We're back.

Welcome to EU Confidential and welcome to 2024.

Let's hope it brings us all a lot of personal joy and peace.

That said, this year will be a big one for political combat,

with politicians fighting for the hearts and minds of voters around the globe.

Over 2 billion people in 50 countries are eligible to vote this year.

That's like one in four humans on the planet.

People will head to the polls in the U.S., Mexico, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Ukraine, the U.K., to name but a few.

Here at Politico Europe, we're gearing up to track the

EU's 400 million voters who could remake Brussels when they have their say in early June.

2024 will be a decisive year. Your vote matters. It will set the direction of our course

and decide on the Europe you want to see.

I can tell you that parties around the EU 27 are already formulating their talking points

and raising the cash they'll need to spread the word. In Brussels, lobbyists and diplomats are

placing bets on future commissioners. And MEPs are shifting from legislating to pontificating as they ask voters to pay attention and re-elect them.

It's all part of a familiar rhythm of election cycles, but the chaos of the past decade has taught us to brace for political tremors, possibly earthquakes, that could upend

national politics and jumble the global order. Just imagine, for example, what could happen

if my Native U.S. decides to send Donald Trump back to the White House. Or heck, he might just

decide he's going to return anyway, regardless of the result. To every American who is petrified that Joe Biden's catastrophic weakness will bring our country to ruin.

I make you this promise as you're president and nobody else can say it.

I am the only one that will prevent World War III because we are very close to World War III.

So listen, guys, I've always been a huge nerd.

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