January 6
One year since the assault on the Capitol. It seems far away, but only a year ago the assault on the United States Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump, who directly sent them to prevent Congress from ratifying the election of Biden as President of the United States. The wounds are still open and the US government has announced that it will commemorate the day as one of the “darkest” in its history.
January 28
Decades of Valls. After having to postpone them last year, the city of Valls is still confident of being able to enjoy the 1st Decennial Festival of the Virgen de la Candela this year, which has been celebrated every 10 years without interruption for two centuries. Activities of all kinds are planned until February 6, such as a castle meeting with 82 groups.
January 30
General elections in Portugal. The rejection of the budgets of the Communist Party and the Left bloc put an end to six years of stability in the government of António Costa, who is once once more the favorite, but the big question is what coalitions he will be able to reach.
February 1
Fira ISE. First fire test for Fira de Barcelona. Despite the drop in registrations, the celebration of the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) fair, dedicated to the audiovisual and which had to be suspended last year, is still being held until the 4th. It is a large European technology meeting, of a similar magnitude to the Mobile, which until now had been held in Amsterdam.
February 4th
Winter Olympics. If the covid or diplomatic boycott does not stop it, Beijing will become the first city to host the Summer Games (2008) and the Winter Games, which are scheduled to run until February 20. The United States will not bring diplomatic representation, and other countries are not expected to. Strict sanitary measures and control to prevent protests will be the focus of global attention.
February 13th
Elections Castile and Leon. Early elections are being held in Castilla y León on 13 February, with Pablo Casado proposing another step on his way to La Moncloa. Elections in Andalusia might also be brought forward in June to reinforce the PP’s story.
February 28th
Mobile World Congress. Until March 3, the great world telephony fair will occupy seven pavilions of the Fira de Barcelona and, for the time being, despite the concern of the organizers, the call is maintained with the presence of some of the major firms in the sector, such as Samsung or Huawei.
The moratorium on evictions ends. End of the moratorium that stops evictions. The measure has been extended since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Tax reform report. The deadline for the committee of experts for the reform of the Spanish tax system to present its report is over. The reform, which, among other things, must set the minimum corporate tax rate and other measures, is expected to be approved in 2022 or early 2023.
March 17th
Second trial of Quim Torra. The former president will sit in the dock once more for a second case very similar to the one that led to his disqualification two years ago: refusing to remove a banner in support of political prisoners in September 2019. It will not be the only trial related to the Trial to be held this year, but one of the most symbolic.
March 21st
Traffic law. Changes to the state traffic law come into force: the penalties for looking at a mobile phone are being tightened and it is forbidden to exceed the maximum speed limit for overtaking on roads at 20 km / h.
March 27th
94th edition of the Oscars. They were supposed to be done on February 27 but have been postponed to avoid a bad time due to the covid.
10 d’abril
Presidential elections in France. The electoral cycle begins in France with the first round of the presidential elections, which will have a second round, and predictably final, on April 24. Emmanuel Macron is running for a second term and the arrival of Eric Zemmour has further polarized this campaign. There will also be legislative elections from 12 to 19 June, and cohabitation is not ruled out.
10 d’abril
AMLO revocation referendum. For the first time in its history, there will be a referendum in Mexico to decide whether to remove its president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
25 d’abril
COP15 de Kunming. China is hosting the UN Conference on Biodiversity until May 8. It is the most important summit in recent years in this area, as it should serve to close a global agreement to protect ecosystems. One of the main objectives is to set 30% of the land and sea surface as a protected area. The first half of the summit was held virtually in 2021, but the second week is expected to take place in person in the Chinese city of Kunming.
May 16
Total lunar eclipse. It will be the astronomical event of the year, a total lunar eclipse that can be seen from Europe, America and Africa. There will also be a partial solar eclipse on October 25th.
May 20
Centennial Gabriel Ferrater. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth and 50th anniversary of the death of Gabriel Ferrater. This year also marks the centenary of the birth of the writers Joan Fuster (November 23) and Kurt Vonnegut (November 11), the comic artist Stan Lee (December 28), the photographer Francesc Català-Roca ( March 19), the primatologist Jordi Sabater Pi (August 2) and the economist Ramon Trias Fargas (December 27). This year also marks the centenary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb (November 5), the 25th anniversary of Lady Di’s death (August 31) and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the USSR (December 30).
May 22
Women’s Champions Final. Turin will be the stage where Jonatan Giráldez’s Barça can make their legend bigger. The team that lifted the treble in 2021 is looking to repeat the feat once more.
May 29
Presidential elections in Colombia. Three major political alliances are running for the presidency: the left-wing Historic Pact, the Center Hope Coalition and the right-wing Team for Colombia. The legislatures will be held on March 13, which will have shown the strengths of each group. The candidates are not yet known.
