Stories about Elections from May, 2012
Serbia: May 6 Elections Results
Eric Gordy of East Ethnia sums up the results of the first round of the elections in Serbia and predicts what is to come after the May 20 runoff: “Assuming that Tadić defeats Nikolić by his usual narrow margin in two weeks, a government that looks a lot like the...
Algeria: Low Turnout in Legislative Elections
On May 10, Algeria's first legislative elections since the start of the Arab uprisings were held. Many people expressed their disillusionment with the current political system by not voting.
Egypt: Disappointment at First Presidential Debate
On May 10 people around the region and beyond were pinned to their screens following Egypt's first ever presidential debate, which was between the top two presidential candidates, Amr Moussa and Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh.
Mali: Junta Aims to Take Back Control after Caretaker President's Term
Marcus Boni Teiga explains why he thinks we should not hold our collective breath for a resolution in the Malian crisis [fr]. While rumors of Captain Sanogo vying to be promoted General circulated in Bamako, reports indicate that the military coup leaders aim to seize back control of the country after the term...
Russia: Yavlinsky Stir Reveals Opposition Rift
True to Yabloko's troubled past and present, Yavlinksy's May 10 blog post criticizing protest escalations has upset many and pleased relatively few. Current developments in the opposition have widened the gap between populist dramatics and nuts-and-bolts politics.
Bahamas: Power of the People
“It no longer feels like hatred for me when the PLP wins, it no longer feels like time to panic”: A reflection on the country's recent elections, from Womanish Words.
Europe: Economic Crisis Fuels Rise in Anti-Immigration Politics
The French presidential election may be over, but the fact that outgoing president Nicolas Sarkozy chose immigration as the core theme of his campaign is still the subject of much debate on the Web. Many netizens have wondered whether his choice to flirt with the far-right wing of his party helped temper his defeat or whether, on the contrary, it was one of the reasons his electorate deserted him.
Russia: Ustream.tv Attacked Over Russian Blogger
On May 9, unknown parties launched a DDoS attack on the live feed website Ustream.tv. The attack was carried out from thousands of unique IPs based in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Iran, and was centered on one particular user, reggamortis1, who for the past four days has been covering opposition rallies and protests in Moscow.
Bahamas: Bloggers Comment on Election Results
The result of Monday's general elections in the Bahamas has given the country a new government: the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), which previously occupied the opposition bench in Parliament, was voted into power in what bloggers are calling a “landslide” victory.
Brazil: Plans for a democratic vote on the Acquario Ceará
The construction of the Acquario Ceará, which has provoked many a discussion lately about transparency in the Brazilian city of Fortaleza, will be subject to a democratic vote [pt] this coming October, 2012. Adísia Sá had already suggested [pt] that the general public had a say. Meanwhile, a movement known as Quem...
Israel: Mofaz Derided for Joining Unity Government
Israel's biggest news story of recent months happened in the early hours of May 8: the head of the opposition, Shaul Mofaz, agreed to join Benjamin Netanyahu's government, thus postponing the early elections Netanyahu had announced just days before.
Russia: Open Hostility in Moscow Surrounding Putin's Inauguration
Both civilians and those charged with keeping order in the city displayed open hostility on May 6 when protesters took to the streets of Moscow in anticipation of Vladimir Putin's inauguration. Donna Welles reports.
Mexico: Citizens Disappointed After Presidential Candidate Debate
Mexican netizens closely followed the presidential candidate debate which took place on Sunday, May 6. Most were disappointed by the lack of proposals presented by the candidates. Here are some bloggers' reactions to the debate.
Russia: Violence Plunges Opposition into Debate About Tactics
Yesterday, the Russian opposition's mass protests against Vladimir Putin for the first time produced mass violence. Dozens of protesters and police officers alike reported injuries, with several on each side requiring hospitalization. Why did yesterday's rally at Bolotnaia Square, the site of two previous peaceful demonstrations, end with blood spilled and Muscovites brawling?
Russia: Surprise Resignations Threaten New Governor Elections
On April 25, the Russian Duma passed a law that restored direct elections of federal governors, reversing a policy of direct presidential appointments. A few days later, Medvedev accepted the resignations of two governors, leading to fears that the Kremlin is reneging on promises to loosen its grip on central power.
Serbia: Monitoring the Elections Via Citizen Media
Rayna Stamboliyska reports on the May 6 elections in Serbia and the online monitoring initiatives that have been set up recently to ensure the transparency of the election process.
Malaysia: Bersih Demonstrations Around the Globe
While the Bersih (clean) demonstrations were going on in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last week, similar gatherings were being organised by Malaysians overseas. The global protests supported the demand for a more democratic electoral exercise in Malaysia
France: Reactions to Presidential Election Results in Photos
The 2012 French presidential election delivered its verdict on May 6, 2012. Francois Hollande collected 51.90% of the votes against 48.10% for incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy. Both happiness and sorrow is on display in online photos.
Greece: Rise of Neo-Nazi Group ‘Golden Dawn’
Facebook group ‘Leme OCHI sti Chrysi Avgi‘ (We say NO to Golden Dawn) [el] already has more than 11,000 likes. Created on December 2011, the anti-fascist group declares that “Fascism is gangrene, either you rip it off or it kills you”. Group members try to persuade people not to vote...
Greece: Public Speech Controversies
Before the May 6, 2012, General Election in Greece, Friday 4 was the last day political parties could organize public speeches and rallies. Heavy criticism was levelled at PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos's choice to give a public speech at Syntagma Square in Athens, center of anti-government and anti-austerity mass citizen protests so...
Greece: General Elections on Twitter
Under hashtags like #grelections, #electionsgr and #ekloges12, Greek netizens share their opinions, feelings and related media about the forthcoming general elections in Greece on Sunday, May 6, 2012.
