Portraits of National Leaders to be Unveiled in Karnataka Assembly Hall
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Great politicians seem to have two main things in common: they pick the right time to be born and they pick the right time to leave office. Everything in between will be recast in their favour if they only get these two things right. Former German chancellor Angela Merkel recently released her memoir . She, without a doubt, picked the right time to be born. She was 35 when the Berlin Wall fell, creating a cause – an East German voice and self-determination in reunifying with the West – that impelled her into politics. She was undeniably smart, but also the right age and the right symbolic vehicle to catch chancellor Helmut Kohl’s eye and become his protegee. In just under 15 years, she became chancellor. If she’d left after one term – two at most – her greatness would never have been questioned. But after that, her legacy as a crucial advocate for East Germans in the process of unification and her historic ascent was overwritten by a series of decisions that have turned out to be disastrous for Germany, economically and geostrategically. A shadow has fallen over Anthony Albanese’s prime ministership in 2024. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen US presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton could also be said to have picked the right time to be born and, thanks to term limits in the US, also the right time to leave office. Reagan performed a necessary service in deregulating a sclerotic US economy, mired in stagflation, while presiding over the end of the Cold War. Clinton presided over a peaceful age of free trade and international co-operation. While neither was a flawless leader and the numerous mistakes they made can easily be identified, they avoided leading their nations into catastrophe. Anthony Albanese also picked the right time to be born: at the beginning of the ’60s, as the fruits of a social revolution against the rigid morality of the war generation were ripe and not yet spoiled. He was a beneficiary of the blossoming of the self-actualisation century, in which the chains of the traditional family were being rejected, to be replaced by a paternal social welfare state. As the child of a single mother, his timing was especially fortuitous; he and his mother were poor, but in highly relative terms historically. They lived in government-owned housing and his mother was entitled to (and received) a disability pension, as she was unable to work. His own university degree – nominally in political economy, mainly in ruthless campus politics – was free (to him, but of course not the taxpayer). Loading Albanese was, as it were, born into a cause: to call for more of this, which made him possible: more social solidarity delivered by the state to replace the sticky ties of family and community obligation that had been found to be unreasonably oppressive by his generation and some in the one before it. Though it wasn’t visible at the time – transformations of this kind are mostly visible only with the benefit of hindsight – Albanese was in on the ground floor of the transformation of Labor from the party of the worker to the party of the left-liberal, the party of welfare. Operating the politics of this movement, Albanese gained the respect of his colleagues and parts of the public. In retrospect, his ideal moment to leave, with this legacy at its zenith, might have been the day in 2013 when he fronted cameras to lament the self-harm playing out within the Labor Party during yet another spill of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd era. Had he left then, he would have gone out channelling the disgust of Australians at the shenanigans of self-absorbed politicians, an avatar and hero of the people. Or maybe he could even have drawn it out a little longer and left a few years later, at the height of his “everyman” identity (according to The Daily Telegraph , which campaigned to “Save our Albo” in the face of a challenge to his seat from a group of further-left candidates). In either scenario, he would have been remembered as a likeable character in the soap opera of politics – good for future cameos to rally the faithful, positioned for a plum public role. Instead, he became prime minister. And the times have not suited him at all. Loading I could talk about inflation and the cost of living, misjudging the mood of the nation over the Voice referendum, the war in the Middle East and antisemitism at home. Or his approach to change, which has been deemed too incremental by some, too radical by others. I could point to the grip in which he finds himself pinioned, between the forefinger of his younger self in Green-on-the-outside, red-on-the-inside ideologist Max Chandler-Mather and the thumb of John Setka loyalists and the rebellious union movement. But none of these things are as fatal to his legacy as the luck of timing, because Albanese is a man built for an era of liberal gentility, who became PM just as the liberal era was drawing to an end. Albanese can, at least in part, blame Merkel for ending it. The post-Cold War leader of Germany, which, as the largest European economy, has an outsized role in underwriting the European Union, placed her faith in diplomacy over energy security and military deterrence. Germany and Europe are now less able to stand up against Russian strongman Vladimir Putin ’s attempt to seize Ukraine because of her miscalculations. The chief foreign affairs columnist at the Financial Times , Gideon Rachman , also implicates former US President Barack Obama for compounding Merkel’s mistakes by responding weakly or seeking to appease dictators. He concludes that “decisions taken by the two leaders – or often the decisions not taken by them – had a damaging, if delayed, impact on global stability”. Loading When even liberals like Rachman recognise that liberal heroes have made the world more dangerous, it is no wonder that voters around the world (who are usually quicker than FT columnists to sniff approaching dangers) are choosing a rougher cut of leader to champion them into the second quarter of the 21st century. Albanese will never be that. His political tradition is liberal largess, not protective menace. With the bad luck of timing hanging over him, whether he scrapes over the line at the coming election is moot. The politician he might have been remembered as has been overwritten. The question now is only whether his career is ended by his friends or his foes – with a bang, or with a long, drawn-out whimper. Parnell Palme McGuinness is managing director at campaigns firm Agenda C. She has done work for the Liberal Party and the German Greens. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Political leadership Anthony Albanese Angela Merkel Barack Obama Putin's Russia Vladimir Putin More... Parnell Palme McGuinness is managing director at campaigns firm Agenda C. She has done work for the Liberal Party and the German Greens. Most Viewed in Politics Loading
