The world in
What happened in 2017?
8 events across 5 world regions, each with its sources.
Europe
- 2017 German federal election
On 24 September 2017, Germany held the election for the 19th Bundestag. Although Chancellor Merkel's CDU/CSU remained the largest group, it achieved its lowest vote share since 1949, and the SPD fell to its worst result since 1933. The right-wing populist AfD entered the Bundestag for the first time, becoming the third-largest party.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- 2017 French presidential election
The 2017 French presidential election was held on 23 April and 7 May under the two-round system. In the first round, centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right Marine Le Pen led with approximately 23% and 21% of the vote respectively, advancing to the runoff. On 7 May, Macron defeated Le Pen with 66.06% of the vote, becoming the 25th President of France. Incumbent François Hollande chose not to run for a second term amid low approval ratings, marking the first time a sitting president of the Fifth Republic did not seek re-election.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- Outbreak of the War in Donbas
In April 2014, Russian-backed paramilitaries launched an uprising in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, seizing territory and declaring independent states, prompting a military response from the Ukrainian government. This phase of the Russo-Ukrainian war, fought as a hybrid conflict, lasted until it was subsumed by the full-scale invasion in 2022.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
North America
- Launch of the #MeToo movement
In October 2017, following the exposure of Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment cases, the #MeToo hashtag spread widely on social media, growing into a movement against sexual abuse and harassment. Actress Alyssa Milano encouraged women on Twitter to share their experiences, aiming to reveal the pervasiveness of such behavior. Activist Tarana Burke had previously used the phrase 'Me Too' sporadically. The hashtag quickly drew millions of participants, including many public figures, and garnered global attention.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
- War on Terror begins
The United States launched the global War on Terror in 2001, following the September 11 attacks, a military campaign spanning multiple theaters.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
West Asia
- Outbreak of the Syrian Civil War
In March 2011, large-scale anti-government protests demanding democratic reforms broke out in Syria as part of the Arab Spring. The Assad regime's lethal crackdown led to the formation of armed opposition groups, turning the uprising into a civil war. The conflict lasted nearly 14 years until the regime's fall in December 2024.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Sub-Saharan Africa
- 2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état
Between 14 and 21 November 2017, the Zimbabwean military detained President Robert Mugabe and seized key government facilities in Harare. Mugabe resigned under impeachment pressure, ending his decades-long rule. The military and ruling party denied it was a coup.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Central Asian steppe
- Launch of the Belt and Road Initiative
In 2013, the Chinese government launched the Belt and Road Initiative, an infrastructure and economic development strategy to connect Asia, Europe, Africa, and beyond. The initiative comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, evoking the historic trade routes. It has since involved agreements with numerous countries and organizations for global connectivity projects.
SourcesWikipedia ↗