Stories about Elections from November, 2006
Iran:Election and Reformists
According to Alpar, two weeks before “Councils’ Election (of Cities and Villages)” [Fa], reformist groups have united their force and their lists.
Senegal: To Run or Not to Run
Robert Sagna, a former minister in the Senegalese government and Mayor of Zinguinchor, Senegal reflects (Fr) on the upcoming presidential elections: “The whole electoral process is corrupt and managed according to the interests of the Senegalese Democtaric Party (PDS) in power.” He then explains that he is still pondering whether...
Nepal: Democratic Parties
United We Blog! on why it is essential that parties in a democratic system function within the purview of the same. “It is absolutely necessary for eight political parties to democratize their party organizations if they see the urgency to change with the changing time.”
Haiti: Wyclef Jean in Concert in Jacmel
Haiti-based blogger Yon Ayisyen says Haitian-American hip hop artist Wyclef Jean will be in concert in Jacmel, Haiti soon (Fr): “He will perform December 1st two days before the local and municipal elections. I wonder, will he take the opportunity to stay and vote on Sunday?”
Brazil: Post-Election Podcast
Luís Afonso Assumpção has published a podcast about his disappointment with the outcome of Brazil's latest elections and his thoughts on Latin America's current political reality.
D.R. of Congo: Bemba should concede defeat
“…the time has come for Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo to concede defeat,” writes Eye on Africa following the rejection of a legal challenge to last month's presidential run-off election by the Democratic Republic of Congo's Supreme Court.
DRC: “Bemba was to be defeated”
In a long post about Kinshasa's fervor for Bemba despite his defeat, Le Blog du Congolais writes (Fr):”It was written and we knew it: Bemba was to be defeated, for a reason or another. The court however did not this time around have to find the reason. Bemba's lawyers did...
D.R. of Congo: Bemba's election challenge update
“Before declaring the definitive outcome, the Supreme Court rejected Bemba’s challenge for lack of proof (the burden of proof being on the claimant). The CEI was found to have acted legally and transparently. One claim – that Kabila had spent government funds on his investiture ceremony – was regarded as...
Venezuela: Campaigning and History
Miguel Octavio describes the “perverse symbolism of the location of Chavez’ closing rally.”
Cote d'Ivoire: France and UN Resolution 1721
Generation Consciente writes (Fr): “Despite its best efforts, Paris did not succeed in getting the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution that might oust President Gbagbo. After intense negotiations at the UN headquarters, Resolution 1721 regarding Cote d'Ivoire, a French intitiative, was adopted by the Security Council. It maintains...
Ecuador: Rafael Correa Wins Election
A.M. Mora y Leon tries to make sense of Rafael Correa's win on Sunday in Ecuador's presidential election: “And maybe it’s understandable – Correa was a fresh face. Noboa was an oligarch. Correa must have seemed more like an outsider, more willing to be worth the gamble to focus on...
Belarus: Kozulin Turns 51 in Jail
A former presidential candidate, Aleksandr Kozulin, has celebrated his 51st birthday in prison, in relative obscurity, and with no food – because he's been on hunger strike for over a month already, writes TOL's Belarus Blog.
Poland: On Borat, Election, and Russia
The beatroot writes on Borat's Polish connection, a hungover election official, and the current “Polish-Russian meat war.”
Arabisc: Bahraini Elections, Dying Children and Confusing Freedom!
Bahrain held its second Parliamentary elections in its modern history this week, with about 300,000 voters going to the polls. Amongst them was Bahraini blogger Haythoo, who hoped his ‘party’ would emerge victorious. أنا الأن متوجه لتغطية العملية الأنتخابية.. أتمنى أن يحالفنا الحظ و نفوز بأكثرية نيابية.. يجب أن نعمل...
The Week That Was in Bahrain
More than 300,000 Bahrainis went to the polls on Saturday to elect 40 Municipal Councillors and another 40 Members of Parliament. This is the second time Bahrainis vote in their modern history, after sweeping reforms initiated in 2002. According to official records, seventy-two per cent of the eligible voters took...
Reunion: Sarkozy and Nassimah Dindar
Pierrot Dupuy writes (Fr): “I am learning from different sources, some of which are close Parisian relations of [French Interior Minister] Nicolas Sarkozy, that if he is elected President, he will offer a minister job to Nassimah Dindar … Is the best way to avoid Nassimah the minister for Sarkozy...
D.R. of Congo: Bemba's lawyers walk out
11 lawyers representing Jean-Pierre Bemba, the Congolese Presidential-runner up, walk out of the Supreme Court.
Abu Aardvark: Bahrain Elections Spark Media Interest
Abu Aardvark says Al Jazeera Arabic channel has devoted an entire programme to cover the Bahraini parliamentary and municipal elections being held today. He says the elections have generated a lot of interest and scrutiny from the media.
Bahrain: International Exposure
Bahrain is getting international exposure in the media with the Washington Post and New York Times covering its elections, which are being held today, reports Desert Island Boy. But it isn't the publicity the government wants in the global spotlight, he says.
Russia: Unusual Protest
The Turkish Invasion and Very Russian write about today's very unusual demonstration in Moscow. LJ user 50×50 posts photos.
Belarus: Lukashenko Rigged Election
According to TOL's Belarus Blog, Aleksandr Lukashenko admits to having rigged the last election. Well, sort of.