When darkness sets in, you have to look for a few rays of light and use them to lighten your way. When bad news accumulates, we must seek good news and lean on it. When evil progresses, we must rely on the rare signs of the good to organize the fight.
At a time when the world is facing unprecedented health, economic and social crises, and that very difficult months, if not years, lie ahead, it is all the more useful to look for what can happen soon that is positive and use it to make a difference.
In the long term, many positive things can happen that can give lasting reasons to laugh, hope, and live freely in a liveable world. For example, we may witness someday in the near future the questioning of the use of coal, a massive effort in Africa to educate girls, the birth of a Europe of defence, and the renaissance in France and elsewhere of a right-wing and a left-wing of government. And so many other positive technological and social developments, which will one day happen and that each of us, in our own way, must help bring to life. Not to mention the works of art, which spontaneously arise and that can illuminate the lives of men better than anything else.
More simply, between now and the end of the year, several very positive events may occur. Each one of us can draw up a list of such events. For the world, for our country. For ourselves.
Here’s mine, based solely on geopolitical:
1. An effective vaccine against Covid-19 may be approved before the end of this year, or in the early months of next year. Several projects are in their final stage. At least one may soon be deployed.
2. Drugs may emerge to enable those with the most severe forms of the disease to recover without excessive lingering effects.
3. Donald Trump may be defeated in the November presidential election in the United States: Allow me to think that it would be good news for the United States and for the world, at least because it would help better control the pandemic globally.
4. The Belarusian dictator may be ousted from power, which would be followed by truly free elections, showing that, contrary to what the fussier among us argue, democracy is not receding in the world and especially not in Europe.
5. Maduro could leave Venezuela, proving that democratic progress is possible in Latin America, which is increasingly dominated by autocratic governments.
6. Benjamin Netanyahu could be forced to resign, for political or legal reasons, paving the way for the election, in Israel, of a majority and a government capable of making peace with the Palestinians and other surrounding countries.
7. The killers of the ACTED experts in Niger could be found, which would be a sign of the rule of law being strengthened in the countries of the region.
8. An agreement on Brexit could be reached in time, allowing the European Union and Great Britain to work together harmoniously on all major issues, particularly in the field of defence.
9. A genuine European recovery plan could be drawn up, funding the priorities of the economy of life.
10. And, finally, a piece of news that would not really have any geopolitical content: a French team could win the Champions League final.
None of these events or any other positive news is certain; neither in the coming months, nor even in the years to come. It is, however, essential to hope for them and to work on them. And if the year 2020 ends with their materialization, the world would regain a smile that had been lost for too long.
j@attali.com