These speeches may typically include a summary of political, social or economic issues and past events, or additionally an overview of prospects for the coming year if taking place at year's end.
The original practice was to issue a broadcast coinciding with Christmas. Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands published a written Christmas greeting in 1914, during World War I, and went on to make the first such address on radio in 1931. During the reign of her daughter Juliana, it became an annual tradition.[1][2] The monarchs of the Commonwealth realms have addressed the public at Christmas since 1932, when George V delivered the first such broadcast via the British Broadcasting Corporation's Empire Service. The royal message was televised for the first time in 1957, during the reign of Elizabeth II.[3]
In Spain, Francisco Franco first addressed the "fighters of Spain for the cause" at the end of 1937, during the civil war, and in his subsequent rule delivered an annual broadcast at the end of each year beginning in 1946. The practice was inherited by the Spanish monarch after Franco's death in 1975.[4]
In post-war Germany, the annual Christmas broadcast was delivered by the chancellor from 1949 until 1969, and by the president from 1970 onwards.[5] The speech by the Belgian monarch is usually delivered separately in Dutch and French, the two most-spoken languages in Belgium. A separate broadcast in German, another official language, was made for the first time by king Philippe in 2013.[6]
The President of the United States may give out Christmas messages as part of their weekly address. Some of these messages come out within a few days before Christmas or on Christmas Day.[7][8] The president may also give a Christmas message to soldiers serving in the United States Armed Forces.[9] The opposition party may also give out their Christmas messages as part of their response to the president's weekly address.[10]
Others have modified the practice by issuing a statement to coincide with the secular New Year holiday.
In the Soviet Union, the first New Year broadcast was delivered on radio by Mikhail Kalinin, then the head of state, in 1941.[17] With the expansion of linear broadcasting, a tradition was subsequently established of the leader at the time making a televised speech before the transition to the new year at midnight, starting with general secretary Leonid Brezhnev at the end of 1971, and continuing with Mikhail Gorbachev starting from 1985. In addition, beginning in 1986, Gorbachev and United States president Ronald Reagan exchanged televised New Year's Day addresses to the other's respective nations. This exchange continued between US president George H. W. Bush and Gorbachev until the dissolution of the Soviet Union.[17][18] The practice of making a televised address on New Year's Eve was continued by leaders of the post-Soviet states, notably the presidents of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.[19][20] Since 2020, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has also distributed New Year speeches on YouTube.[20]
In post-war Germany, the annual New Year broadcast was delivered by the president from 1949 until 1969, and by the chancellor from 1970 onwards.[5] The president of Italy has likewise done so since 1949.[25] The president of France has addressed the nation on every New Year's Eve since 1959. Their speech is usually prerecorded around two hours before broadcast, with the only exception being in 2007, when it was broadcast live.[26][27][28] The address by the president of Hungary was traditionally given on the morning of New Year's Day, with the exception of Tamás Sulyok's tenure, when it was moved to Christmas.[29][30]
Leaders have used their annual speeches to announce major policies or disclose their own political opinions. At the end of 2024, presidents Alassane Ouattara and Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced the withdrawal of French forces or military bases from their respective countries during their New Year's addresses, coming as part of the wider French military withdrawal from West Africa.[42][47] On the same day, Polish rightwing president Andrzej Duda used his to publicly criticize the policies of the third government of prime minister Donald Tusk, which was drawn from an opposition coalition.[45] King Mohammed VI of Morocco announced an initiative to "enable the Sahel countries to have access to the Atlantic Ocean" in his 2023 address coinciding with the anniversary of the Green March.[68]
1 2 "Role of the President of the Swiss Confederation". Federal Council. Retrieved 9 February 2025. Presidents of the Swiss Confederation have special representational duties during their year of office. Traditionally they give a speech at New Year and on Swiss National Day on 1 August, which is broadcast on radio and television.
↑ "71 år med nyttårstaler"[71 years of New Year's speeches]. Statsministerens kontor (in Norwegian Bokmål). Regjeringen.no. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
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