The year the world changed forever

2022 – the year the world changed forever 

Wolfgang Hansson 

Published: Today 14.28  

This is a commenting text. Analysis and positions are the writer's. 

COLUMNISTS 

2022 was one of the darkest years in a very long time on the foreign front.  

A new war in the middle of Europe dampened the joy that the pandemic was more or less over.  

A war that turned the lives of millions of Ukrainians upside down but also ended many years of growing economy and increased living standards.  

The flashes of light are few.  

Here are ten of the year's most important events.  

Russia's invasion of Ukraine  

The world changed forever on February 24 when Russia invaded Ukraine. From seemingly nowhere, Europe is at war. An insane war adventure started by fatal misjudgments from President Putin. 

The fighting has so far been limited to Ukraine, but the entire liberal world order is at stake if Vladimir Putin  succeeds in his aggression.

Russian forces near Ukrainian Mariupol on April 18. Photo: Alexei Alexandrov/AP  

So far, it looks promising. Against all odds, Ukraine has managed to keep the Russian war machine at bay. Much thanks to a superior combat motivation and a constant stream of modern weapons from the West.  

But the outcome is still uncertain. It all depends on how long the West is prepared to support Ukraine. The war is having an increasing effect on our own societies.  

The price has so far been very high for Ukraine. At least 10,000 soldiers have died and almost as many civilians have been killed by Russian soldiers and bombs. 14 million are on the run.  

Now a very tough winter awaits the population. Russia's tactic is to knock out Ukraine's electricity, heat and water supplies.  

Donald Trump, 76, is re-entering the election campaign. Photo: Andrew Harnik / AP TT NEWS AGENCY 

Trump takes aim at the White House – again  

Although the mid-term elections were a disappointment for many of the candidates supported by Donald Trump, the ex-president announced that he is running for president in 2024.  

One reason is that he wants to scare away any competitors who have plans to challenge him. Another is that there are a number of ongoing legal investigations against Trump that could end in prosecution. The real estate billionaire hopes his candidacy will protect him from prosecution. If nothing else, he can more easily claim that a possible prosecution is politically motivated.  

Donald Trump still has a firm grip on the Republican Party but it is slowly loosening. More and more important voices within the party, even among his supporters, are now daring to direct some criticism at the ex-president.  

Trump is still alone in the field for 2024 but it is looking increasingly likely that he will be challenged. His own Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are two names frequently mentioned

Protests outside the US Supreme Court on June 25. Photo: Gemunu Amarasinghe / AP 

Back to the Stone Age - the right to abortion 

In a ruling in the middle of the summer, the US Supreme Court decided to abolish the right to abortion that American women have had since 1973. In a way, they were thrown back decades in time.  

A decision that led to widespread protests from both Democratic and Republican voters and likely contributed to the Republicans making a worse choice for Congress than the polls predicted.  

At the same time, many Republican states took the opportunity to introduce strict abortion laws that in practice make it impossible or very difficult for a woman to have an abortion. Many are now forced to make expensive trips to liberal states where they can have the procedure. 

HD's decision was a consequence of the fact that after Trump's four years in power, the court has a solid conservative majority of 6-3. Many now fear that the court will make restrictions on citizens' rights in other areas as well, for example the right to enter into same-sex marriages.  

Matteo Salvini, Silvio Berlusconi and Giorgia Meloni. Photo: Alessandra Tarantino/AP

The return of fascism 

It felt like an era that would never return. But the election in Italy brought Giorgia Meloni and her Italian brothers rooted in neo-fascism to power.  

She says the party has long since come to terms with its fascist legacy, yet she refuses to remove the fascist symbol, a burning torch, from the party emblem.  

Meloni has gone from being an insignificant supporting figure in the 2018 election to by far the largest party in 2022. She is not only Italy's first female prime minister. She also represents the most extreme right-wing government Western Europe has had since World War II. At her side, she has former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his Forza Italia and the far-right Legas Matteo Salvini.  

So far, Meloni has not tried to shake the EU's unity on aid for Ukraine, but she has caused controversy directly by refusing a ship full of refugees to call at an Italian port. In the end, France accepted the refugees but sharply criticized Italy for violating international law. More in the same spirit will follow.  

Flooding in the Baluchistan province of Pakistan on August 30. Photo: Zahid Hussain / AP 

Flooding Pakistan – should the rich countries pay? 

During the summer, Pakistan was hit by severe flooding after extreme monsoon rains. At its worst, a third of the country was under water. 33 million people were affected. Many had their houses and possessions washed away.  

