2012 started with the parties level pegging in the polls. Ed Miliband was being written off in some quarters as a failure and George Osborne was hoping this would be the year that the economy would start to surge out of the doldrums.
In reality, Osborne's March budget proved disastrous. The papers tore into him over his plan to cut the top rate of tax while at the same time raising taxes on such things as static caravans and hot pasties. The Conservatives dropped in the polls and a series of u-turns began to attract the label "omnishambles". The following month, Britain's economy re-entered recession.
Across Europe, similar economic trends could be seen. It was enough to see off Nicolas Sarkozy - he was defeated by French Socialist candidate Francois Hollande. Greece needed two elections to breakthrough a political deadlock as the country came worryingly close to defaulting on its debts.
In America however, Barack Obama bucked the trend. He won a second term in spite of his economic record - but must face fresh battles with congress over his plan to raise taxes to avert a so-called 'fiscal cliff'.
In this end of year review edition we relive the events with Polly Toynbee, Aditya Chakrabortty, Larry Elliott, Angelique Chrisafis, Michael White, Martin Kettle, Andrew Gimson, Richard Grayson, Dan Sabbagh and Hadley Freeman.
Leave your thoughts and highlights of the political year below.
Politics Weekly will return in January 2013.
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