June 11
Antonia Font returns in the spring. The first public reappearance of the Mallorcan Antònia Font will be at the Primavera Sound festival, which will be held from 2 to 12 June in Barcelona amid the debate regarding its continuity in the city. The Mallorcan tour will also pass through Valencia, the Inca and the Palau Sant Jordi. Among the big claims of Primavera Sound 2022 are Dua Lipa, Lorde, Gorillaz and Interpol.
June 16
Sónar Festival. After having to suspend the 2020 and 2021 editions, Sónar returns until June 18 with the participation, among others, of C. Tangana (who will have made a Sant Jordi on February 19), Moderat, The Chemical Brothers and others.
June 27
II Conference on the Oceans. The 2nd UN Conference on the Oceans, postponed to 2020, is the second environmental event of the year, to be held in Lisbon until 1 July. Organized by Kenya and Portugal, it wants to reach a sort of Paris Agreement to protect the oceans.
June 29
Cimera de l’OTAN to Madrid. New Atlantic Alliance summit to adopt a new strategic concept on security, especially in relation to the Sahel and North Africa. The relationship between NATO and European security will also be discussed, and it is precisely in the framework of the French presidency of the EU that France is scheduled to host a specific summit on EU defense during the first half of the year.
July 6th
Women’s Eurocup. For the first time in history, the Spanish team can follow in the footsteps of Barça women and lead European football. The red, built on the talent of the Barça team, is the main favorite to win the European title. The championship, which was originally scheduled for July 2021, has been rescheduled for July 6-31 in England.
July 25
Constitutional referendum in Tunisia. Following the controversial suspension of parliament by President Kais Saïed, Tunisians will now have to approve a new constitution, and legislative elections are expected in December.
October 2
General elections in Brazil. Jair Bolsonaro is running for president once more as a Liberal Party candidate and Lula da Silva also plans to run for office if justice does not prevent it.
October 20th
C40 World Summit of Mayors. More than thirty mayors from the world’s most important cities will gather in Buenos Aires. Topics to be discussed include post-pandemic adaptation and the implementation of the green agenda.
October 30
G20 summit. The 17th G20 summit begins in Bali, Indonesia. The motto is “Recovering together, recovering stronger.”
November 8
Midterm elections in the US. Joe Biden is playing the majority in the lower house in this midterm election, which will renew all 435 seats in the lower house and 34 of the 100 seats in the upper house. It will be the test of fire to see if the trump card has been beaten.
November 21
Qatar Soccer World Cup. In the winter, leagues around the world will stop for the most important event in the world of football. The World Cup will be played until December 18 in Qatar, amid controversy over the deplorable rights of workers who are building stadiums and discriminating once morest women and the LGTBI community.
December 23rd
Serrat leaves the stage. End of Joan Manuel Serrat’s farewell tour in a concert that will be historic and emotional at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona. The singer has announced that he is leaving the stage but not the music and is preparing new albums.
December 31st
Nuclear shutdown in Germany. The last day of the year should see the end of Germany’s nuclear shutdown, which has pledged to completely abandon this source of energy from 2023. A policy driven by Angela Merkel that clashes with the contrary decision of France, which is committed to increasing the consumption of nuclear energy to ensure its energy independence.
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in what year was congress the least polarized?
A Year of Reflection, Polarization, and Uncertainty: Highlights from the First Quarter of the Year
As we approach the midpoint of the first quarter of the year, it’s essential to take a step back and assess the significant events that have shaped the global landscape. From the somber anniversary of the Capitol assault to the unfolding drama of the French presidential elections, this quarter has been marked by reflection, polarization, and uncertainty.
The year began with a somber tone, as the world marked the one-year anniversary of the January 6 Capitol assault. This event, which saw supporters of then-President Donald Trump attempt to overturn the election results, has left deep scars on American democracy. The commemoration served as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for democratic values and the need for accountability.
Meanwhile, in Europe, Portugal witnessed a shift in its political landscape with the rejection of the Left bloc’s budget, ending six years of stability under the government of António Costa. As Portugal heads into general elections, the key question on everyone’s mind is what coalitions will emerge and how they will shape the country’s future.
The world of technology also experienced a significant moment with the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) fair in Barcelona, which successfully took place despite concerns over COVID-19. This event, a significant meeting point for the audiovisual industry, demonstrated resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity.
The sporting world, too, has been abuzz with the Winter Olympics in Beijing, featuring strict sanitary measures and diplomatic tensions. The event has put the international community on high alert, with eyes fixed on China’s handling of the event and the geopolitical implications that come with it.
In Europe, the Spanish region of Castile and Leon went to the polls in early elections, with Pablo Casado seeking to make inroads for the PP. This election served as a precursor to the mobile phone-focused Mobile World Congress, which drew major players like Samsung and Huawei to Barcelona.
Other notable events include the highly anticipated Oscars ceremony, the second trial of former Catalan president Quim Torra, and changes to Spain’s traffic law, which aim to make roads safer by stricter penalties for mobile
