USA and Global Politics Question Predictions 2026 - Edexcel A-Level Politics

Main ideas / lessons conveyed

• The speaker (Ollie) shares Edexcel A-Level Politics Paper 3 predictions for 2026, focusing on topics that are more likely to appear based on what has not recently been examined.

• Key warning: Do not only revise the predicted topics. Students must revise everything on the specification, because any topic can appear, including ones from last year.

• Predictions are presented as “educated guesses/hunches”, not certainties.

• Additional revision support is promoted:
  • An Easter revision webinar series (US politics and global politics; also UK politics and other topics).
  • Free mock papers on the “Politics Explained” website.
  • More Paper 3 resources are said to be available/coming soon (e.g., essay plans, revision notes, example packs, flashcards).

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Methodology used for the predictions (as described)

The predictions identify topics/questions that:

• Did not come up last year, or
• Have not been asked recently (i.e., “never been asked” or “not been asked in a long time”).

These are then marked as extra priority areas.

The likely focus is given separately for:

• 30-mark questions
  • Big topics
  • Smaller “tagged on”/related angles
• 12-mark questions
  • Broad themes recurring
  • Smaller comparative/format topics
• (For global politics) an “analyze 12 markers” type (likelihood/conflict angles).

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Detailed list of predicted / high-priority topics and example question directions

A) USA Politics (Paper 3)

30-markers (main/high priority)

Two major (“big”) topics suggested as most important:

• Democracy and participation

  • Example angles:
    • interest groups
    • party policy
    • campaign finance
    • presidential elections
  • Rationale: these didn’t come up last year (or haven’t much recently).

• The presidency

  • Example angles:
    • relationship between Congress and the presidency
  • Rationale: asked last year only in that relationship, but not much in recent years; also framed as highly topical due to current events.

Smaller topics recommended as likely (often because they haven’t been asked as standalone 30-mark questions):

• Party policy

  • Note: no 30-mark question “on its own” has really happened.
  • Example: evaluate whether Republican and Democrat parties have more in common than differences in policy

• Constitutional amendment process

  • Example: evaluate whether the constitutional amendment process works effectively

• Race and rights

  • Example: evaluate whether reforms to improve racial equality in the US have been effective
  • Rationale: not asked since 2021

• Presidential elections and their significance

  • Example: evaluate whether incumbency determines presidential election results
  • Example: evaluate whether the US presidential election process requires reform

• Foreign policy (explicitly combines presidency/Congress themes)

  • Example: evaluate the view that the president is able to dominate foreign policy

• Formal vs informal sources of presidential powers

  • Example: evaluate whether the president’s formal powers are more important than informal powers

Note on exact wording: The speaker says the exact question wording is unlikely to match the predictions. The above are examples of what could be asked. They recommend practicing with mock papers.

12-markers

Likely “overall” topics:

• Presidency
• Democracy and participation
  • Rationale: both are said to be unlikely to have been tested last year, so they should be prepared.

Smaller comparative/structural topics suggested:

• Comparing/contrasting elements across systems, such as:
  • party systems between countries
  • interest groups between countries
  • interest/power/influence of pressure groups in the UK and US
• Specific “has never been asked” / “has never been asked in this format” type points:
  • House of Commons vs House of Representatives (never asked)
  • Extent of accountability of prime minister vs president to their legislatures (never asked)
  • Comparing party systems (never asked)
    • Example: differences/similarities between UK and US party systems

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B) Global Politics (Paper 3)

30-markers (main/high priority)

Two big global topics not mentioned as coming up last year:

• Political and economic global governance
• State and globalization

Other big topics said to have come up recently and may reappear:

• Human rights and environmental governance
• Power and developments
• Regionalism and the EU

Smaller/specific 30-mark possibilities (often linked to the above themes):

• NATO and the United Nations

  • UN: “never been a question just on the UN”
  • NATO: “never been a question on NATO at all”
  • Examples:
    • evaluate whether global governance is ineffective
    • evaluate whether both NATO and the UN are ineffective and outdated
    • or a question focusing only on one of them

• Effectiveness of non-state actors in tackling contemporary global issues

  • Framing: this angle is said to be “tagged onto the end” of topics, not always asked alone
  • Example: evaluate whether non-state actors are ineffective in tackling poverty/environment or other issues

• Spread and development of liberal ideas

  • Example: evaluate the view that democracy and rule of law are in decline

• State power classification

  • Example: evaluate whether China is now a superpower
  • Example: evaluate whether the US is no longer hegemonic

• Sovereignty (likely to appear; could be embedded in multiple topics)

  • Example under globalization:
    • evaluate whether globalization has undermined sovereignty of states
  • Example under human rights:
    • evaluate whether human sovereignty is the main barrier to human rights protection

• European Union

  • Said: not asked “in a while”
  • Example: evaluate whether the EU is a success for member states
  • Example: evaluate whether the EU is no longer a significant global actor
  • Example: evaluate whether it undermines sovereignty of member states

12-markers (global politics)

Topics said to have NOT come up last year (so prepare especially well):

• Regionalism and the EU
• State and globalization
• Human rights and environmental global governance

Smaller topics suggested for strong preparation:

• Polarity and the world order
  • Example: differences between multipolar vs unipolar world order
• Spread of liberal ideas
• Decline of democracy and rule of law
  • Example: examine ways democracy/rule of law have been in decline
• Hard vs soft power
  • Example: differences between hard and soft power
  • Example: effectiveness of hard and soft power
• Humanitarian interventions
  • Example: criticisms of humanitarian interventions and humanitarian/human rights courts
  • Example: examine differences in effectiveness
• Theories of development
  • Example: differences between dependency theory and classical economic development theory
  • Note: described as potentially difficult; “never been asked”
• Global civil society / non-state actors
  • Example: examine the role and significance of global civil society/non-state actors in tackling contemporary global issues

“Analyze 12 markers” (additional angle mentioned)

• Globalization and likelihood of conflict
  • Example directions:
    • analyze divisions/differences around likelihood of conflict
    • differences between realist vs liberal ideas on globalization and their views on conflict

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Resources / instructions emphasized (what viewers are encouraged to do)

• Revise the full specification, not only predictions.
• Use the free mock papers for practice:
  • Access: “first link in the description” on Politics Explained.
• Use official/exam-support materials advertised:
  • Essay plans (including 12-marker and 30-marker plans), revision notes, example packs, flashcards—said to be up-to-date for the current exam cycle.
• Attend or use recordings from:
  • Easter revision webinar series (details below).

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Speakers / sources featured

• Ollie — speaker; claims an A* in A-level Politics and runs/hosts the predictions video and webinar series.
• Politics Explained — website referenced as the source for free mock papers and additional Paper 3 revision resources.
• Edexcel A-Level Politics (Paper 3 exam structure) — framework used for the predictions (no other specific institution speaker named).
• YouTube (comment section) — the speaker invites viewers to comment, but no additional speakers are present in the subtitles.