Among the main issues that still need to "develop" (to put it prudently) during the New Year, top of the list no doubt there will be the war in the Ukraine and the Gaza disaster. Beyond these though, other deep concerns will continue to simmer.
In the US: How far will presidential authoritarianism keep advancing in a country which used to boast about its constitutional system based on "checks and balances"? Will the American economy really take a tumble or will it take off?
In Europe: What will be the next phase in the current paralysis of French politics? Will the present German coalition government maintain its stability? Is the EU going to remain incoherent? Will the extreme right continue to grow?
On a wider front: Will the major economies continue to roll on the engines of armaments production and artificial intelligence? Will the global uncertainties keep rocketing the price of gold to incredible heights? Will the problems and difficulties being experienced by countries "of the South" continue to be sidelined and forgotten?
Meanwhile one should not be too surprised if in coming months, major concerns develop that as of now, are on nobody's radar.
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POLITICAL STAND OFFS
In a not so distant past, the political stand-offs between the parties would be about big national choices that needed to be made - integration or dominion status; independence now or later; democratic socialism or christian democracy; income tax and VAT - or not; EU membership or partnership; the relations between Church and state... All were choices that would determine the future of society as a whole.
Today's political disputes hardly seem to be so fundamental. Such controversies about the future of the country have been decided, for the better or the worse, and are no longer being contested. The sectors which in other countries have fuelled the extremes of right and left (such as immigration) did not have the same impact here. The big decision that people now face concerns mostly who will be in charge, not the direction that will be taken, whoever is in charge.
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UPS AND DOWNS
Few get to experience how an entity/community/society can go to the dogs as those who like me, have been longtime supporters of the Wolverhampton Wanderers male football team. Right from the "start" we knew them as the team who'd terrify all opponents. Then there were times when performances were not so impressive and the team's reputation dropped to second class status if not worse.
But it never happened like has been the case this year, that Wolves suffer defeat in game after game. In this respect, the draw with Manchester United at end year cannot be considered as a consolation. By the end of this year 2025, the tally of points gained from the games they played in what used to be called the English first division amounted to 3! I never remember having witnessed such a drought. And really, it's quite likely that in the near future, the prospect will remain one of yet more misery!
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GREETINGS
All best wishes to the Editor, staff and readers of the Malta Independent.