Ballot to Talk About

Sam and Chern look back at results from Finland’s parliamentary election earlier this month. As the tenure of Finland’s youngest Prime Minister comes to an end with Sanna Marin preparing to leave office, how did the National Coalition win the election? Why were Marin’s coalition partners unable to perform well enough to keep them in Office? And as Petteri Orpo begins coalition talks, how likely is a right-wing Government formally including the populist Finns to form? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

This week’s episode looks back on results from two state elections: Prince Edward Island, Canada and New South Wales, Australia. In Prince Edward Island, Dennis King’s Progressive Conservatives put in a dominant performance to retain Office. How did they win such a decisive victory? And despite reclaiming Official Opposition status, how can the Liberals regroup and become competitive again?

In New South Wales, there was a change in Government, ensuring that Labor is governing all mainland states in Australia simultaneously for only the second

This week’s episode looks at the election of Humza Yousaf as the new leader of the Scottish National Party and the legacy of Nicola Sturgeon. Sam and Chern unpack the results, and discuss what may be next for the SNP as they begin a period without Salmond or Sturgeon at the helm for the first time in 20 years. How did Humza Yousaf win the election? And how did he fend off close rival Kate Forbes? What will be the legacy of Nicola Sturgeon as she leaves frontline Scottish politics? And what is next for the SNP as their poll ratings suffer a short-term slump? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

This week’s episode looks ahead to next week’s New South Wales State Election which sees the incumbent Coalition Government looking to win a fourth term in office. As Dominic Perrottet and Chris Minns enter their first campaigns as leaders of the Liberal and Labor parties, Sam and Chern unpack the campaign so far and look at where in the state this race will be won or lost. What have been the main themes of this campaign? Who are Dominic Perrottet and Chris Minns? With both parties needing to gain seats to form a majority, what does the route to a fourth Coalition term look like? And why is this race so close? All these questions and more answered in this episode.

This week’s episode looks at results from Nigeria’s Presidential Election and last weekend’s parliamentary election in Estonia. Bola Tinubu came out victorious in Nigeria, extending the APC’s rule, but the campaign was dominated by a three-candidate contest and the surge of support for Labour Party candidate Peter Obi. What motivated Bola Tinubu’s victory? What was the driver of Peter Obi’s unlikely candidacy? What role does religion and ethnicity play in Nigerian elections? And amidst the challenges to the results, what is next for Africa’s largest democracy?

As incumbent Prime Minister Kaja Kallas reflects on the big victory for her Reform Party, Sam and Chern also unpack the results from Estonia. What were some of the reasons behind Kallas’s commanding performance? What role did Ukraine policy play in this election? Why did the Conservatives marginally underperform the polls and the Centre Party fall behind? And what will the eventual government look like? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week’s episode looks at results from two sets of state elections – the German capital of Berlin and the three Northeastern Indian states of Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland. Berlin was conducting a court-enforced repeat of its 2021 state election, and the CDU topped the polls for the first time since 1999. How did the CDU manage to make such significant gains? Did the fact it was a rerun impact the headline results? What will the eventual Government look like? And after another disappointing night for the FDP, will they begin to rethink participation in the federal government?

In the three Indian states, it was another good month for the BJP and its allies ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Amidst big wins for regionalist parties, who is the role of national parties in this region of India? And what role do the different demographics play? Has the first round of elections in 2023 continued 2022 national trends? And what can the Congress Party do to turn around their fortunes? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week’s episode looks at Rishi Sunak’s minor Cabinet reshuffle, and also at President Joe Biden’s third State of the Union Address. Rishi Sunak has found a replacement to Nadhim Zahawi, but also took the opportunity to restructure the machinery of Government and shake-up his Cabinet. Was this reshuffle surprisingly broad? What will these departmental reconfigurations mean for policy delivery? And what does it say about Sunak’s priorities as the long road to the 2024 General Election begins?

In the US, Joe Biden addressed the newly divided Congress to outline his legislative plans and administrative achievements. What were the key takeaways from this political set piece? Was this Joe Biden doing a soft launch of his re-election campaign? And what is the role of State of the Union Addresses more generally? Do they play an important role? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week’s episode looks back at results from the Czech Presidential election, and also unpacks Chris Hipkins’ first Cabinet as New Zealand Prime Minister. In Czechia, Petr Pavel decisively defeated former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, but after the second defeat in a row, is this now game over for the ANO 2011 leader? How did Pavel pull off a decisive victory in the second round? And what will be the geopolitical impact of his win?

In New Zealand, Chris Hipkins has reshuffled the Government in one of his first acts as Prime Minister, so Sam and Chern unpack the appointments and look ahead this year’s General Election. Why was Chris Hipkins elected unopposed as Labor leader? Who are some of the winners and losers in the reshuffle? How is Christopher Luxon preparing to face Hipkins moving into the election? And what does each party need to do to win? All these questions, and more, answered in this week's podcast.

This week’s episode looks ahead to the year 2023 in UK politics, assessing the state of the main parties and the elections they will be facing in 2023. Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party has begun the year battling a handful of personnel scandals, so can the party turn it around? Is there a narrow path to 2024 victory for the incumbent Government? And as Labour continues is commanding lead in the opinion polls, Sam and Chern discuss what lies ahead now that they are the heir-apparent. Will Starmer reshuffle the frontbench to begin their long election campaign? And what are the top prizes in the local elections? Plus, will another Northern Ireland Assembly election lead to a restoration of power-sharing in the 25thAnniversary year of the Good Friday Agreement? All these questions and more answered in this week’s episode.