National
Three countries are experiencing internal turmoil, two of which are first-world countries whose senses of stability have been significantly altered.
In South Korea, President Yoon Suk Yeol has perpetrated a political crisis. Yoon was elected in 2022 as a member of the right-wing People Power Party (PPP) in the closest election in the country’s history. He has maintained friendly relations with Japan, yet has been hawkish towards North Korea, a difference compared to the foreign policies of former South Korean presidents.
However, Yoon’s administration has received regularly low approval ratings, culminating in the 2024 South Korean medical crisis, wherein new policies would significantly increase medical student admission quotas. The crisis has led to the resignations of residents and interns en masse.
In the April 2024 parliamentary elections, the PPP was defeated by the Democratic Party and its alliance, which is viewed to have weakened Yoon’s political power.
In a shocking and unprecedented move, Yoon declared martial law on December 3, the first time such a declaration had been made since the military dictatorship of Chun Doo-hwan in 1980. He justified his decision by claiming that members of the National Assembly were pro-North Korea.
In a unanimous vote, the National Assembly passed an emergency motion nullifying the declaration just hours after Yoon’s announcement.
An impeachment motion was introduced against him, but it fell short of the required 200 votes to pass.
Yoon is now being investigated for possible insurrection charges. South Korean presidents cannot be prosecuted while in office, but the country’s Constitution does allow for prosecution in cases of insurrection and treason.
The Justice Ministry placed a travel ban on Yoon earlier this week, and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun attempted suicide, but is currently in stable condition. Kim is accused of having led the martial law implementation in his Defense position. He has since resigned.
Meanwhile, in France, President Emmanuel Macron (pictured above) is dealing with a power crisis of his own.
Prime Minister Michael Barnier was forced into resignation after a historic no-confidence vote in the National Assembly ousted him, the first such occurrence since 1962. His three-month tenure is also the shortest in modern French history.
The motion required 288 votes and it received 331 votes across a broad political spectrum that indicates internal turmoil in France is not slowing after several years of divisive issues, mass protests, and a contentious political arena.
Macron has pledged to appoint a new prime minister and has vowed that that appointee will remain in office until Macron’s term ends in 2027. Macron is reportedly in talks with the conservative alliance in the Assembly, but the party lacks a parliamentary majority.
However, Macron has criticized those in favor of the motion, saying that they chose “disorder.”
The Prime Minister of France oversees day-to-day domestic affairs, but the president holds much more influence and authority, especially on the international stage.
Finally, the Middle East – and the world – have witnessed the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
Bashar al-Assad served as President of Syria from 2000 until he was overthrown on December 8. He had succeeded his father as president, who had served as the country’s dictator from 1971 until his death in June 2000.
Syria was thrust to the center of the geopolitical world stage in 2011, when the U.S., the European Union, and the majority of the Arab League called for Assad’s resignation after his government’s crackdown on Arab Spring protestors, an anti-government movement whose quashing led to the Syrian Civil War.
The war has claimed almost 600,000 lives, with 306,000 deaths deemed as non-combatant, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights. The Network also finds that pro-Assad forces were responsible for more than 90% of civilian deaths.
Assad (pictured above) became particularly notorious for launching chemical weapons attacks in August 2013, spawning the international migrant crisis that became a large political issue in the U.S. during the 2016 election, and kicking off the United Nations inquiry that Assad would be the subject of international investigations.
However, in November 2024, Syrian rebels, backed by ally Turkey, began an incursion with the specific intention of ousting Assad. The morning of December 8 saw rebels enter the capital city of Damascus. Assad subsequently fled to Moscow and was granted political asylum by Russia. After his self-exile, Damascus was captured by the rebels and his regime finally fell. On the same day, Israel launched an invasion of Syria hoping to seize the U.N. buffer zone in the Golan Heights, a region of southwestern Syria that borders Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon.
State
Governor Kathy Hochul (D) (pictured below) recently took a shopping trip to an Albany supermarket to see for herself just how staggering the prices of groceries have become.
“A whole $7. Everyone’s talking about the price of eggs,” said Hochul, reportedly surprised at the price of a carton of eighteen eggs.
Hochul was joined by Sally McKenna, of Green Island, who accompanied Hochul throughout Market 32 on Central Avenue in downtown Albany.
The public appearance comes off the heels of Hochul’s announcement of her pitch to send a $300 check to single tax filers earning less than $150,000 annually. Households earning less than $300,000 would receive a $500 check.
“I guess an election influences elected officials and the governor is one of those and she’s finally waking up to the problem here in New York of affordability,” said Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Pulaski). “First thing we need to do is slow the growth of spending, not increase it by the rate we’ve been increasing it.”
Although Hochul said she has experienced the pain at the grocery store, she admitted that the last time she bought a cart full of groceries was about two months ago while at home in Buffalo.
Moreover, the Siena College Poll for December is out and it shows Hochul in a difficult position ahead of the 2026 election.
Her favorability rating improved slightly from October, but she still sits underwater – 39%-49%. Meanwhile, her job approval rating also increased slightly, up to 46%-49% – still a negative approval rating.
However, and perhaps more damning, is that 57% of voters would elect someone else as governor; only 33% said they would vote to re-elect Hochul. Only 48% of Democrats would re-elect Hochul; 40% of Democrats prefer another candidate. Additionally, 65% of Independents think similarly.
Interestingly, there is broad support across the political spectrum for New York to assist in President-elect Donald Trump’s (R-FL) plans to deport illegal immigrants. Republicans support the plan 87%-8%, while Independents support it 54%-30%. On the other hand, Democrats, in a 51%-38% split, oppose any efforts the State might take to assist the Trump Administration.
President Joe Biden’s (D-DE) approval and favorability ratings still remain underwater in what will likely be the last Siena College poll in which he is a subject of study. He sits at 44%-52% in favorability and 47%-52% in job approval.
The poll was conducted from December 2 to 5 among 834 registered New York State voters with a margin of error of +/- 4.1%.
Local
Monday morning was an “unofficial” campaign kick-off for the 2025 local elections, with Suffolk County Legislator and Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst) (pictured above) endorsing a candidate to be his successor in the Fourteenth District. McCaffrey flipped the district red in 2013 and solidified the margins to win the maximum allowable six (6) two-year terms.
McCaffrey endorsed R.J. Renna (R-Lindenhurst) (pictured below), the Deputy Mayor of Lindenhurst since 2023. The announcement was made outside Lindenhurst Village Hall. Renna also enjoyed the endorsement of County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches), who, if Renna is elected in 2025, would serve alongside Romaine for the latter two years of his term.
“R.J. Renna has proven himself as a dedicated public servant and an advocate for the people of the Fourteenth District,” said McCaffrey. “He’s a family man, a supporter of small businesses, and a champion for law enforcement. R.J. is the right person to carry on the work we’ve done to make Suffolk County a safe and affordable place to live.”
“I am incredibly humbled by the trust and confidence shown in me today,” said Renna. “Kevin McCaffrey set a high standard for public service, and I am ready to continue his legacy. I’m committed to protecting our community, fostering economic growth, supporting law enforcement, and ensuring Suffolk County remains a safe and affordable place to live and raise a family.”
Executive Romaine said that Renna has been “preparing for this moment” over the last seven years.
“The Fourteenth District couldn’t ask for a better representative,” said Romaine (pictured above).
The Fourteenth District includes Babylon village, Lindenhurst, and parts of Copiague, Gilgo-Oak Beach-Captree, North Babylon, North Lindenhurst, and West Babylon.
