Every Christmas, The Economist Name yours country of the year. Not the happiest – that would almost always be a Scandinavian country, which would make the competition boring and predictable. Not the most influential either – that would always be a superpower. What we are trying to identify is this Country that has improved the mostwhether economically, politically or socially, or in any other aspect that really matters.
The year was turbulent: the president Donald Trump Disrupted global trade and terrible conflicts have left scars in places like… Ribbon And Sudan. However, several countries successfully navigated troubled waters. Canada He chose not a populist but a sober technocrat as prime minister and resisted American harassment. In MoldovaDespite threats and misinformation from Moscow, voters rejected a pro-Russian party. Mr Trump has brokered a fragile truce between them Israel and the Palestinians.
South Korea recovered from a serious threat to its democracy. A year ago the president Yoon Suk Yeol He attempted to impose martial law and sent troops to shut down Parliament. But lawmakers, protesters and institutions resisted, and this year the already discredited former president was charged with insurrection.
Another prominent example of the response to violent attempts to undermine the constitutional order was Brazil. In September, a Brazilian court handed him a 27-year prison sentence Jair BolsonaroFormer president who lost the 2022 election claimed he was deceived and tried to stage a coup to stay in power. Brazil was plagued by coups throughout much of the 20th century; This is the first time that a coup plotter has received appropriate punishment. Furthermore, in 2025, the government managed to stop deforestation Amazonand thus contributes to slowing climate change. However, his foreign policy is accommodative Kremlin has significantly tarnished his balance sheet.
The two strongest candidates this year They are very different: Argentina and Syria. Argentina’s improvement was economic. Your President, Javier Mileibegan sweeping free-market reforms in 2023 in hopes of lifting the country out of more than a century of statism and stagnation. These reforms—eliminating price controls, cutting spending, and eliminating distortive subsidies—are extraordinarily difficult because they are extraordinarily painful; Many previous reformers failed. However, Mr. Milei kept his “chainsaw” in 2025 and voters continued to support him. He did too USAprovides a lifeline of 20 billion dollars to avoid a financial crisis. The results were impressive. The inflation fell off 211% in 2023 approx 30% current. The Poverty rate has decreased 21 points Percentages since last year. The household was brought under control. Mr. Milei moved to a floating peso and eliminated most capital controls.
Argentina could still fail. The Peronists, who have misgoverned the country for generations, are desperate to return if Mr. Milei stumbles. And the president has many flaws: he is intolerant of critics and surrounded by scandals corruption. But if his reforms stand, they could permanently transform Argentina’s trajectory and give hope to economic reformers around the world.
The improvement of SyriaOn the other hand, it was political. It was ruled a little over a year ago Bashar al-Assada pathetic dictator supported by Iran and Russia. Their prisons were full of political prisonersand dissenting opinions were punished torture either Death. Thirteen years Civil War They had cost the lives of more than half a million people. Deployment of Al-Assad’s forces chemical weapons And Barrel bombs indiscriminately against civilians. More than six million people had fled the country.
Then, in early December 2024, the tyrant was forced to flee when rebels took power. When we chose the country of the year, it was still too early to say what the new Syria would look like. His leader, Ahmed al-SharaaHe was a jihadist. Many feared that he would usher in a strict Islamist theocracy or that Syria would collapse into chaos. In reality, none of these things happened. Women are not required to cover up or stay at home. Entertainment and, yes, alcohol are permitted. Mr Sharaa has caused a number of positive surprises, united the country and built good relations USA and the Gulf States. While they relax Sanctions westernThe economy is also beginning to recover.
Major problems remain. militias carried out two horrific massacres Locals against minorities, in which 2,000 people died. Mr. Sharaa rules in a clientelistic manner, and a lot can still go wrong in such a fragile country.
Nevertheless, Syria is much happier and more peaceful in 2025 than in 2024. Fear is no longer omnipresent. Life is not easy, but for most people it is more or less normal. Around three million Syrians voted with their feet and returned home. Our choice therefore also falls on Syria.
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