ELECTIONS ELSEWHERE AFFECTING US
As expected, we’re focused on Brazil’s general elections in October. In fact, the whole world is watching to see what will happen in those elections. But this year there have been more than 40 elections worldwide, including those in Colombia, Hungary, and Peru, and by the end of the year we’ll have elections in Israel, the United States, Sweden, and Morocco. The latter two are important because of our military aircraft alliance with Sweden and, in the case of Morocco, because it’s a major supplier of phosphate. The Swedes are pragmatic, and any government will continue the military relationship. And in Morocco, King Mohamed VI is in charge, so the election is mostly for show. Then there’s Haiti, which is always in crisis, and Nicaragua, which has declared it will hold no more elections—a former ally of Brazil.
The election in Israel at the end of October will be hotly contested. Current Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has lost Trump’s support, is doing everything he can to stay in power after twelve years. The world’s perception of how he governs Israel, his concepts of democracy in the country, and his treatment of the Palestinians are all too well known. Far-right radicals are attacking Palestinian villages, creating a climate of terror—condemned by the U.S.—and claiming there is no prospect for peace as long as Palestinians remain there. The occupation of Gaza remains unresolved, and the invasion of southern Lebanon is only intensifying.
On the other side is the former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, General Eisenkot, who advocates for more moderate policies and, ultimately, a reduction in the armed conflicts that are draining the country’s resources. According to election forecasts, neither candidate will secure a majority in the Knesset, but both will need the ability to form a coalition. A key issue in these elections will be Israel’s new role and its relationship with Middle Eastern countries and Iran. The country’s security is the top priority for all candidates, but how to achieve it is the question. Furthermore, the October 7 massacre remains fresh in everyone’s memory—why it happened and how it was handled afterward.
The U.S. midterm elections, which will renew the 435-member House of Representatives and 30 Senate seats, will serve as a referendum on the Trump administration, whose approval rating currently stands at 35%. In addition to the never-ending conflict with Iran, Americans have seen a 24.6% increase in the cost of gasoline, a 39% rise in heating oil prices (the elections are in November, already in winter), and a more than 5% increase in food prices over the past year. The current forecast is that the Democrats, the opposition, will win the House of Representatives, while Trump’s Republicans will win the Senate. If that happens, Trump will face certain limitations on his ability to govern, but not to the point of changing the essence of his governance model.
The results of these two elections directly affect us from political, financial, and economic perspectives—far more so than the selection of the new United Nations Secretary-General.
STEFAN SALEJ
(Stefan Bogdan Barenboim Šalej)
August 21, 2026
Published in:
Diário do Comércio — Around the World
✉️ COMMENTS / UNSUBSCRIBE
If you would like to comment or unsubscribe, reply without a comment or write to: SBSALEJ@iCLOUD.COM
www.salejcomment.blogspot.com