The scientists agree that the extensive rains are the result of climate change that has been caused by human carbon dioxide emissions. But poor Pakistan emits far, far less per capita than people in the West. Nevertheless, it is the poor, such as in Pakistan, who have to pay the price for climate change.  

During the COP27 environmental summit in Egypt, a decision was made to set up a fund where poor countries are to be compensated for the damage caused by rich countries' emissions. A milestone but there are still no concrete details about how much money will be paid in and by whom.  

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP  

The British chaos – three prime ministers in six weeks  

The aftermath of Brexit, the British exit from the EU, continues to shake Britain.  

Boris Johnson was forced to resign as Prime Minister during the summer after several heavy-hitting ministers withdrew their support. They were tired of the ever-recurring scandals under Johnson's leadership.  

Liz Truss was chosen as his successor but became the shortest-serving prime minister in the country's history after introducing sweeping tax cuts and big spending increases at the same time. The market gave the thumbs down. The British became poorer as interest rates and inflation ran rampant. Things calmed down a bit when former finance minister Rishi Sunak took over.  

Basically, the dissatisfaction with the Conservative government is due to voters feeling cheated. The Brexit campaigners promised gold and green forests. Instead, most things have gotten worse. The question is whether Sunak survives until the next regular election in 2024. If there were new elections today, the opposition Labor Party would win a big victory. 

Since September, Iran has been rocked by widespread protests after 22-year-old Masha Amini died in police custody. Photo: AP 

Iran's new revolution  

 

In 1979, the US-backed Shah of Iran was overthrown and replaced by an Islamist clerical dictatorship. Now many hope that the saga of the ayatollahs after 43 years will soon be over. Since September, the country has been rocked by widespread protests after 22-year-old Masha Amini died in police custody after being arrested and beaten for not wearing her veil properly.  

 

The special police have tried to stop the protests by firing sharp shots, beating women who remove their veils and arresting those who participate in the protests.  

 

But instead of being stifled by fear, the protests have grown and become a threat to the regime. But regardless of the courage, it is almost impossible for the opposition to overthrow the regime as long as the police or the army do not switch sides.  

 

 

Europe is facing perhaps its greatest challenge since World War II. Photo: Magnus Hjalmarson Neideman / SvD / TT  

 

The energy crisis As Europe tries to get rid of its energy dependence on Russia, energy prices have risen sharply. Especially on gas. Which in turn led to sharply increased electricity prices within the EU.  

 

The idea was that the harsh sanctions imposed by the West on Russia would force Putin to call off the war against Ukraine. Instead, Russia's president aimed the energy weapon at a vulnerable Europe where many countries over the years have become dependent on cheap Russian gas. 

 

Now Europe has instead been forced to find other suppliers, but at significantly higher prices.  

 

There is a great fear that people will not be able to afford to heat their homes this winter and that energy-intensive companies will be forced to shut down with large unemployment as a result. 

 

Europe is facing perhaps its greatest challenge since World War II. 

 

 

China has softened its covid strategy after the protest storm. Photo: Andy Wong/AP  

 

China's failed covid strategy  

 

While the rest of the world has opened up after the pandemic, China has continued to apply zero tolerance to the virus. The consequence has been that the country's population of 1.4 billion people has been forced to live with constant tests, an extensive control apparatus and forced home quarantine that can sometimes last for several months.  

 

In November, it broke for the Chinese. Protests appeared everywhere calling for both President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party to step down, the biggest challenge to the party's position of power since the Tiananmen Square democracy protests. To everyone's surprise, it seems that the party listened to the criticism. A number of restrictions have been removed, but as a result the spread of infection has ramped up. 

 

China's problem is that they have not vaccinated all the elderly and that the Chinese vaccines do not provide the same protection as those developed in the West. If the restrictions are relaxed too much, many people risk dying and the healthcare system will be overburdened. 

 

 

The increased tensions between China and Taiwan could develop into the next major international crisis. Photo: Lin Jian/AP

   

Taiwan – the next international crisis  

 

China threatens to attack Taiwan in the same way Russia invaded Ukraine. China sees the democratically governed island as part of mainland China. There are also fears that a democratic showcase in Taiwan threatens Communist Party rule in China.  

 

US President Joe Biden has said several times in the past year that the US would come to Taiwan's rescue if the island was attacked. The United States would thus risk ending up in a direct military confrontation with its major challenger on the world stage, China. 

 

China is in the process of rapidly rearming both its conventional forces and its nuclear weapons. So this is undoubtedly a conflict that threatens world peace in the long run.