How big will Labour win? One final stretch seat projection sees Labour ascending above 500 seats, a colossal result that is unimaginable by historic standards. The projection follows an absolute collapse in Conservative support, as Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party has eaten into their share, pushing them beneath 20% of the vote. When all is said and done, parties of the right may amount to no more than even 70 seats in the new parliament.

The UK last appeared on the Hot List at #3, featuring a possible SNP loss in Scotland.

India’s Rahul Gandhi has punched himself a ticket to renewed relevance in national politics, after defying expectations with a respectable general election performance. Gandhi has been seen as a generally weak leader following consecutive losses to Modi in 2014 and 2019, with articles questioning his political longevity. But in a situation where Modi’s grasp on power is now tenuous, Gandhi is likely to be at the forefront of opposition campaigning against the government. Given Modi’s downward trend, he may well already be considered the next election’s frontrunner.

India last appeared on the Hot List at #2, with a Sikh separatist candidate's legislative election win from prison.

As the French far-right lurches toward government, its proposed finance minister wants to reassure big business. Jean-Philippe Tanguy, considered the frontrunner for finance minister in a potential National Rally government, says the party “won’t let the deficit run out of control” despite its reputation for mixing social spending with social conservatism, and would act to slash both regulations and government funding. According to current projections, a National Rally government is less likely than no overall majority in parliament, but is still a possibility if the party overperforms.

France last appeared on the Hot List at #1, with the potential of a National Rally majority.

South Africa’s new unity government extends to the provincial level, too. In the provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, government formation will likely replicate the ANC’s national coalition agreement, bringing together a host of parties that span the political spectrum. Gauteng, home to Johannesburg, saw the ANC drop below 40% in its provincial vote, while in KwaZulu-Natal the party was completely swept away by the new Spear of the Nation movement led by former president Jacob Zuma.

South Africa last appeared on the Hot List at #3, looking at a potential unity government.

Hungary will take over the EU’s revolving presidency, and the country’s right-wing government is adopting “Make Europe Great Again” as its slogan. It’s clear that Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban intends to make full use of its platform at the fore of the bloc’s Council with the phrase, which “raised a few eyebrows” among EU officials. Orban and Donald Trump are close allies: Hungary’s 6-month term will coincide with the US presidential election campaign, where Trump will seek a return to office after four years out of power.

Hungary last appeared on the Hot List at #7, with a photo-finish result in Budapest's mayoral election.

A prominent Philippines drug war critic, Senator Leila de Lima, has been exonerated from criminal charges. De Lima, also a former Secretary of Justice, was a prominent critic of the administration of Rodrigo Duterte, under investigation for wide-ranging human rights abuses committed in the prosecution of the president’s drug war. Amnesty International described the drug conspiracy charges against de Lima as “bogus” and an excuse to clamp down on her opposition to Duterte.

The Philippines last appeared on the Hot List at #1, looking at vice presidential speculation around Senator Imee Marcos.

The governor of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, is at the center of an internal conflict developing within the president’s party. Governor Johnson Sakaja, from the nationally incumbent UDA, is looking to take over the party’s chairmanship in Nairobi County. The contest has developed into a struggle between factions, with opponents of Sakaja launching “vicious attacks” on his credibility, accusing him of “high-level corruption.” Sakaja’s enemies may even include Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya’s deputy president.

Kenya last appeared on the Hot List at #3, looking at attempts to change presidential term limits.

Progressive Congressman Jamaal Bowman lost his seat to moderate challenge George Latimer in Democratic primary elections held in New York. Bowman was targeted with over 15 million dollars in ad spending from pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, making the race one of the most expensive primaries in history. With Hillary Clinton endorsing Latimer on one side and Bernie Sanders endorsing Bowman on the other, the race was viewed by some as a rehash of the 2016 presidential primary.

The USA last appeared on the Hot List at #3, with Donald Trump's criminal conviction.

Nationalists now hold North Macedonia’s legislature and are already stoking conflict with neighboring Greece. The right-wing VMRO-DPMNE party secured both the presidency and first place in parliamentary elections held in May, cementing their influence over the country. The new prime minister, Hristijan Mickoski, continues to refer to “North Macedonia” as just “Macedonia” in contravention of its agreement with Greece to defuse a territorial dispute, and has rolled back plans for resolving a dispute with Bulgaria — both of which could threaten North Macedonia’s accession to the EU.

North Macedonia last appeared on the Hot List at #7, with an initial look at nationalist victories in recent elections.