Global crossroads as 40 nations hold elections

In Africa alone, 14 countries are expected to go to the polls this year, with some long-serving leaders seeking to defend their positions.

Uganda will open the year with elections on January 15, where President Yoweri Museveni will aim to retain power amid stiff competition from Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.

Mr Museveni has led the East African nation since 1986, following a military takeover.

He is now contesting a seventh term in an election in which opposition rallies have been disrupted by bomb attacks.

Other African countries scheduled to hold elections this year include the Republic of Congo (March 22), Benin, Libya, Djibouti, Cape Verde (April 2026), Cameroon (parliamentary elections in May) and Ethiopia (June 1).

Additional countries are Algeria (parliamentary elections in June), Zambia (August 13), São Tomé and Príncipe (September), Morocco (parliamentary elections in September), as well as The Gambia and South Sudan, which are expected to hold elections in December.

South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, has never held a general election since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, largely due to conflict between rival factions led by President Salva Kiir and his deputy, Riek Machar.

Elsewhere in the world

Beyond Africa, several other countries will also go to the polls this year, with citizens expected to exercise their right to choose preferred leaders.

In January 2026, countries holding elections include Myanmar (January 11, with a second round on January 25) and Portugal (January 18).

In February, Costa Rica, Thailand (February 8) and Bangladesh (February 12) will head to the polls.

Bangladesh will hold its first national election since a student-led uprising toppled the 15-year rule of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed in 2024.

Voters will also decide on the “July Charter”, a reform agenda aimed at reducing executive powers, strengthening the judiciary and protecting state institutions, particularly the police, from political interference.

In March 2026, alongside Vietnam and Slovenia, Nepal will hold elections. The March 5 vote has been shaped by youth-led protests, known as the Gen Z movement, which erupted in September 2025 and led to the fall of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli amid allegations of corruption and economic decline.

Majority of the youth, who took part in the protests, are now heavily involved in campaigns encouraging voter registration, signalling that Nepal’s young population may transform their movement into a political force and actively shape the country’s future.

In April 2026, Hungary and Peru will hold elections. Hungary’s vote will determine the direction of domestic politics and international relations.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close ally of Russia who has accused the European Union of fuelling the Russia–Ukraine conflict, faces his toughest challenge since coming to power in 2010 from his opponent, Peter Magyar of the Tisza Party.

The outcome will determine Hungary’s political balance and its stance between the European Union and Russia, with wider implications for European stability and the trajectory of the war in Ukraine.

In May, Cyprus, Colombia and Lebanon will hold elections at different times. Colombians will vote for a new president after the term of incumbent President Gustavo Petro ends, as the Constitution bars him from seeking re-election. Iván Cepeda of Petro’s Historic Pact coalition faces centrist candidate Sergio Fajardo and right-wing contender Abelardo de la Espriella.

The election will determine whether Colombia can push forward its stalled peace process with FARC rebels, tackle corruption, rein in rising violence and manage regional challenges linked to neighbouring Venezuela. As such, the outcome will be crucial for the country’s stability and its relations with the United States.

Lebanon’s election, expected in May, will mark the first major democratic test for the government of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun.

The role of Hezbollah will be among the key issues shaping the 2026 Lebanese elections, as the vote will determine its political weight, influence debates on disarmament, and reshape the country’s sectarian balance amid ongoing economic turmoil.

In June 2026, Armenia will hold elections, while Fiji is expected to vote in July and Haiti in August. In September 2026, Sweden will hold a general election, while Russia is also expected to conduct parliamentary elections.

For October polls, Latvia and Brazil are preparing for elections. On October 4, Brazilians will vote for a president, members of the National Congress and state governors, amid economic uncertainty, rising violent crime and strained relations with the United States.

Incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is seeking re-election and will face several challengers, including Flávio Bolsonaro, son of the jailed former president Jair Bolsonaro.

The outcome could reshape Brazil’s relations with the United States, determine the direction of its domestic economy and security, and make the election one of the most consequential in South America.

That same month, Israel will also hold parliamentary elections.

The country’s longest-serving Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, enters 2026 facing intense political opposition to his continued rule.

Although the Constitution requires elections to be held on October 27, Netanyahu could call an early poll as soon as June.

His Likud party is under heavy domestic pressure following intelligence failures and the government’s handling of the October 7, 2023 attack, as well as international criticism over the ongoing war and alleged genocide in Gaza.

Other countries set to hold elections in October include Denmark, Bosnia and the Bahamas.

In November 2026, Americans will vote in congressional elections, while in December 2026, New Zealand is also expected to go to the polls.