From ‘testing’ to ‘tiring’, there’s a clear theme.

As 2024 draws to a close, we asked our pantheon of politics watchers to describe the world this year in one sentence, or even a single word. Here’s what they came up with.

Madeleine Chapman (editor, The Spinoff)

Relentless.

Eric Crampton (chief economist, The New Zealand Initiative)

I’ll steal someone else’s instead. “The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters.”

Mihingarangi Forbes (co-host, RNZ’s Mata and Saturday Morning)

Testing and unsettling but an opportunity to learn; to be more focused, disciplined and grateful while being less reactive and angry, ultimately to refocus, draw from positive energy sources and share the aroha far and wide.

Andrew Geddis (law professor, University of Otago)

“I was much further out than you thought / And not waving but drowning.”

Lara Greaves (politics associate professor, University of Auckland)

Tiring or “Democratic Fatigue Syndrome”. 

Gabi Lardies (staff writer, The Spinoff)

Toby Manhire (editor-at-large, The Spinoff)

Mojo horribilis.

Ben McKay (AAP Pacific editor)

Clamorous. 

Anna Rawhiti-Connell (senior writer and head of audience, The Spinoff)

Nihilistic.

Stewart Sowman-Lund (editor, The Bulletin)

Every year since 2020 has got progressively worse – surely 2025 is going to buck the trend?

Got a word to describe the year? Comment below.