We thought that the worst was now behind us, that after the two very tough years of the pandemic, 2022 would be "a downhill year". And instead came the Russian invasion ofUkraine, inflation, expensive energy and the recession specter. If we had to choose just one event that represents the year that is about to end, it could be none other than this: the war in Ukraine, which brought soldiers and bombs back to the heart of Europe, upsetting the fragile economic balance built with difficulty after the Covid emergency. Yet this 2022 was also something else. A year full of important events, in some historical cases, which have changed the fate of citizens and countries. From the death of Queen Elizabeth II to the unforgivable murder of Mahsa Amini, from the reconfirmation of President Mattarella to the World Cup in Qatar. So let's see them, one by one, the most important events of 2022.
January 29, 2022: Mattarella bis
He had already packed the boxes and taken an apartment, he had reiterated his intention to leave the Quirinale in several places. “I had other plans, but I'm here if needed”, the President of the Republic would have said Sergio Mattarella to the parliamentary group leaders and the Governors of the Regions who went up to Colle to ask him to stay in spite of everything. And so it was. On 29 January 2022, with a parliamentary plebiscite Sergio Mattarella became the second president of the Italian Republic after Giorgio Napolitano to obtain a second term. In the eighth vote for the election of the President of the Republic, the Head of State in office obtained 759 votes, becoming the second most voted President of the story behind Sandro Pertini, who in 1978 was elected with 832 preferences out of 1011.
The other presidents
Reconfirmations, news and a great comeback. Almost two months after Mattarella, on April 24, 2022, too Emmanuel Macron was reconfirmed President. In the second round of the French elections, despite the strong abstention, Macron clearly beat his far-right rival, Marine Le Pen, winning the elections with 58% of the votes. Moving forward we arrive in October, the month in which the controversial 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held. Xi Jinping he was elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of China by the Central Committee, starting a third term as China's supreme leader. But October was above all the month of the great return of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, he said Squid, which by winning the ballot against Jair Bolsonaro, was re-elected president 20 years after his first time. But above all after defeating cancer and facing 580 days of imprisonment in prison before being acquitted. Lula will take office on January 1, 2023.
February 24, 2022: the Russian invasion of Ukraine
A day that everyone will struggle to forget. At 5 am local time on February 24, the Russian Armed Forces overran the borders of Ukraine. The penetration was preceded by bombing raids on Kiev air bases and ground-to-air systems. The People's Republics of Lugansk and Donetsk – recognized by Moscow 3 days earlier − they announced the start of operations to conquer the territories claimed by their own constitutions, corresponding to the oblasts of the Donbass applied from Kiev. That February 24th war returns to the heart of Europe causing very serious political, economic and social effects. The European Union and the West as a whole have rallied around Ukraine, providing economic support and armaments and imposing harsh sanctions on Russia. Inflation and high energy costs are just two sides of a war that from the territories of Bucha and Irpin – where the most atrocious massacres committed by Russian soldiers took place – also moved to the economy, leading to the price cap on oil and a the one, launched a few days ago, on gas. So far, none of the attempts to establish negotiations between Russia's Vladimir Putin and the Ukraine of Volodymyr Zelensky it went well.
The Covid-19 pandemic: the new normal in Europe and the case of China
2022 was the year of variations and subvariants of Omicron that have infected millions of people. Thanks to vaccines, however, Europe has managed to return to the so-called new normal, avoiding the closures and restrictions imposed in the previous two years. However, the situation is quite different China which until a few weeks ago carried on the now known Zero-Covid policy, locking entire cities at home for months, deporting the sick to treatment centers, and putting a strain on its economy. A few weeks ago, after numerous street protests that have not been seen in China since the days of Tiananmen Square, the Chinese Government decided to change course, abandoning the Zero-Covid policy in order to strengthen the economy, which has grown in recent years at much lower rates than those aimed at by Beijing, and stem the growing discontent of the population. The markets rejoiced, but the choice led to one huge new wave of infections which has undermined the health system. There are fears now, not only for the economic repercussions, but also for the risks that this new wave could have on the rest of the world. New variants in fact, they could spread like wildfire due to travel to and from China. For this reason various countries, such as Italy, have imposed restrictive measures for those arriving from China.
