively defeated former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, but after the second defeat in a row, is this now game over for the ANO 2011 leader? How did Pavel pull off a decisive victory in the second round? And what will be the geopolitical impact of his win?

In New Zealand, Chris Hipkins has reshuffled the Government in one of his first acts as Prime Minister, so Sam and Chern unpack the appointments and look ahead this year’s General Election. Why was Chris Hipkins elected unopposed as Labor leader? Who are some of the winners and losers in the reshuffle? How is Christopher Luxon preparing to face Hipkins moving into the election? And what does each party need to do to win? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week’s episode looks ahead to the year 2023 in UK politics, assessing the state of the main parties and the elections they will be facing in 2023. Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party has begun the year battling a handful of personnel scandals, so can the party turn it around? Is there a narrow path to 2024 victory for the incumbent Government? And as Labour continues is commanding lead in the opinion polls, Sam and Chern discuss what lies ahead now that they are the heir-apparent. Will Starmer reshuffle the frontbench to begin their long election campaign? And what are the top prizes in the local elections? Plus, will another Northern Ireland Assembly election lead to a restoration of power-sharing in the 25thAnniversary year of the Good Friday Agreement? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

This week’s episode looks ahead to the year 2023 in politics and elections, discussing the polls to look out for and the themes we might be talking about as the year rolls on. 2023 has numerous big elections in store in Spain, Argentina, Turkey, New Zealand and Nigeria to name just a few. This week, Sam and Chern preview the electoral calendar, picking out some highlights and previewing some stories that are likely to define the political year region by region. Will 2023 be a year of change as multiple incumbents look vulnerable heading into this cycle? What will be the impact of the Russia-Ukraine War in the neighbouring states of Estonia, Finland and Poland that all have elections this year? And will results in Turkey and Nigeria be as geopolitically significant as initially billed? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.

The first episode of 2023 takes a look back at the turbulent US Speaker of the House election and discusses the state of Irish politics as the pre-arranged Taoiseach transition takes place. Kevin McCarthy was finally elected as the next Speaker of the House after nearly 4 days and 15 ballots, making it the longest Speaker election since 1859. How did McCarthy eventually manage to get enough holdouts onside? What does the turbulence say about the present state of the Republican Party? And is this setup and rules package sustainable?

In Ireland, Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martinhave changed jobs, and the Fine Gael/Fianna Fail coalition moves into its second half. Sam and Chern discuss the transfer of responsibility and the state of the Irish parties. Which party is benefitting more from the current governing arrangement? Why did Leo Varadkar opt for a very limited Cabinet reshuffle? What has motivated the growth of Sinn Fein into the poll leader? And can they continue that strength into the next election? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

The last episode of 2022 takes a look back at the recent political turmoil in Peru, and looks back at results from the final Indian state elections of the year. As Peru prepares for its sixth Prime Minister of 2022 and its second President in just over a year, Sam and Chern ask whether the country is governable in the short-term? Can Dina Boluarte turn things around? And what is next for the main players of Pedro Castillo and Keiko Fujimori?

In India, elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat produced contrasting results for the BJP and Congress Party, and lay the ground for a competitive 2023. This week’s episode unpacks the two results and looks back on the year in state elections, discussing which of the Indian parties will be celebrating the most. What was the difference between the Gujarat BJP landslide and the tight election in Himachal Pradesh? With 5-2 to the BJP in state elections this year, are they still very well-positioned for the 2024 Lok Sabha election? And what will the role of the AAP be moving forward? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week’s episode takes a look at the results from the Georgia Senate run-off election and takes a big look back at 2022 in politics. Raphael Warnock has beaten Herschel Walker in Georgia and wins his first full term as Senator. How did Warnock manage to win his second election in two years? Did the shorter campaign make any difference? Will the 51st Democratic seat make a material difference on Senate procedures? And what will the impact of Kyrsten Sinema’s defection have on the party in the Senate?

