perspectives

By Isabella Joseph From the moment he took office in 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy found himself to be the subject of palpable public dislike. A hatred so irrational, in fact, that those who heard his policies without his name attached to them, supported them. This public aversion to Sarkozy’s personality soon translated into political sabotage. French voters delivered a definitive, almost personal, act of democratic spite; the electoral outcome was a testament to voter anger that sa

The House of Lords has tabled, a record-breaking, 900 amendments to the proposed Assisted Dying Bill. Kim Leadbetter, MP, warned that some of the amendments looked designed to "try and stop the Bill passing through Parliament." Indeed, it seems that 579 amendments have been tabled by seven opponents, sparking a letter from 65 supportive peers, to their colleagues, urging them not to frustrate the will of the Commons. In this moment, where the Bill's future hangs in the balan

By Maryam Munshi President Trump takes yet another stride toward American authoritarianism through his deployment of National Guard troops in Democrat-led cities. As neither the military occupation of Los Angeles, nor that of Washington D.C., satisfied the administration’s crusade against  “lawlessness”  troops have now expanded into Memphis. With ongoing attempts to enter Chicago and Portland currently being disputed in court, we’re left wondering— who really is the “lawless

By Adrian Khodavardar  In the lead-up to the UK’s next general election, the spotlight has shifted from televised debates and print media to a newer political arena: short-form videos and algorithmic feeds. At the centre of this shift is Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, using TikTok not as a side project but as a core component of its communication strategy. The question is whether TikTok has created a new populist pipeline for Reform UK or if it merely amplifies frustrations

Spencer Livermore, Baron Livermore. He currently serves as Financial Secretary to the Treasury since July 2024. Photo: HM Treasury/Flickr. Following on from the disastrous local elections in May 2021, Keir Starmer quietly appointed a backbench MP to a key party role. Given the turbulent shadow cabinet reshuffle concurrently underway, her appointment was not widely covered — but she had one task.  She had to save his leadership. Shabana Mahmood now, of course, is one of the La

The most recently signed peace deal does not mark a resolution to the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Not now, when Israel appears to have already broken it. Rather, such agreements serve as a temporary pause to a cycle of violence that has defined the past two years, offering at best a tentative roadmap toward broader regional peace.  Conflicts as deep-rooted rarely resolve on their own. In an ideal world, lasting peace would take the form of a two-state solution - with Israel a

Following two years of relentless conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 68,000 Gazans since October 2023, a ceasefire has finally been brokered between Israel and Hamas. At the heart of the agreement lies U.S. President Trump’s 20-point plan which promises to deliver a “strong, durable, and everlasting peace.” Although the world was quick to celebrate what seems to be the end of destruction across the region, its sustainability remains uncertain. Does this ceasef

Thus far, Keir Starmer’s domestic leadership has been defined by caution; however, it is increasingly unclear whether this technocratic approach to steady the ship can hold in the face of Labour’s bleeding electoral support. With Labour’s popularity at record lows, Starmer may have no choice but to embrace a bolder leadership style. His government is capable of such change, with Starmer being a decisive global statesman. However, the question now is whether the Prime Ministe

Another coup in Madagascar is not surprising to most. 75% of the country’s population live in poverty and electricity and water have become luxuries in the tropical island nation. Famed for its biodiversity and natural beauty, Madagascar’s political history is defined by faltering democracy and recurring coups. Having gained independence from France in 1960 Madagascar has not enjoyed political stability; leaders have been assassinated, elections have been rigged, and the mil

Serving fries at an establishment he has long cherished, Trump’s love of McDonald's is well-documented. Equally famous is his love-hate relationship with Coca-Cola, or more specifically, Diet Coke. He even claims to have made Coke change the ingredients of its flagship product. We’ve all seen his dancing, but have you seen his playlist? From R.E.M. to Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, and Metallica, he certainly has eclectic taste. He’s a man who likes the unsophisticated as mu