Politics and Elections in 2020: A Year of Divisive Campaigns, Controversial Decisions, and Global Implications

Politics and Elections in 2020: A Year of Divisive Campaigns, Controversial Decisions, and Global Implications

 The year 2020 was a significant one for politics and elections, with two major events that shaped the political landscape of their respective regions - the United States presidential election and Brexit. Both events were marked by intense campaigning, heated debates, and unprecedented challenges, and had significant implications for the countries involved and the wider world.

 UNITED STATES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION:

 The United States presidential election held in November 2020 was one of the most closely contested and divisive elections in recent memory. Incumbent President Donald Trump, a Republican, sought re-election against Democratic challenger Joe Biden, a former vice president under Barack Obama.

 

The campaign was marked by fierce debates and personal attacks, with both candidates highlighting their different visions for the country. Trump focused on his record of economic growth and job creation, his tough stance on immigration, and his criticism of Biden's past record on foreign policy and criminal justice reform. Biden, on the other hand, emphasized his plans for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding healthcare, and promoting social justice and racial equality.

 

The election was conducted amid the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had forced many states to adopt new voting procedures to ensure social distancing and reduce the risk of transmission. The use of mail-in ballots and early voting became more prevalent, leading to concerns about the security and legitimacy of the election.

 

After a long and tense election night, Biden was declared the winner of the election with 306 electoral votes to Trump's 232. However, Trump refused to concede, alleging widespread voter fraud and challenging the results in several key swing states. The legal battles continued for weeks, with Trump and his supporters filing numerous lawsuits in an attempt to overturn the results.

 Despite the challenges, Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States on January 20, 2021, in a heavily secured ceremony in Washington, D.C. His presidency has since been marked by efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, restore economic growth, and promote social justice and racial equality.

 BREXIT:

 Brexit, which stands for "British exit," refers to the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union (EU) following a referendum held in June 2016. The decision was motivated by concerns over immigration, sovereignty, and economic issues, and sparked intense political debates and negotiations over the terms of the exit.

 

After several years of negotiations, the UK and the EU finally agreed on a withdrawal agreement in late 2019, which set out the terms of the UK's departure and the future relationship between the two parties. However, the agreement faced significant opposition in the UK parliament, with many MPs criticizing its provisions on trade, immigration, and the Irish border.

 After several failed attempts to pass the withdrawal agreement in parliament, the UK finally left the EU on January 31, 2020, triggering a transition period during which the two parties would negotiate their future relationship. The transition period lasted until December 31, 2020, during which time the UK continued to follow EU rules and regulations while negotiations continued.

 The negotiations were marked by intense disagreements over issues such as trade, fishing rights, and governance, with both sides accusing each other of intransigence and bad faith. Despite the challenges, the two parties finally reached a trade deal on December 24, 2020, just days before the transition period was set to end.

 The trade deal, which was approved by both the UK and the EU parliaments, set out the terms of the UK's future relationship with the EU, including provisions on trade, security, and cooperation in various areas. However, the deal did not address all of the issues that had been