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The 27-year-old achieved the feat with a 23-yard run during the fourth quarter of the Eagles’ crushing 41-7 success at Lincoln Financial Field. Barkley is 100 yards short of Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984 for the Los Angeles Rams, ahead of next week’s regular season finale against the New York Giants. Single-season rushing record in reach. @saquon @Eagles pic.twitter.com/iSHyXeMLv1 — NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024 However, he could be rested for that game in order to protect him from injury ahead of the play-offs. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept alive their dreams of reaching the play-offs by overcoming the Carolina Panthers 48-14. Veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield produced a dominant performance at Raymond James Stadium, registering five passing touchdowns to equal a Buccaneers franchise record. he BAKED today 👨🍳 pic.twitter.com/eFX9fd1w5P — NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024 The Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC conference number two seed for the post season with a 40-14 success over the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium. Josh Allen passed for 182 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for another. Buffalo finish the 2024 regular season undefeated at home, with eight wins from as many games. The Indianapolis Colts’ hopes of reaching the play-offs were ended by a 45-33 defeat to the Giants. FINAL: Drew Lock accounts for 5 TDs in the @Giants victory! #INDvsNYG pic.twitter.com/N8HJYth09F — NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024 Malik Nabers exploded for 171 yards and two touchdowns and Ihmir Smith-Marsette broke a 100-yard kick-off return to give the Giants their highest-scoring output under head coach Brian Daboll. Quarterback Drew Lock threw four touchdown passes and accounted for a fifth on the ground to seal the win. Elsewhere, Mac Jones threw two touchdowns to help the Jacksonville Jaguars defeat the Tennessee Titans 20-13, while the Las Vegas Raiders beat the New Orleans Saints 25-10.The 27-year-old achieved the feat with a 23-yard run during the fourth quarter of the Eagles’ crushing 41-7 success at Lincoln Financial Field. Barkley is 100 yards short of Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984 for the Los Angeles Rams, ahead of next week’s regular season finale against the New York Giants. Single-season rushing record in reach. @saquon @Eagles pic.twitter.com/iSHyXeMLv1 — NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024 However, he could be rested for that game in order to protect him from injury ahead of the play-offs. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept alive their dreams of reaching the play-offs by overcoming the Carolina Panthers 48-14. Veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield produced a dominant performance at Raymond James Stadium, registering five passing touchdowns to equal a Buccaneers franchise record. he BAKED today 👨🍳 pic.twitter.com/eFX9fd1w5P — NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024 The Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC conference number two seed for the post season with a 40-14 success over the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium. Josh Allen passed for 182 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for another. Buffalo finish the 2024 regular season undefeated at home, with eight wins from as many games. The Indianapolis Colts’ hopes of reaching the play-offs were ended by a 45-33 defeat to the Giants. FINAL: Drew Lock accounts for 5 TDs in the @Giants victory! #INDvsNYG pic.twitter.com/N8HJYth09F — NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024 Malik Nabers exploded for 171 yards and two touchdowns and Ihmir Smith-Marsette broke a 100-yard kick-off return to give the Giants their highest-scoring output under head coach Brian Daboll. Quarterback Drew Lock threw four touchdown passes and accounted for a fifth on the ground to seal the win. Elsewhere, Mac Jones threw two touchdowns to help the Jacksonville Jaguars defeat the Tennessee Titans 20-13, while the Las Vegas Raiders beat the New Orleans Saints 25-10.Doha,Qatar: University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) recently celebrated Qatar National Day with a vibrant event that brought together students, faculty members, staff and their families to honor the Nations rich heritage and values. The celebration featured a series of cultural and educational activities aimed at fostering national pride and unity. Reflecting on the importance of the occasion, Dr. Salem Al Naemi, President of UDST said: "Qatar National Day is a time to celebrate our nations achievements and reflect on the values of unity, resilience, and progress. It reminds us of the vision that drives Qatar forward and the collective efforts that have brought us to where we are today. At UDST, we take pride in our role in preparing the next generation of leaders across various industries, equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to contribute to achieving the Nations vision and continue its success." The event featured a vibrant display of cultural booths, celebrating Qatars rich heritage and showcasing its remarkable achievements. Also, a photo gallery highlighted key milestones, offering a deeper insight into the Nations journey of progress and innovation.Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of allegations of question paper leak , more stringent measures and modern techniques will be explored in preparing questions for term exams, said education minister V Sivankutty on Friday. Speaking with the media, Sivankutty said, "The process of preparing question papers for term exams will be henceforth organized using modern technology. The practicality of these measures will definitely be examined. Leaking and publicizing question papers is an injustice to students. Those who commit this injustice will be brought before the law. The community should identify and expose those who do not uphold academic integrity. The public has always supported and strengthened the field of public education, and this support is essential in this matter too." "According to Rule 11 of Chapter 8 of Kerala education rules (KER), the responsibility of conducting internal exams and evaluating students' progress lies with the respective school principals. Based on this, question papers were prepared at the school level. In the 1980s, private agencies entered this field significantly, preparing and distributing question papers under their leadership, turning it into a business. This activity led to numerous criticisms. During this phase, teacher organizations also engaged in the creation and sale of question papers," he said. "In the late 1990s, a system was established in several sub-districts where question papers were prepared and distributed by involving teachers under the leadership of assistant educational officers (AEOs). During these phases, the necessary funds for question paper preparation were collected from students. Centralized question preparation began only after 2007, still at the district level. In the backdrop of the Right to Education Act in 2008-09, centralized question preparation and distribution were initiated using Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to provide free question papers without collecting money from students. Controversies related to question papers also led to such a decision," he added. "Govt will proceed with reforms in the examination system. Exams are a matter of public interest, which is why this issue is being considered. Serious thought will be given on how to proceed even while maintaining the nature, confidentiality and quality of exams, said Sivankutty. 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