4bn people eligible to vote in 2024

This year is going to be democracy’s biggest year ever. In a remarkable milestone in human history, over four billion people – more than half of the world’s population across more than 40 countries – will go to the polls.

Here’s a rundown of just some of the significant elections that will shape the world this year.

US

The most high-stakes election of 2024 will be the US general election for the president, house of representatives and senate in November. Donald Trump is the likely Republican nominee. He is promising to punish his political opponents, override the independence of the Department of Justice and extend presidential power into non-political areas of government administration.

India and Indonesia

The sheer scale of the elections in these developing nations, with a combined population of 1.7 billion, is a miracle in modern administration. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems almost certain to be returned for a third term in an election to be likely held between April and May.

UK

The UK is likely to go to a general election in the second half of 2024. Current polling suggests it will result in the first change of government in 14 years with victory for the Labour Party led by Keir Starmer.

If that happens, it will be a reminder of democracy’s ability to enable the transfer of political power between opposing interests without widespread bloodshed.

Africa

National elections are occurring in a dozen countries on the continent this year including Rwanda, Ghana, Tunisia, South Sudan and Algeria. But most attention will be on the mid-year election in SA which will be the most important since the end of apartheid in 1994.

Current polls suggest that after three decades in power the ANC will not be able to garner the necessary 50% of votes needed to govern in its own right.