About the Author(s)
Hussain Ali
Author is an MPhil Scholar in English Literature, having graduated from Government College University Lahore. A passionate freelancer, he contribute regularly to newspapers and online publications. His writing focuses on climate change, war and conflict studies, education, and world politics.
The world has never been chaotic in the recent past– not during 9/11, nor even in the Cold War era. Besides two high-intensity wars, the leadership crises are unfolding around the world with terrible consequences. The world’s oldest democracy is embroiled in domestic legal battles, coupled with crackdown on pro-Palestinians protests and flagrant violations of international laws.
Simultaneously, the world’s largest democracy has not witnessed a radical change despite electing conservative Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the third time. India’s election also attracted criticism after Modi controversial anti-Muslim statements in the election rallies, clampdown against the opponents and abetting the hindutva supremacist ideology. In the same vein, Europe, Russia, Middle East and Pakistan are sliding towards authoritarian regimes and hard-core, arrogant and conceited leaders taking stage.
The year 2024 is an election year. An Election is a democratic exercise in which people chose to elect their leaders. India just elected Modi for third time, making him the second prime minister after Jawaharlal Nehru to be elected thrice. The United Kingdom elects Keir Starmer, the European Union is overtaken by the right wing parties and the USA will also conduct its election later this year. In France, the hardliner are defeated yet the right wing storm looms large and posing a continuous threat. Russia elects Putin for a record fifth term. A ray of hope and a surprising change is witnessed in Mexico, where the first-ever female president won the race for presidency.
In addition, new leadership roles are entrusted to leaders in the East Asia and the Middle East. Amid all this hue and cry of replacing the leaders the question of leadership and the dispensation and execution of the leadership acumen is not debated.
The western liberal order is badly exposed by the atrocities unleashed by Israel on the people of Palestine. In the crises stricken world, the role European and Arab leaders is abysmally meek or that of complicity. President Biden who has been glorified as the leader of liberal world is sadly failing spectacularly. Biden’s Israel and Middle East policy is devoid of rationality and driven by self-interest, perpetuating violations of human rights, international laws and international humanitarian laws which are declared irrelevant in the Israel-Ghaza war. Biden even fell; knowingly or unknowingly, to the Zionist’s propaganda about Hamas beheading babies by and killing pregnant women which is an utter lie. Biden’s disregard for international law, as seen in the case of ICC declaring Natenyahu as a war criminal and foreign policy. Middle East seem to be the reminiscent of Bush era disinformation about WMDs in Iraq. Moreover, Secretary of the state Anthony Blinken’s abrupt visit to Israel and invocation of biblical references set a dangerous precedent in the foreign policy of any country. America brand itself as the torchbearer of free world but its heavy handedness on universities encampments against genocide, supressing freedom of speech and association echo the lack of sagacious leadership in time of crisis. Biden fails to gain sufficient support to make Netanyahu stop the war or even secure a truce. The inability to secure a ceasefire suggests either lack of leadership acumen or indifference to the bloodbath in Ghaza.
Leaders in the UK and Europe tread the path not different from that of leaders in America. the status quo of supporting genocide in Palestine, providing aid and weapon and a total disregard to international law is also retained in the UK across the political landscape of both Conservative and Labour parties. It’s quite ironic that an immigrant Prime Minister and former Home Minister are the ones who call for strict anti-immigrant policies. Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman are the quintessential examples of famous Pakistani novelist Kamila Shamshie’s character Karamat lone in her novel “Home Fire” where a Pakistani immigrant, the UK’s Home Minister prove himself to be “whiter than the English” and loyal to the UK than anyone else. In the wake of elections, voters in America and the UK find it difficult to choose, ‘bad among the worst’. Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, Nigel Farage, and Suella Braverman, are alike in blood and flesh.
Except a few, the rest of Europe is also taken by the right-wing storm. The European Union election results show that the right-wing populist parties are gaining grounds across Europe. Many believe that the absence of cogent decisions and collective ineptitude of the liberal leaders have produced a void which is filled by the right wing politicians. Germany’s AFD is one of the few right-wing political parties which threatening the very foundation of the liberal order. Germany is one of the most disappointing players in Europe and it seems she is a step away of becoming a neo Nazi. Former Chancellor Angela Merkal warned against Ukrainian inclusion in the NATO while on the contrary, Scholz is hard on Russia and abetting the war, possibly to a point of no return. The German’s foreign minister popular mantra of de-coupling of China is equally regressive and resorting to Eurocentric order. In the present situation Serbian President Vucic’s words are important to mention heading for a major catastrophe and it seems the train has already left the station and can no longer be stopped. He further warned that a major war is about to erupt not later than three to four months. This bleak picture shows a critical leadership crisis in the Europe”.
Leadership is not always political. Activists, journalist, academia, artists, Nobel laureates and veterans play a paramount role shaping world policies. In the present crises of security, climate, pandemics, refugees, economic equity and social justice the world is touching its lowest ebbs. Global security is at risk from Palestine to Ghaza and from Yemen to Sudan. Media leadership has been very selective, hindering the process of dissemination truth to the common people. Elite academic scholar and artist have not spoken up daringly as they should have; they could have done much more. We have only a few notable names from Angelina jolly to Greta Thunberg who unequivocally raise the global issues. Malala, given her reputation and global standing, should have led the marches for better and secure world especially what has been going on in Palestine.
Moreover, international institutions, especially the UNO are a silent spectator in the ongoing wars, particularly in Ghaza. It fails to even protect membersof international humanitarian organization from being killed in the Ghaza strip. It has completely failed to stop Israeli indiscriminate killing of children and women. International humanitarian law under the UNO seems to be completely dismantled, and combatant and non-combatant are mercilessly butchered under the watchdog of UNO. The serious lack of action and uniting the world for peace is job long forgotten by the UNO, violating its charter to secure the world. It is a moment where a new global organization is envisaged.
Collective gaslighting and denial of the western leaders is a new norm now. Truth has been costly for many in the West, and meekly accepting what the west is purporting implies complicity on the part of global south leaders. When self-centred narcissistic egomaniacs are in power, global catastrophe and ideologies like fascism and Nazism are the destiny. The gloomy atmosphere foreboding an uncertain future where human loss and blood bath will reign the world instead of peace and prosperity.
