Just over 25 years ago, on 27 April 1994, Nelson Mandela cast his first ever vote as his African National Congress party swept into power. The Guardian called it “the vote of the century” and the ANC has remained in government ever since. But, as South Africa prepares for its latest election next Wednesday, has the party which led the fight against apartheid been left behind? Our Africa correspondent Jason Burke looks at how the party – and the country – has changedsince that famous election.
After the attacks on mosques in Christchurch and churches in Sri Lanka, last Saturday saw another attack on a religious institution – the Chabad of Poway synagogue in San Diego. While less deadly, the latest shooting signalled that these kind of religious terror attacks are not going away. This week, we report from San Diego on the Trump administration’s defence of its own pandering to white supremacists and Jason Burke looks at five key lessons from the attacks in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.
Spain held a snap general election last Sunday and Pedro Sánchez’s socialist PSOE had a decent night, increasing their share of votes and seats in the congress of deputies. Fears about the rise of Vox, Spain’s far-right populists, proved well founded – with the conservative People’s party leaking support to their right. But, writes our European affairs correspondent, Jon Henley, the increased strength of the centre left in Spain may prove to be a positive sign of change across the continent.
Since an October extension was agreed to the Brexit process politicians – and most Britons – have put their minds to something – anything! – else. Before all hell breaks loose again in Westminster, Ed Vulliamy and Le Monde writer Rémy Ourdan took a trip across the north coast of France and the south coast of England to see how people in the communities divided by the Channel are preparing for the split.
We also feature a fascinating long read from Samanth Subramanian on the battle between the hand dryer industry and Big Paper towel; Robert McCrum goes inside the history of Faber & Faber in the days of Auden, Eliot and Pound and we review two new books which try to get to the truth about Vladimir Putin.
