From the Syrian government being overthrown and the U.S. presidential elections, here are the top political moments of 2024 that shaped this year in politics.
14. Ukraine war reaches two years
The Russian invasion on Ukraine reached the two year mark in 2024. This year, Ukraine has made offensive moves against Russia. According to a report by the Global Conflict Tracker, Ukraine has recaptured 54% of their territory, while 18% of Ukraine is still under Russian control.
13. Civil war in Sudan
Since 2023, war has been raging in Sudan. With the country being divided by opposing political views, dozens of civilians have been dying due to famine and gun fire. Additionally, a humanitarian crisis is devastating the Sudanese people, with millions of refugees fleeing to nearby countries such as Chad and South Sudan, which are more politically stable. Over 61,000 people have died since the start of the war.
12. The presidential debate
The presidential debate between current President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump was absurd. All they did was get on stage and insult each other, which did not help Americans decide which candidate to vote for. Future presidents—the next leaders of the U.S.—were really just insulting each other. “You’re the sucker, you’re the loser” was a quote that made the debate highly unprofessional, with both candidates receiving brutal criticism from the media. This debate sent the Democratic party into alert’, calling it ridiculous and saying that President Biden should not represent the Democrats. There was some speculation that this debate is what led to President Biden dropping out of the race on July 24, 2024.
11. President Joe Biden pardons his son’s federal charges
On Dec. 1, 2024, President Biden pardoned his son, Robert Hunter Biden, for all federal offenses committed between Jan. 1, 2014 to Dec. 1, 2024. This included tax offenses and gun charges, among others. President Biden said in a statement that he hopes Americans will understand the reasons for his decision.
10. Norway, Ireland and Spain recognize the State of Palestine
On May 28, 2024, Norway, Ireland and Spain recognized the State of Palestine. This was an effort from the European Union (EU) countries to push for a ceasefire. This prompted an angry Israeli response, as the Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, quickly critized Spain for the decision. He said that Barcalona’s government was “being complicit in inciting genocide against Jews and war crimes.” Additionally, three EU countries recognizing Palestine was a historical move in order to get Israel to soften their response to the war.
9. First woman is elected as the President of Mexico
On Oct. 1, 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo became the first woman to become the president of Mexico. She was previously Head of Government of Mexico City from 2018 to 2023. However, President Pardo has to deal with lots of political issues, including Trump’s day one tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
8. Cable News Network (CNN) correspondent stages the release of a Syrian prisoner
On Dec. 11, 2024, Clarissa Ward, a Cable News Network (CNN) correspondent, was called out because of staging the release of a Syrian prisoner, just days after the overthrowing of Bashar Al-Assad. People around the world called CNN and Ward out for their lies. With people citing that the White Helmets, the Syrian civil Defence, stated that the majority of prisoners had already been freed.
7. President-elect Donald Trump gets shot at a rally
On July 13, 2024, President-elect Trump was shot near his ear during an open air campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The suspect, Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man, fired eight bullets from an AR-15 rifle. He killed one audience member and critically injured two others. Crooks was killed seconds later by the United States Secret Service.
6. Martial law declared in South Korea
On December 3, 2024, Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, enacted martial law in South Korea due to the opposition’s “legislative dictatorship.” Koreans were horrified and went to the streets to protest the decision at pre-dawn. It only took six hours to reverse the decision. This was the first martial law decree in 40 years in Korea. President Yeol has been arrested and is being questioned and investigated.
5. Israel’s attacks on other Middle Eastern countries
The year 2024 marked the first year of the genocide on Gaza. Additionally, the besieged civilians of Gaza are not being provided with sufficient humanitarian aid, as Israel is not allowing aid into the strip. This conflict has traumatized the residents of Gaza. According to a report from the United Nations (UN), it could take up to 80 years to rebuild Gaza. Israel has waged a war on Hamas, not civilians. However, over 50,000 innocent civilians have been killed
On Sept. 2024, Israel violently waged a series of attacks on Lebanon, bombing civilians and housing blocks. Israel’s bombs killed around 569 people on Sept. 23, 2024. Additionally, on Sept. 28, 2024 Israel bombed and killed the longtime leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, in Beirut, Lebanon. Nasrallah led Hezbollah for over three decades, so his death made a major impact in the Middle East. This came after a series of attacks against Hezbollah, including the walkie-talkie attack in Beirut.
4. President-elect Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential election
On Jan. 7th, 2025, Congress certified President-elect Trump’s win against his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris. President-elect Trump won all seven swing states and broke the “blue wall” with over 77 million popular votes and 312 electoral votes.
3. President-elect Donald Trump threatens to buy Greenland
In Dec., Trump said in a press conference that he wants to take Canada and buy Greenland. The Danish-led country emphasized that it was not for sale. Trump was also asked if he would not use military and economic force, which he responded that he would not commit to it.
2. President Joe Biden announces that he will not seek re-election
On July 24, 2024, President Biden stated that he will drop out of the presidential race, after an embarrassing debate for the Democrats, as well as criticism from the American public about his age.
1. Bashar Al-Assad’s regime gets overthrown
The regime of Bashar Al-Assad was overthrown by Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) on Dec. 8, 2024. The rebels took the regime and the world by surprise, restarting a war that everyone thought was at a standstill. HTS rebels also freed thousands of wrongfully imprisoned people. Al-Assad’s family fled to Moscow, Russia, where they have been granted asylum.