Sam and Chern also take a look back at 2022 in politics with their annual series of awards. What was the most consequential election of the year and the biggest surprise? Did THAT really happen in 2022? Who was the worst politician this year? And which politicians should we be looking out for in 2023 and beyond? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

In the 100th episode of Ballot to Talk About, Sam and Chern take a look at the results from last weekend’s state election in Victoria, Australia. Daniel Andrews has led his Labor Party to a third term in decisive fashion over Matthew Guy’s Liberals and concludes a successful year for the Australian Labor Party across the country. How did Labor manage to pull off such a clear win? Did Labor win this election or is it more an indication of Liberal weakness? Why did the Teal Independents fail to make a similar splash to their Victoria results in the federal election? And how will the federal parties view these results and 2022 as a whole? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

This week’s episode takes a final dive into the results of this year’s US midterm elections as the dust has finally settled. As the party’s come to terms with the results and the divided Congress, Sam and Chern discuss the two party leadership elections and what may lie ahead. Have the Democrats finished in a position that leaves them favoured to retake the House in 2024? What is the legacy of Nancy Pelosi as she departs the Speaker’s Chair? Will Kevin McCarthy face a tough fight to be elected as Speaker? And what will the recently announced Donald Trump candidacy mean for Congressional Republican politics in this narrow majority environment? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

This week's episode looks back at elections in Israel and looks ahead to the upcoming state election in Victoria, Australia. In Israel’s fifth election in four years, Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party looks set to be leading a Government once again. What led to the collapse of the Bennett/Lapid Government? How did Netanyahu win again? And will this new Government manage to stay the course?

In Victoria, as Daniel Andrews goes for a third term for his Labor Government, Sam and Chern break down the campaign and the seats to look out for. How has Andrews’ record in Government been, and how is Victoria expected to react after some of the toughest lockdowns in the world? Can Matthew Guy transform recent Liberal fortunes? And in what districts will this race be won or lost? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This slightly extended episode takes a dive into the results of last week’s US midterm elections, the first electoral test for incumbent President Joe Biden. As the Democrats retain control of the Senate and the Republicans look to be slight favourites to take a narrow majority in the House, Sam and Chern unpack the key races. Was there a national narrative or was this a very localised midterm? Why did the Republicans underperform traditional midterm expectations? What do these results mean for 2024? And do the results suggest that Donald Trump is a strength for the Republicans, or is he becoming a liability? All these questions and more answered in this bonus episode.

This week's episode looks back at national election results in both Brazil and Denmark. In Brazil, it took two rounds, but former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva narrowly defeated incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro to ensure he will enter 2023 as Brazil’s new leader. What were the demographic and geographic keys to Lula’s success? Why was the race much narrower than polls were originally expecting? Will this be the last of Bolsonaro’s career at the frontline of Brazilian politics? And has a “January 6th moment” been averted?

In Denmark, Mette Frederiksen looks set to continue as Danish Prime Minister after leading her Social Democratic Party to another victory, and a narrow majority for the traditional Red Bloc. Sam and Chern unpack the results as a whole and discuss what the new Government might look like. Will the Red Bloc hold, or will a new centrist Government be formed to break that mould? How did Frederiksen avoid the same fate as Magdalena Andersson earlier this year? What role will Rasmussen’s Moderates play after coming third? And what happened to the Venstre vote share? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week's episode looks back at the last week in British politics which has resulted in Rishi Sunak replacing Liz Truss as Prime Minister. It also looks ahead to the upcoming midterms in the United States, focussing on the House of Representatives. After just 50 days, Liz Truss has left Office and has been replaced by her former leadership rival Rishi Sunak. What led to her downfall? How did the contest to replace her end up uncontested? And what are the notable appointment in Sunak’s Cabinet?

In the US, the race for control of the House is nearing its end and Republicans look well-placed to take control of the Chamber from the Democrats in just under two weeks’ time. Sam and Chern discuss the topics that have dominated the campaign and take a look at some of the more consequential and interesting districts. Will the economy or abortion play a bigger role in motivating voters ahead of the midterm elections nationally? Were the Democrats always going to struggle to defend such a narrow House majority? Where is control of the House going to be won and lost? And what are some of the most interesting races taking place? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.