Buzz
Most of us like to think we’re quite knowledgeable. We follow current events, read detailed reports, and even decode strange acronyms like OECD, ICC, and IMF.
However, even the most attentive among us can overlook the fact that the information we consume is often filtered. Our newspapers, magazines, and news websites thrive on creating a compelling narrative, and that means depicting world leaders as characters in the ongoing drama called 'making the news easy to understand.' If you browse any trusted outlet, you’ll likely still encounter articles spreading misleading ideas such as this one:
10. Angela Merkel Is A Champion of Liberalism
You’ve likely heard of Angela Merkel. Chancellor of Germany since 2005, Merkel stands as the EU’s most influential politician and a symbol for liberals. Publications such as the Guardian and Washington Post have called her the “leader of the free world.” Meanwhile, right-wing outlets like Breitbart have mockingly labeled her the “liberal hero.”
This view is supported by the two key policies most English-speaking people associate with her: backing the EU and opening Germany’s borders to Syrian refugees. However, as our German readers will attest, this is far from the complete Merkel narrative. The world’s most powerful woman is actually much more aligned with conservatives like Britain’s Theresa May than with any Democrat.
Merkel leads a staunchly Christian party, which significantly influences her policies. At various points, she has supported a burka ban, opposed the legalization of gay marriage, and (ironically) penned a manifesto warning that mass immigration could “threaten [Germany’s] inner peace.” She is perhaps even more conservative on economic policy. And after nearly losing an election by attempting to appeal to left-wing voters, she’s likely to shift even further to the right.
9. Justin Trudeau Is The Ideal Progressive
As the leader of America’s cooler, more reserved northern neighbor, Justin Trudeau has become the global face of progressive men. He’s photogenic, an outspoken feminist, and has publicly declared Canada welcoming to the world’s refugees. Never mind the awkward backpedaling on the refugee issue, he’s still regarded as one of the most “woke” figures out there, right?
It’s true that Trudeau isn’t anything like President Trump. But it’s also clear he’s not as progressive as the endless glowing articles would have you believe. Despite his grand speeches on gender and equality, the prime minister has done very little to advance his own progressive agenda.
Earlier this year, Oxfam published a scorecard assessing Canada’s gender progress under Trudeau. The verdict? Nothing had changed. The government had done virtually nothing to create substantial change, while worsening challenges for First Nations women. The only real improvement was in leadership, as Trudeau appointed more women to senior positions than his predecessor.
Yet, despite this, Trudeau remains abroad as a strange mix of handsome Jesus and progressive superhero. Perhaps other world leaders should reach out to his PR team for tips.
8. Saudi Arabia’s Leaders Are Women-Hating Islamists
If you ask most people to name one thing about Saudi Arabia, they’ll likely respond with, “Women can’t drive there.” The theocratic Islamic petro-kingdom is often viewed as so rigidly conservative that basic rights seem to be non-existent. Everyone knows about the religious police, the dress code laws, and the general limitations placed on Saudi women.
What they may not realize is that their understanding is outdated. After King Salman appointed his son, Mohammed bin Salman, as crown prince in June 2017, the Kingdom suddenly began to reverse many of its most extreme policies.
Under Mohammed bin Salman’s leadership, women have been granted the right to drive, attend music concerts (which in itself is a major development), and enter sports stadiums. The religious police have lost much of their authority. Islamist clerics have been imprisoned. While this may be a political move to solidify the crown prince’s support, it has at least resulted in Saudi Arabia slowly becoming a less oppressive place.
7. Vladimir Putin Is A Strategic Mastermind
The barrel-chested, often shirtless figure of Vladimir Putin has carved out a unique space in Western perceptions. He’s seen as the ultimate villain, a Machiavellian mastermind orchestrating events from behind the scenes. Whether viewed as a wicked genius or simply a genius, there’s no denying his sharp intellect.
