1 July 2024 - It's raining elections

The place to go for conversations about the news

G’day, it’s Claire Kimball here. If you enjoy watching democracy in action as much as I do, it’s quite a time to be alive… 

But first, we should regroup on a poll of our own from last week when we asked you about nuclear energy and how you feel about it. Let’s just say there are some firm views… Just a smidge over half (52%) of you said ‘no no no’, 34% said ‘I’m for it’, and 14% said they haven’t decided yet. 

We can compare that result to this morning’s Newspoll, which has 42% in support, 45% against, and 13% undecided. Their survey goes quite a bit deeper than ours, although ours had a larger sample size (just sayin’...). More men than women support the Coalition’s push for nuclear power, and more older voters view it favourably than younger. 

I’ll leave it there with this thought - countries other than ours are struggling with decisions on nuclear power and their energy mix, as this article from The Atlantic on America’s push towards zero emissions in 2050 outlines. 

Now, to arm you for a week of election talk in a year when elections are happening everywhere. Fun fact: 2024 sees nations accounting for about 50% of the world’s population hold elections. And this week, electors from 3 of the biggest nations have voting on their minds - so to our Club Picks for this week: 

1. France has voted overnight in its snap National Assembly election. What’s happening in that nation’s politics is earthshaking, says former Independent foreign editor John Lichfield, not just for France but for the world. “France’s leadership position in the EU, its seat on the UN Security Council and its military reach as a global power make this almost as much of a ‘world election’ as Biden vs Trump in November,” he writes in this Politico piece. It’s a good explainer of why it’s worth your attention. 

2. Later this week, the UK will vote in its general election. Spoiler alert: the polls are tipping a change in government from the Conservatives to Labour. That makes it the right time to get to know the PM-in-waiting, Sir Keir Starmer, the former human rights lawyer who’s not known for his sparkling personality… This Financial Times profile piece gets you a bit more across his backkground. 

3. Marina Hyde from The Guardian is on my top 5 columnists list - she’s a killer writer who’s insightful and funny. Her take on the expected election of Starmer is a good look at where things could be heading. “Will the return to ‘boring’ politics make all Britain’s problems magically disappear? If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you…” 

4. Finally, the upcoming US election has dominated global news over the weekend after President Joe Biden’s poor debate showing on Friday. Yesterday, Pulitzer Prize winner David Remnick delivered his case as editor of the New Yorker for Biden to pull out as the Democratic candidate in November’s election. After watching the debate, he says that “on the most basic human level, you could only feel pity for the man and, more, fear for the country.” 

They are 4 good reads so fill your boots. 

Your friend in elections and news
Claire Kimball

Wrapping up the news…

Kate and I release the Weekly Wrap on our News Club podcast feed each Saturday. As the name suggests, it’s a look at the week in news and what’s coming up. Big thanks to the Squizer who left this review below…

Listen here or on your fave podcast app (Apple and Spotify).

Got questions?

Hit reply with everything you’re dying to know. You can also DM us on Insta @thesquiz - we’re all ears.

Podcasts of ours you may like…