ACE Electoral News

ACE Electoral News

The Troubling Rise of Hungary's Jobbik (Business Week, 2010)

Commentary: A strong showing in the recent election by the far-right, anti-Semitic, anti-Roma Jobbik party reveals a sickness at the heart of Hungarian democracy

Bakiev Insists He's Still Kyrgyzstan's President, RFE/RL (2010)

The article reports about the first public comments of Kyrgyzstan's ousted leader from exile, who said he remains the legitimate president of the country and called on the international community not to recognize the interim government in Bishkek.

What's Behind Hungary's Far-Right Jobbik (Business Week, 2010)

Hungary's right-wing Jobbik party has burst into the news after its strong showing in the recent election. But its roots run deep—and aren't limited to Central Europe

Hungary: Parties prepare election night quarters (Politics.hu, 2010)

Parties to set their place to wait for the 2nd round's results.

Polish presidential election announced for June 20 (Business Day, 2010)

THE first round of Poland’s presidential elections to elect a successor to Lech Kackzynski, who was killed in a plane crash, will be held on June 20, the parliament’s press service announced today.

UNDP Libya

 

UNDP Morocco

 

UNDP Bahrain

 

Omani Ministry of Interior website (in arabic only)

 

Chinchilla Still First in Costa Rican Race, Angus Reid Global Monitor (2010)

"Ruling Liberal National Party (PLN) candidate Laura Chinchilla is still ahead in Costa Rica’s presidential race, according to a poll by Borge & Asociados published in Diario Extra. 38.7 per cent of respondents would vote for Chinchilla, up two points since December."

Ethiopia ruling party official says May election will be credible, VOA News (2010)

The ruling Ethiopia People's Revolutionary Democratic Front has recently made a statement in which it ensures the voters that this year's May elections will be free and fair, as the party is cooperating with the opposition parties and international observers have been invited to monitor the elections. This year's poll will be the first after the 2005 disputed elections, in which about 200 opposition partisans were reportedly killed by the police.

Blast targets Sri Lanka opposition activist in Colombo, BBC News (2010)

Only a few days ahead of the presidential election, the pre-poll violence has escalated with an explosion at the home of an opposition activist and General Fonseka's ally. The blast comes after the UN has expressed concern over the escalating violence, and the groups monitoring the election campaign have remarked that the election violence and the misuse of state resources are the worst in last 20 years.

ECOWAS will help Guinea organize credible elections, says official, VOA News (2010)

The Economic Community of West African States has promised to help Guinea with organizing credible elections within the next 6 months. The promise comes after the junta named long-time opposition leader Jean-Marie Dore a prime minister of the transitional government tasked with organizing elections. An international team including ECOWAS, the African Union as well as the UN representatives will arrive in Guinea in the coming days to monitor the political situation.

Voters in Martinique, French Guiana reject efforts to reduce French control, VOA News (2010)

Voters in both Martinique and French Guiana rejected the proposal of greater autonomy from France in January referendums. Nearly 79% of the residents in Martinique and almost 70% of those in French Guiana voted against the efforts to reduce French control. The referendums come a year after Martinique and some other French overseas territories were hit by strikes and protests caused by low wages and high prices.

French Guiana, Martinique vote against more autonomy, France 24 International News (2010)

Almost 70% of voters in French Guiana rejected more autonomy from France, while a similar result was seen in a referendum in Martinique, where more autonomy was rejected by 79% of voters. The mayor of Guiana's capital Cayenne remarked that the campaign and the referendum result were driven by the question of financing.

Costa Rica Braces for Tight Presidential Election, Angus Reid Global Monitor (2010)

"Costa Rica’s next presidential election might need a run-off and the second round could see a tight finish, according to a poll by Unimer published in La Nación. 40.9 per cent of respondents would vote for the ruling Liberal National Party (PLN) candidate Laura Chinchilla in next month’s ballot, down 2.1 points since November."

Georgia: Parliament Elects New CEC Chairman, Civil.ge (2010)

The article reports that Georgian Parliament has elected a new chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) for a five-year term. The Parliament elected CEC chairman among three candidates nominated by the President of Georgia. The new chair of the CEC is Zurab Kharatishvili, a member of public broadcaster’s board of trustees since February, 2008.

Son Of Jailed Kyrgyz Politician Vows To Challenge Government, RFE/RL (2010)

The article reports about opposition political movement to be formed against the acting Kyrgyz government. The initiator of this movement is Ruslan Isakov, the son of a Kyrgyz polititian Ismail Isakov, who broke with Bakiev's government in 2008 and joined the opposition. Soon after, Ismail Isakov was put into prison for corruption and his son lives in self-imposed exile in the United States. Ruslan Isakov's goal is to create a political movement abroad to challenge "the antidemocratic regime of President Kurmanbek Bakiev", which is taking Kyrgyzstan to "a catastrophic downfall" as "journalists are being killed, the population is getting poorer, and opposition leaders are declared 'enemies of the nation.'"

Observation of parliamentary elections in Tajikistan, OSCE/ODIHR (2010)

The press release reports about starting an Election Observation Mission of OSCE/ODIHR in Tajikistan, which will observe 28 February 2010 parliamentary elections.

Armenia: Prison term for opposition activist revives democratisation debate, EurasiaNet (2010)

The article writes that seven-year prison sentence was handed down to opposition activist and journalist Nikol Pashinian on January 19 for his alleged role in Armenia’s violent 2008 election protests. Pashinian, editor-in-chief of the opposition daily Haykakan Zhamanak, led crowds of young protestors through central Yerevan during demonstrations against the 2008 presidential election that brought President Serzh Sargsyan to power. The newspaper editor, wanted for allegedly helping to organize clashes between police and protestors that resulted in at least 10 deaths, emerged from hiding in July 2009 after the announcement of a presidential amnesty for individuals detained after the violence.