Epstein files wreak havoc on Europe’s political elite. Not so much in the US
British police arrested former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor today over allegations that in 2010, when he was a UK trade envoy, he shared confidential government documents with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It’s the first time a British royal family member has been arrested, underscoring the havoc that the Epstein files have wreaked on Europe’s political elite – including in Norway and France. The contrast couldn’t be starker with the US, where, despite rising public outcry, no current or former government officials named in the files have faced serious repercussions. A recent poll, meanwhile, revealed that a majority of the American public believes the Epstein files showed the US’s most powerful people are rarely held accountable.
Minimum wage rage shakes Colombia ahead of elections
Cities across Colombia are bracing for protests this afternoon over a court ruling that suspended a massive increase in the minimum wage. President Gustavo Petro, an outspoken left-winger, recently decreed a 23% increase, framing it as a measure to lift up the working poor in Latin America’s most unequal country. Labor unions applauded the move, while business groups have threatened layoffs, and inflation expectations have soared. The government has until Saturday to present a detailed economic justification for the wage hike. The clash comes ahead of May's presidential elections, in which Petro's ally Ivan Cepéda, who called for the protests, is leading the polls. Beyond the unrest, the court ruling has also created wider uncertainty as Colombia uses the minimum wage as a benchmark for everything from health insurance costs and school tuitions to visa application fees and speeding tickets.
Will Bangladesh’s new government implement constitutional reforms?
Alongside last week’s parliamentary election in Bangladesh, 60% of voters approved of the July Charter, a series of constitutional reforms drafted after the Gen-Z-led revolution in July 2024. But on Tuesday, the winners of the parliamentary vote, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, refused to take an oath as members of the new Constitutional Reform Council. The move called into question whether they would implement the changes, which include term limits on the prime minister, protecting judicial independence, and other checks and balances. The major sticking point is the charter’s call for the creation of an upper house in parliament, which the BNP believes could dilute majorities in the legislature. Once the Reform Council is set up, Bangladesh has 180 days to implement the reforms. We will be watching whether the new government honors the charter, or whether the reforms the Gen-Z activists fought for will be swept under the rug.
