Published 16:35 IST, December 27th 2019
From Imran Khan to Donald Trump: Here are some memorable political quotes of the decade
From Imran Khan to Donald Trump, check out the most memorable political quotes of the decade. Boris Johnson and Jacinda Ardern also feature on the list.
The last decade has seen some very significant shift in the political discourse of the world. Many countries that were historically left-leaning have shifted towards the right in the recent past. The shift towards the right is blamed upon the massive migrant crisis that has hit the world from east to west. The decade saw right-wing leaders like Narendra Modi, Donald Trump, Boris Johnson getting elected by a huge majority that the left failed to predict.
Most memorable political quotes of the decade
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, who is famous for grabbing headlines recently took over the presidency of North Korea from his father Kim Jong Il, in 2011. However, unlike his father, he decided to take on the United States himself. North Korea had been developing nuclear weapons for quite some time now and Kim knew perfectly how to get the US on talking tables.
In September 2017, Kim issued a threat that forced US President Donald Trump to meet him in person nine months later. Kim said:
"The entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapons; a nuclear button is always on my desk. This is reality, not a threat." Donald Trump became the first US president in history to meet a North Korean dictator.
The most shocking result that came in this decade was when Donald Trump got elected as the 45th President of the United States in 2016. But when Trump was running for presidency he made one of the most controversial comments of his life. Trump while addressing the Mexican immigrant crisis said:
"When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with them. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."
Boris Johnson is one of the most controversial Prime Minister that the United Kingdom has ever elected. Johnson recently won the UK polls by a huge majority and will complete the Brexit process with the European Union by 2020. Boris on EU delaying the Brexit said:
"I'd rather be dead in a ditch. I just don't...I really need... [EU] cost a billion pounds a month, it achieves absolutely nothing. What is the point of further delay?"
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won hearts after her very mature handling of the deadly Christchurch attack that killed 50 people. Jacinda while addressing the people of New Zealand said:
"That's why you will never hear me mention his name. He is a terrorist, he is a criminal, he is an extremist. But he will, when I speak, be nameless. He may have sought notoriety, but we in New Zealand will give him nothing. Not even his name."
Pakistan's Imran Khan had been calling for democracy in his country until he took over as Prime Minister in August 2018. Imran Khan once said:
"One is actually the democracy here, you know, people are, people, assume that this election means that there is democracy in Pakistan. There is no democracy."
Imran Khan was a staunch critic of Pakistan's democratic process and its Army's involvement in politics. As an Opposition leader, Imran Khan always challenged his government and the army to follow the norms of a democratic society but everything changed in 2018 when he took over as prime minister. Poll experts believe that he sided with the army to oust the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif as many accuse them of rigging the election.
Updated 16:35 IST, December 27th 2019