Every Christmas, The Economist Choose the “Country of the Year”. It is neither the happiest – a title that would almost always be given to a Nordic country – nor the most powerful, a distinction reserved for major powers. The criterion is different: identify the country that managed to improve more in the last year, be it economic, political or institutional.
In this scenario Argentina came second behind Syria.
2025 was a particularly turbulent year worldwide. The return of Donald Trump to the White House disrupted international trade, while bloody conflicts left deep scars in regions like… Ribbon And Sudan. Nevertheless, several countries made significant progress under adverse circumstances.
Below, Canadawhich opted for a technocratic and pragmatic leadership instead of a populist turn, and Moldovawhere the electorate rejected a pro-Russian option despite pressure and misinformation from Moscow. In the Middle East, Trump managed to broker a fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians.
Democracies that resisted
The British weekly also highlighted cases of institutional resilience. In South KoreaAfter the ex-president, democracy managed to recover Yoon Suk Yeol attempted to impose martial law and close parliament. The response from lawmakers, protesters and institutions prevented the collapse of democracy, and this year the former president was impeached for insurrection.
Another example was Brazilwhere the judiciary has set a historical precedent: a court handed down a verdict in September Jair Bolsonaro To 27 years in prison for his attempt to ignore the 2022 election results and encourage a coup.
In a country with a long history of democratic disruption, it was the first time a coup plotter received a sanction of this magnitude. A relevant environmental performance was added to this data: In 2025, the Brazilian government managed to stop deforestation in the Amazon. although his lenient foreign policy toward the Kremlin overshadowed some of the results.
Argentina and Syria, the two finalists
For The Economistthe two countries that stood out the most this year were Argentina and Syriaalbeit for very different reasons.
In the Argentine case there was improvement economically. Since coming to power in December 2023, the President Javier Milei He promoted a program of market reforms unprecedented in decades: he lifted price controls, drastically reduced public spending and eliminated subsidies considered distortive. Politically costly and socially painful measures that had brought down previous governments.
However, Milei stuck to its program in 2025 and received electoral support. There was also external support: The US offered a $20 billion rescue package to avoid a financial crisis.
According to the magazine, the results were overwhelming. Inflation fell 211% in 2023 to around 30%poverty was reduced 21 percentage pointsthe budget was ordered and the government moved towards a floating weightwhich abolished much of the capital controls.
However, the Economist warns that the process is not secure. He PeronismHe accuses him of decades of mismanagement and expects a setback when he returns to power. In addition, he points out the president’s personal shortcomings, such as his Intolerance of criticism and the Corruption scandals that surround his administration. Still, he stresses that the reforms, if sustained, could permanently transform the country’s trajectory and serve as an inspiration for economic reformers around the world.
Syria, the last election
The improvement of SyriaInstead, it was like this policy. Until the end of 2024, the country was under the regime of Bashar al-Assada dictator backed by Russia and Iran who was responsible for a brutal crackdown that left more than 100,000 people dead 500,000 deadMillions of displaced people and the systematic use of chemical weapons against civilians.
In December 2024, Assad fled the country after the rebels took power. Back then, the future was uncertain. The new leader, Ahmed al Sharaahad a jihadist background and there were fears that he would establish an Islamist theocracy or that Syria would collapse into chaos.
None of that happened. According to The Economist, the new government maintained the country’s unity, avoided imposing extreme religious restrictions – women are not required to cover themselves and recreational activities and even alcohol consumption are allowed – and improved relations with USA and the countries of golf. With the easing of Western sanctions, the economy showed the first signs of recovery.
Of course, enormous challenges remain. Was Massacres against minoritieswith some 2,000 victimsand power is exercised in a clientelistic manner. Nevertheless, the overall conclusion for the British publication is clear: it is the Syria of 2025 much more peaceful and livable than in the previous year. The proof of that is this around three million refugees returned to the country.
For this reason, and despite recognizing remarkable progress in Argentina, The Economist chose Syria as country of the year.
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