Friday Focus: Democracies in trouble - a controversial political pardon
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Dec 6, 2024
Democracies are facing a crisis, from the martial law in South Korea to public discontent in France. Amidst this turmoil, President Biden's unconditional pardon for Hunter Biden raises eyebrows, as it seemingly shields elites from accountability. The conversation also dives into the rise of far-right populism in France, especially under Macron's leadership. Finally, the discussion touches on the Syrian rebels' renewed offensive against Assad, examining the influence of Iran's weakening position in the region. Public trust hangs in the balance.
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insights INSIGHT
Democracy in Distress
Voters distrust political elites, leading to institutional failures.
This distrust is fueled by a perception that elites lie and are out of touch with the public.
insights INSIGHT
Macron's Technocratic Approach
French President Macron's technocratic approach and disregard for public opinion has fueled the far-right.
His policies, while potentially sound, were implemented without considering public sentiment.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Macron's Rise and Current Struggle
Macron's actions created space for the far-right by eliminating traditional parties.
His condescending tone towards voters further exacerbated the situation.
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Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.
The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.
Democracies are in trouble from South Korea to France to the U.S., where voters have lost trust in political elites, especially in France where the blowback to Macron's brand of politics has made room for the ascendency of the far-right under Marine Le Pen. Rudyard and Janice then turn their focus to the U.S. where President Biden has conferred an unconditional pardon on his son Hunter Biden, with speculation that he might pardon any politician or civil servant who could face prosecution from a vengeful Trump administration. This controversial move would be unwise, Rudyard argues, setting a dangerous precedent and confirming voters' suspicions that elites are not subject to the same consequences as everyone else. In the final moments of the show Ruydyard and Janice turn to Syria, where rebels have renewed their offensive against the Assad regime and taken over key battleground areas. Could this successful push have anything to do with Iran's weakening in the region, as a result of Israel's military successes against its proxies?
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