🗞️ Elected Report – Weekly Briefing

Date: Monday, May 12, 2025

Welcome back to Elected Report, where I bring you everything you need to know about global politics in one email!

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🔹 Quick Overview: Last Week at a Glance

• 🇵🇰🇮🇳 Missile Strikes Escalate – India and Pakistan exchange fire in a rapidly intensifying conflict.

• 🇩🇪 Germany’s New Chancellor – Friedrich Merz voted in after difficult negotiations. Fragile coalition ahead?

• 🇻🇦 New Pope Elected – The first American Pope takes the throne of St. Peter. A Vatican revolution?

• 🇺🇸🤝🇬🇧 Trump’s UK Deal – Trump re-emerges on the world stage with a bold agreement with Great Britain.

• 🇷🇴 Romania’s Far-Right Surge – Romania pivots hard right in a watershed election shaking Eastern Europe.

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🔍 In Detail

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🇵🇰🇮🇳 India–Pakistan: Regional Tensions Boil Over
The long-simmering tensions between India and Pakistan have erupted into open hostility once more, as both sides launched missile strikes over the weekend targeting military infrastructure near the disputed border in Kashmir. At least 42 people have been reported dead, including civilians, and several towns along the Line of Control have been evacuated.

This escalation follows a deadly incident earlier this month in which Indian security forces conducted a cross-border raid targeting a suspected terrorist group, which Pakistan condemned as a breach of sovereignty. In retaliation, Pakistan launched short-range ballistic missiles toward Indian military posts. India responded swiftly with precision airstrikes.

Both nations are nuclear-armed, and this latest flare-up has raised global alarms. The UN Security Council has called for an emergency session. China and the United States have both urged “maximum restraint,” while behind closed doors, international diplomacy is scrambling to prevent a full-blown regional war. Despite diplomatic pressure, nationalist rhetoric is on the rise in both countries, fueling fears of further escalation.

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🇩🇪 Germany’s Conservative Shift: Friedrich Merz Elected Chancellor
After a prolonged and contentious process, Friedrich Merz has been elected Germany’s new Chancellor. The vote, which took two sessions due to divisions within the coalition, finally saw Merz confirmed as leader of the German government. Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), comes to power at a critical juncture, with his election seen as a response to growing dissatisfaction with the current government’s handling of economic and immigration issues.

Merz’s victory was hard-won, with the process highlighting fractures within the governing coalition. The Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens, who had initially resisted Merz’s candidacy, eventually acquiesced after intense negotiations, despite their concerns about his conservative agenda. Merz’s focus on market-driven reforms, stricter immigration policies, and a more assertive approach to European defense is likely to redefine Germany's role in both the European Union and NATO.

However, the political landscape is far from stable. Merz now faces the difficult task of managing a fragile coalition, balancing the demands of his party with the expectations of his partners, and steering Germany through a period of economic uncertainty and increasing international tension.

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🇻🇦 Vatican: The First American Pope Makes History
In a landmark decision, the College of Cardinals has elected Cardinal Michael Sullivan, a 61-year-old from Boston, as the next Pope — the first American to ever hold the papacy. Taking the name Pope John Paul IV, Sullivan’s elevation signals a dramatic pivot for the Catholic Church, with potential consequences both doctrinal and geopolitical.

The conclave, which followed the resignation of Pope Francis due to health concerns, lasted four days and was reportedly marked by heated debate between reformists and traditionalists. Sullivan’s reputation as a bridge-builder — conservative on theology, progressive on social outreach — ultimately earned him consensus.

Pope John Paul IV has already outlined key goals: reasserting Catholic influence in the Americas, restructuring Church finances, expanding digital evangelism, and addressing abuse scandals with a more aggressive posture. His American identity is a diplomatic game-changer, potentially giving the Vatican greater sway in Western politics — but also exposing it to scrutiny over U.S. ties.

Reactions across the globe are mixed. Many Catholics in the Global South have expressed disappointment at being overlooked once again, while U.S. bishops and media are treating the election as a symbolic “homecoming.” As the world watches, the question remains: Will the American Pope unify or divide an already fractured Church?

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🇺🇸🤝🇬🇧 Trump’s Transatlantic Gamble: Back in the Game
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has reentered the global political arena with the announcement of a sweeping bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom. The deal, unveiled in London alongside British Prime Minister William Hargreaves, includes provisions on trade liberalization, AI research cooperation, defense coordination, and immigration control.

The “Atlantic Revival Pact”, as Trump branded it, marks his most significant post-presidency move — fueling speculation about a political comeback in the 2026 U.S. elections. For Britain, the deal is a symbolic win, reinforcing its post-Brexit search for global partners. For Trump, it’s a strategic foothold in foreign policy discourse.

Critics argue the deal is largely symbolic and lacks immediate legal enforcement mechanisms, while supporters hail it as a “new special relationship.” European leaders are watching warily, especially as Trump uses the agreement to criticize EU bureaucracy and NATO’s “free riders.”

Whatever its policy impact, the real story may be political: Trump isn’t just back — he’s laying the groundwork for a global network of conservative allies and seeking to reshape international norms on his terms.

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🇷🇴 Romania’s Hard Turn Right: Nationalism Rising in the East
Romania has undergone a political earthquake. The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) — a previously marginal far-right party — has swept parliamentary elections and is now leading a coalition government, marking the most significant nationalist resurgence in Eastern Europe in over a decade.

Riding a wave of anti-EU sentiment, Orthodox conservatism, and frustration over economic stagnation and corruption, AUR campaigned on promises to “reclaim Romanian identity” and end foreign influence. Its platform includes tightening media laws, removing "gender ideology" from education, and cutting dependency on Brussels.

International observers have raised red flags over democratic backsliding, minority rights, and judicial independence. In Brussels, Romania’s move is being described as “deeply concerning,” with several EU officials already floating the idea of conditional funding or sanctions.

Domestically, however, AUR’s rise has energized a generation of younger, nationalist voters disillusioned by liberal democracy. With Poland’s right-wing government weakened and Hungary’s Orban facing internal unrest, Romania may soon become the new ideological anchor of the European far-right.

That’s all for this week’s Elected Report. Stay informed, stay engaged, and have a great day ahead!

John Mainhouse