2020 events

2020 is an eventful year ... "The Economist" chooses Malawi as the best country of the year to "revive democracy"

• Taiwan has kept the virus away without resorting to closing schools, stores and restaurants.

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The year 2020 celebrated events that changed the world forever and became history, starting with the first spread of the deadly Corona virus in Wuhan, China, through the protests in Belarus, and ending with the defeat of the US President, Donald Trump, and the cyber attack on the United States, all of these stations She was a milestone in this year, and in what follows we monitor the most important facts of those events, as we look to a new year:

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Over the years, most countries are improving in different ways, however, premature deaths and economic downturns have become the new normal in 2020, and most countries have looked to averting only the worst of it.

This year's short list included, in this regard, some countries that were more able than others to avoid much retreat, but Malawi was the most prominent of those countries that succeeded in another field, which is to establish the foundations of democracy, and life became better thanks to progress in this area.

New Zealand

Few people would argue that life in New Zealand was better in 2020 than it was in 2019, as the Corona virus was contained, and only 100 cases were detected, and then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern closed the country and urged her up to 10 citizens. To five million being nice to each other.

Only 25 New Zealanders died during the pandemic, and life is almost back to normal.

The rugby stadiums ended the season full of fans.

Ardern, the "beloved," was reelected with a majority in a country where such things were hardly heard.

Taiwan

Taiwan performed better, with only seven deaths, and a much stronger economic performance.

Let us leave aside whether Taiwan is a country or just a competitor "a de facto autonomous region."

It kept the virus away without shutting down schools, stores and restaurants, let alone imposing closures.

Its economy is one of the few that is expected to grow in 2020.

United State

The United States did almost poorly, like Britain, Italy and Spain, in its response to "Covid-19", but it succeeded in a process that was essential in producing a vaccine in record time.

By rejecting President Donald Trump in November, the American people played a role in curbing the spread of populism, another global disaster.

Trump's efforts to turn the will of these voters were unprecedented for a president in office, but the judges he appointed were loyal to the law, not to the man who chose them.

Bolivia

Bolivia’s voters, too, have regained a measure of normality, after rigged elections, the ouster of the socialist president, violent protests, and the incompetent retaliation of an interim president. This Andean country held a peaceful vote in October and chose the technocrat, Louis Ars.

Malawi wins award of the year

But this year's prize went to a country in South Africa, as democracy and respect for human rights declined in 80 countries between the start of the epidemic and the month of September, according to the Freedom House think-tank, but the only place that improved was Malawi.

Malawi was named the best country of the year to "revive democracy in an authoritarian region".

To appreciate what this country did, the newspaper had to take into account what was the case before in the country.

In 2012, the country's president, Bingo wa Mutharika, passed away. His death was covered up, and his body was flown to South Africa to "receive medical treatment", to buy time, so that his brother could take over.

That brother, Peter Mutharika, failed to seize power at the time, but he was elected two years later and running again.

The vote count was rigged with the correction fluid on the counting sheets.

In any case, foreign observers agreed on the legality of the elections.

Malawians staged mass protests against the elections.

Malawi judges rejected bags of bribery and canceled those elections.

A fair re-election was organized in June that resulted in the expulsion of Mutharika and the confirmation of the people's choice, Lazarus Chakwira.

Malawi is still poor, but its people are citizens, not subjects.

Thanks to its democratic revival in an authoritarian region, it became The Economist's choice.

Few would argue that life in New Zealand was better in 2020 than it was in 2019.

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