Stories about Elections from September, 2008
Japan: Nobuto Hosaka on the streets of Tokyo
Politician and blogger Nobuto Hosaka [保坂展人] of the Japan Social Democratic Party writes at his doko doko diary [保坂展人のどこどこ日記] about his experience yesterday giving speeches [ja] on the streets of Koenji [高円寺], Asagaya [阿佐ヶ谷], Ogikubo [荻窪] and Iogi [井荻] (neighborhoods of Tokyo) in preparation for upcoming elections.
Ukraine: Overcoming political stalemate?
Foreign Notes posts a translation of an article by Party of Regions’ (PoR) Andriy Kluyev, calling for renewed efforts in forming a solid and long-term Ukrainian government – presumably a PoR-Tymoshenko coalition.
Belarus: Elections without political life
LJ user junkie beatnik comments on [RUS] the absence of political life in Belarus, where neither opposition nor government seem to comment on politics with only a week left until parliamentary elections.
Belarus: Youth activists in strange accident
LJ user toshirskij directs attention to [RUS] a Charta 97 article reporting on an opposition youth activist from the Young Front in a freak car accident. Returning from a meeting in preparation for protests on parliamentary election day 28 September, the wheel of his car fell off at high speed,...
Jamaica: Portia Prevails
Both Active Voice and My View of JamDown from Up So blog about former Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller's victory over “the unprecedented leadership challenge by long-time party stalwart Dr. Peter Phillips.”
Costa Rica: Thoughts On Not Voting in Next Election
The blogger at 3CCV [es] lists possible scenarios and why he/she will not vote in the next elections in Costa Rica, including the fact that both the current government and opposition has left him/her disillusioned.
Belarus: Lukashenko threatens break with the West
LJ user navigatar writes about [RUS] threats by Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko to break relations with the West, in case the results of Sunday's parliamentary elections are not recognised.
St. Vincent & the Grenadines, U.S.A.: International Relations
“Ralphie boy, be careful the big bad US bomb we little St Vincent”: Abeni has some advice for her Prime Minister.
Trinidad & Tobago, U.S.A.: Six Weeks
“It looks to me as if Obama peaked too early, and that America is reassessing him…of course a lot can happen in six weeks”: Notes from Port of Spain is afraid he might be staring down the barrel of the US electorate choosing McCain/Palin.
Hong Kong: King of Youtube
Dm from Learning Cantonese explains how Long Hair and League of Socialist Democracy (LSD) would get support from a wide range of political spectrum with Youtube effect.
Maldives: Election concerns
Free & Fair Election in the Maldives blog raises some valid questions and concerns about the requirements of ID to vote.
Russia: Where did the votes go?
Osteuropablog accounts for [GER] an article in Kommersant, stating that information about election results have disappeared from the website of Russia's Central Election Commission.
Angola: MPLA wins over 80% of votes and secures 191 seats
Angola's National Electoral Commission has disclosed the final results of the first Parliamentary Elections in 16 years and they confirmed victory for the ruling party, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, which won 191 of the 220 parliament seats. See some of the reactions.
Estonia: Russians calling for autonomy
Eternal Remont comments on a story in Vesti Dnya, reporting the birth of an organisation calling for territorial autonomy of ehtnic Russians in Estonia.
Slovenia: Election 2008
Lots of info on the Slovenian electoral system and the upcoming election – at Sleeping With Pengovsky.
Bangladesh: Was Bridget illegally adopted by McCains?
Shada Kalo blog questions whether US presidential candidate John McCain and Cindy McCain's adoption of their Bangladeshi daughter Bridget is illegal as according to Bangladesh Law ‘no foreigner is allowed to adopt a Bangladeshi child’.
Maldives: Election postponed
Mohamed Nasheed comments on the recent postponement of the scheduled ‘October 4th presidential election of Maldives’ and predicts what will happen next.
Aruba, Venezuela, U.S.A.: Wonderful World?
arubagirl blogs about everything from Sarah Palin to Hugo Chavez’ expulsion of the US Ambassador to Venezuela.
Latvia: The political referendum-legitimacy link
Veiko Spolitis of Baltic discusses the tendency of an increasing number of public referenda in Latvian politics – as opposed to parliamentary decisions – and links it to failing legitimacy of the political elite and partisan politics in the country.
Brazil: Justice aims at Twitter and hits innocent bloggers
If the Brazilian Electoral Justice is not quite sure about what the Internet is, their latest blunder proves that Twitter is completely alien to them. When trying to take down a fake mayoral candidate's profile on the popular network, they managed to take offline a blog that had nothing to do with the story. Mind you: They could have taken down the whole Twitter website instead.
Showbiz candidates in Indonesia
The 2009 Indonesian elections get more interesting (or disappointing?) as entertainment celebrities have been tapped to run for elective posts.