The Potential Policies of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Probable Next President of the Philippines
![Philippine presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, gestures as he speaks during a campaign rally in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, February 14, 2022.](http://cdn.cfr.org/sites/default/files/styles/slide_3_2/public/image/2022/04/RTS5H5EL.webp)
Although the actual election isn’t for another six weeks, current polling suggests Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is all but a lock to succeed Rodrigo Duterte as the Philippines’ next president. Marcos, who is the son of the late longtime Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., has opened up a massive lead against his nearest challenger, current Vice President Leni Robredo.
Given what a divisive figure he is among sections of the Philippine population, Marcos will also benefit from the rules governing the country’s one-round presidential election, in which a simple plurality, rather than a majority, suffices to win. The opposition, currently fragmented around six candidates, might stand a chance if it rallied around one clear rival to Marcos, but so far that hasn’t happened and it seems unlikely.
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As a result, it’s not premature to consider what to expect from Marcos as president. For more on his possible policies, see my new World Politics Review article at: https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/30442/in-presidential-elec…
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