Results of 2023: political winners and losers of the year
Losers of the year
Rumen Radev (Bulgaria)
By the end of 2023, Bulgaria implemented constitutional amendments that curtail the authority of its president, currently occupied by Rumen Radev, who is recognized for his pro-Kremlin stance. This resolution will undermine pro-Russian elements in Bulgaria in the long run. Moreover, Radev's endeavors to hinder the delivery of military assistance to Ukraine, comprising armored vehicles, were ultimately unsuccessful.
Xi Jinping (China)
China is grappling with the gradual depletion of its economic growth model and significant financial challenges linked to the mounting debt burden on public and corporate finances. In the global race for capital and investment, China is starting to fall behind India. Whether Xi Jinping has a solution for addressing the aforementioned issues remains unknown.
Vladimir Putin (Russia)
Received an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court in the Hague. He is even more deeply mired in the hopeless war in Ukraine. Although he continues to pretend that ‘we have not started anything in earnest yet’.
Emmanuel Macron (France)
Throughout the year, France was rocked by protests and street violence, which have already become commonplace in the republic. Macron also did not achieve any significant success in the foreign arena, and on the contrary, the French president can be blamed for several failures in Africa. During his presidency of France, Macron failed to emerge as the informal leader of the European Union, despite having good starting points and appropriate ambitions.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (Türkiye)
While Erdoğan secured another presidential term, Türkiye faced limited achievements in the foreign domain concerning areas that hold importance for Ankara (namely North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia). Furthermore, Erdoğan's endeavor to position Türkiye as a 'logistics superpower' has experienced a slowdown, exacerbating the already high inflationary pressures on the country's economy. Additionally, Türkiye's socio-economic system was devastated by a powerful earthquake that struck the nation in February 2023.
Jarosław Kaczyński and Mateusz Morawiecki (Poland)
With virtually all the power and significant economic growth in recent years, the 'Law and Justice' (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość) hoped to maintain its position on Poland's political stage. However, after the parliamentary elections, 'Law and Justice' (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość) failed to establish a coalition, and the government was led by the aforementioned Donald Tusk.
Aleksandar Vučić (Serbia)
In late 2023, Serbia experienced protests amidst allegations of government fraud in the parliamentary elections. Furthermore, there were persistent crises in relations between Belgrade and Pristina (Kosovo), causing a decline in Vučić's influence. Regrettably, Vučić's attempts to bring Serbia closer to EU membership by the year's end proved unsuccessful.
Winners of the year
Kyriakos Mitsotakis (Greece)
The Economist magazine has declared Greece as the Country of the Year in 2023 for successfully surmounting numerous financial and economic obstacles. This remarkable feat was accomplished under the guidance of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the leader of Greece's center-right government, who won re-election as the Prime Minister in the parliamentary elections held in the summer of 2023.
Javier Miley (Argentina)
He made history by becoming the first libertarian president in the world, even though Milei's chances seemed slim at the outset of the election campaign in Argentina. Referred to as the 'chainsaw-wielding economist' by the media, Milei proclaimed a comprehensive deregulation of the economy and pledged to execute 300 (!) reforms in the nation. The outcome of these actions can be evaluated in due course, but presently, Milei unquestionably reigns as the winner of the year.
Narendra Modi (India)
With Modi at the helm, India is steadily emerging as the most appealing investment hub in Asia, surpassing China. Investors and stakeholders of major businesses are increasingly eyeing India as a preferred destination for various industries. During the G20 summit in New Delhi in September 2023, plans were unveiled to develop an India-Europe transport corridor, which could potentially offer greater economic opportunities than the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative.
Ilham Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
In conclusion of the year, he successfully concluded the conflict in Karabakh, thereby restoring Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. This led to a significant strengthening of Baku's position in the region and enhanced the country's representation on the international stage.
Donald Tusk (Poland)
The former President of the European Council unexpectedly returned to power in Poland after the recent parliamentary elections. Tusk is expected to steer Poland towards a more liberal political path and resolve the disagreements between Brussels and Warsaw that emerged during the rule of the ‘Law and Justice’ (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość) conservatives. The influential American media outlet Politico gave Tusk high praise, naming him as the most influential person in Europe.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Ukraine)
Received guarantees of continued financial and military support for Ukraine through 2024. He remains the leader of Ukrainians' electoral sympathies, although at the end of 2021, the current president of Ukraine was rapidly losing his rating.
Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel)
Netanyahu will undoubtedly go down in history as the statesman who dismantled the Hamas terrorist group, thus greatly diminishing security risks for Israel in the future. Meanwhile, Netanyahu has initiated a campaign to curtail Iran's military capabilities in Syria and Lebanon, whose expansion in recent years has posed a threat to Israel.
Sauli Niinistö (Finland)
In 2023, Finland completed the process of joining NATO. Generally, Finland's economic prosperity was shaped after World War II through mutually beneficial trade with both the West and the USSR. It has taken one of the firmest stances towards Russia – apart from joining NATO, it has declined to purchase Russian energy, closed its borders, and ramped up military production. Previously, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö had a constructive relationship with Putin, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine prompted the Finnish leadership to swiftly readjust its foreign policy.