This image starts to break down when you examine Putin’s recent actions. Rather than the brilliant strategist he’s made out to be, he appears more like a reckless player, stumbling through his decisions like a drunken dog.
Putin’s latest geopolitical maneuvers have been far from successful. The annexation of Crimea led to harsh international sanctions against Russia, not to mention a dire water crisis in Crimea itself. His intervention in Syria kept Assad in power but sparked terrorist attacks against Russia and even saw the assassination of a Russian diplomat. Meanwhile, his meddling in the U.S. election helped install a president who surrounds himself with anti-Russia officials.
As a result of his actions, Russia, under Putin, is now increasingly isolated on the global stage. Following the invasion of Ukraine, the dream of a unified Eurasian Union has all but vanished. Putin may not be a complete failure, but he certainly isn’t the geopolitical mastermind many have imagined him to be, not the Hannibal Lecter figure of popular culture.
6. Aung San Suu Kyi: A Hypocritical Islamophobe
Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar, once hailed as the female Nelson Mandela, has since faced scrutiny for actions that some perceive as a betrayal. After years of advocating for democracy and standing against oppression, she stunned the global community by refusing to speak out against the Burmese army’s ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslims. With nearly 800,000 Rohingya now displaced, her reputation has swiftly gone from that of a ‘saint’ to a ‘villain.’
But here’s the catch: Aung San Suu Kyi was never the saint many believed her to be, nor is she the monster she’s often portrayed as. The reality is far more complex.
Contrary to what some might think, Burma has not yet fully embraced democracy. The military still holds significant power, controlling the border, the interior ministry, and defense. If the nation’s transition falters, the military could easily revert to dictatorship. Throughout her life, Aung San Suu Kyi has aspired to lead Burma to true democracy. By confronting the military now, she risks jeopardizing that very process.
Some argue that people’s disappointment with Aung San Suu Kyi stems from their having elevated her to saintly status, rather than acknowledging her as a politician. But she cares as much about public opinion as, say, Paul Ryan. And she should. While the violence against the Rohingya is appalling, Aung San Suu Kyi is no miracle worker. She’s a politician navigating an incredibly difficult situation, and her actions sadly reflect that reality.
5. The Queen of Britain Has No Real Power Left
Elizabeth II is the most iconic queen on Earth, not to mention one who never had Freddie Mercury by her side (unless there’s some scandalous palace secret we’ve missed). Countless articles list the strange powers she supposedly still holds over Britain and the Commonwealth. Even well-informed non-Brits might assume she retains the ability to exercise significant royal authority.
Let’s clear things up here. On paper, the queen still has a range of powers. In practice? She probably has less influence over the UK than the person who brings Theresa May her tea.
In British law, many of the queen’s powers have been transferred to Parliament and the judiciary. While these powers may technically reside with her, attempting to use them would likely lead to a constitutional crisis, possibly followed by the swift dismantling of the monarchy itself. The last monarch to refuse to sign a bill into law was King George IV in 1829, and he was promptly forced into a humiliating public retreat.
Interestingly, the queen holds one true power over her subjects: immunity from prosecution. This means that if she wants to steal a crate of beer and start a fight at a soccer match, there’s nothing the police could do to stop her.
4. The New Czech Leader Is Being Labeled the New Donald Trump
Since November 2016, there has been a growing media trend to dub new populist politicians as 'the next Donald Trump.' The latest to receive this label is Andrej Babis, the newly elected leader of the Czech Republic. While such comparisons make foreign news more digestible, they also grossly misrepresent the situation. Babis is less ‘the next Trump’ and more ‘a leader who would agree with Trump on immigration and Islam but disagree on almost everything else.’
Like Trump, Babis is an outsider billionaire populist. Unlike Trump, however, he has significant governmental experience (as finance minister), is supportive of the European Union (though not the Euro), and lacks the intense nationalism that was central to Trump’s rise. (For example, he advocates a strong relationship with Germany.) His ANO party, which translates to 'yes' in Czech, is part of the centrist coalition in the European Parliament. When The Washington Post suggested he shared Trump’s admiration for Putin, Babis responded directly, reaffirming his commitment to NATO.