July 21, 2022: Draghi resigns, Mattarella dissolves the chambers
"I would have gladly stayed, but they didn't let me", said former Premier Mario Draghi in an interview released a few days ago to Courier. It was July 21, 2022, the day when, after a week-long political crisis, Mario Draghi he delivered his resignation in the hands of the President of the Republic which could do nothing but dissolve the Chambers. After 17 months of Government in which he had managed to bring Italy back to the center of the European political scene, to write the Pnrr, achieving all the foreseen objectives, to close important energy contracts that have considerably reduced Italy's dependence on Russia, Mario Draghi's adventure at Palazzo Chigi has ended, sunk in the crossfire of Lega, Forza Italia and Movimento 5 Stelle. It all started on July 14 in the Chamber, when the former Prime Minister had obtained confidence in the Aid Decree, without the votes of the 5 Star Movement, part of the majority at the time. From there, a series of clashes that also involved Forza Italia and the Lega led Draghi to deliver a tough speech in the Senate, in which he refused "a facade of trust”. The two center-right parties, together with the M5S, had not participated in the vote of confidence on the Casini resolution, de facto decreeing the end of Draghi's adventure at Palazzo Chigi.
September 8, 2022: Queen Elizabeth II dies
"Queen Elizabeth is dead. Charles, Prince of Cornwall is now King” with this announcement Buckingham Palace announced last September the death of the queen longest running in UK history. The news had been in the air for a few days, the BBC journalists went on the air dressed in black as required by protocol and the whole royal family had huddled at his bedside. Your Majesty's departure was a serious blow for the whole of the United Kingdom. Elizabeth II was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of the other realms of the Commonwealth from 6 February 1952 to 8 September 2022. of her The of her was the longest reign in British history and the second longest lasting in history among those historically proven, behind only the reign of the Sun King, Louis XIV of France. During her seventy years on the throne, Elizabeth II witnessed important changes including the devolution of power to the United Kingdom, the story of the repatriation of the Canadian constitution and decolonization in Africa with the strengthening of the Commonwealth of nations of which she was Boss.. He celebrated four Jubilees, appointed 15 Prime Ministers and has partnered with 16, from Winston Churchill to Liz Truss. You have met 12 presidents of the United States and hosted 112 heads of state. She traveled the world, visiting more than 100 countries, she got on the blue train with Tito to cross the still united Yugoslavia. She has even reached the moon: Apollo 11 actually deposited its message there in 1969.
September 16, 2022: The murder of Mahsa Amini sets off protests in Iran
mahsa amini, a 22-year-old young woman, was arrested on 13 September 2022 in Tehran by the religious police. Her fault? have badly worn hijab. Taken to a police station, the young woman died three days later, on September 16, 2022, under suspicious circumstances. In fact, she showed signs of violence and injuries attributable to a beating, although the police continue to maintain that she died of a heart attack. Mahsa Amini's death became a symbol of violence against women under the Islamic Republic of Iran, kicking off the protests for freedom and rights that continue today and bloody government repression of Tehran which led to the death and arrest of hundreds of men and women.
September 25, 2022: the elections and the birth of the Meloni government
On 25 September 2022, Italy went to vote to elect the new Parliament. Overall winner of this electoral round was Giorgia Meloni with his party Brothers of Italy. The League was greatly downsized, which stopped at around 10% of the votes, a percentage similar to Forza Italia. On 21 October Meloni therefore received the task of forming a new government. The 24 ministers of the centre-right government were sworn in 24 hours later.
November 8, 2022: mid-term elections in the US
The Senate for Democrats, the House for Republicans. This is the result of MidTerm Elections which were held on November 8, 2022 in the United States. At the end of the games the Democratic party of President Joe Biden obtained 51 seats in the Upper House, one more - but very heavy - than in 2020. In the Chamber, however, the Republican Party he managed to get to 222 seats against the 213 of the Democrats. A victory which, however, was greeted with a half smile given that, on the eve of the elections, it was expected a red wave but in the end it turned out to be just a small “ripple”. And many blamed it on Donald Trump, who has already announced his re-nomination for president.
November-December 2022: World Cup in Qatar
The World Cup in Qatar began on November 20, 2022 and ended on December 18 with the Argentine victory who, in the final, beat defending champions France on penalties after a legendary match. The 22nd FIFA Men's World Cup represented a unique in many respects: it was the first time that the World Cup was played in the autumn, but also the first in an Arab country. Not only that: Qatar, which is roughly the size of Abruzzo, was the smallest country to ever host the tournament and the least populated (it has about 2,9 million inhabitants, as many as Rome). It was also the most talked about and controversial world championship ever due to the lack of respect for human rights and the most expensive in history: 220 billion dollars, a sum higher than the cost of all the World Cups made up to 2018.