Babis is even more dubious than Trump. While the U.S. president faces investigation over alleged Russian collusion, Babis is already known for embezzling millions from a small business fund.
3. Kim Jong Un Maintains an Unyielding Hold on Power
In November 2017, the unshakable grip of Zimbabwe’s dictator Robert Mugabe loosened and ultimately collapsed in just two dramatic weeks. The sudden fall of this long-standing authoritarian leader should have been a wake-up call for dictators everywhere. Perhaps no one was watching more closely than North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
Though often seen as somewhat comical in the West, Kim Jong Un is a merciless figure. The brutal nature of his purges has led many to believe he’s too strong-willed to ever be overthrown. However, Mugabe’s sudden downfall proves that no reign is eternal. There are already signs that Kim’s hold on power might be much more fragile than most people realize.
Thae Yong Ho is one of the most senior North Korean defectors in history, having fled the regime in 2016. In January 2017, he delivered a fascinating speech in which he predicted that Kim’s days in power were numbered. Thae explained that criticism of the regime has been growing as technology allows North Koreans to glimpse life beyond their isolated nation. Meanwhile, Kim’s brutal purges have been eroding his support among the elite.
Far from being unassailable, Kim might actually be hanging on by a thread. Here’s hoping a North Korean spring will finally force this pudgy dictator out of office.
2. Colombia’s Nobel Peace Prize–Winning President is Truly a Man of Peace
Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia, is the man who brought an end to a brutal 52-year civil war. After more than five decades of fierce fighting against left-wing insurgents, FARC, Santos brokered a peace agreement that led one of the world’s largest terrorist organizations to voluntarily disarm. He has since negotiated a ceasefire with the smaller rebel group, ELN. For these monumental achievements, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
By now, you might think of Santos as the ultimate peace advocate in the Americas. While that’s partly true, it’s also somewhat misleading. Despite his recent focus on peace, Santos started his career in a much darker place, with allegations that he could have been a war criminal.
From 2006 to 2009, Santos was Colombia’s defense minister under President Alvaro Uribe, during a time when the war with FARC was at its bloodiest. It was also the time when Colombian soldiers began abducting and murdering innocent civilians, dressing them as guerillas to inflate their kill count. Over 2,000 lives were lost in this manner while Santos was in charge. Human rights groups claim that this knowledge reached the highest levels of government.
It’s worth noting that Santos denies any involvement in these events. However, it’s also important to point out that the ICC is looking to charge his former boss, Uribe, for these killings. If Uribe was aware of them, it’s hard to believe Santos wasn’t.
1. South America’s Leaders Are Predominantly US-Hating Leftists
South America, the birthplace of Che Guevara, has long been seen as a haven for left-wing ideologies. Among the 26 countries where gay marriage is legalized, four are in South America—the largest grouping outside Europe. In the early 2000s, a 'pink tide' swept through the continent, resulting in eight leftist governments. Anti-US rhetoric became routine, and the region was largely perceived as anti-US and anti-capitalist.
However, this image is increasingly outdated. More than a decade after the pink tide, South America has shifted from a stronghold of leftist rebellion to a place dominated by center-right technocrats.
Argentina and Brazil are both led by center-right governments, while Chile’s center-right leader Sebastian Piñera is poised to win the December election. Colombia and Paraguay are governed by right-wing leaders, Peru is under a centrist, and in 2017, Ecuador came close to electing its first center-right president in years. Among the few remaining leftist governments, only Uruguay is thriving. Venezuela is on the brink of collapse, and Bolivia’s president is pushing to remove term limits in a bid to become the next Maduro. While the leftist dream isn’t entirely dead in South America, it’s definitely on life support.
