September 23, 2022
A weekly review of key news and analysis of elections in Asia and the Indo-Pacific, usually posted on Fridays and occasionally updated throughout the week.
Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Bijay Chaurasia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Upcoming Asia/Pacific Elections
New Zealand Local Elections: October 8, 2022
Matthew Brockett, Bloomberg (September 15, 2022): Jacinda Ardern’s Feted Covid Response Could Yet Be Her Undoing
Nick Perry, AP (September 12, 2022): New Zealand PM says no republic plan following queen’s death
Nepal General and Provincial Elections: November 20, 2022
Sovit Subedi and Bishnu Adhikari, DevPolicy Blog (September 21, 2022): Nepal’s 2022 elections: a step towards democratic consolidation?
Purushottam Poudel, Kathmandu Post (September 19, 2022): Will Hinduism be an agenda in the upcoming elections? While events in India will have an impact, religion is as yet not a big vote-puller in Nepal.
Purushottam Poudel, Kathmandu Post (September 12, 2022): Visiting Chinese Speaker may have speculations of left unity to shrug off: Even in the past, China has clearly expressed its wish for a strong and united communist party in Nepal.
Taiwan Local Elections: November 26, 2022
Courtney Donovan Smith, Taiwan News (September 13, 2022): If this year’s Taiwan elections were normal, KMT would win big, but this year is strange
Thompson Chau, Nikkei Asia (September 13, 2022): Cyber warfare: China attacks force Taiwan to bolster defenses
India, State Elections in Himachal Pradesh: November 2022 (due)
Kavita Chowdhury, The Diplomat (September 12, 2022): Can Rahul Gandhi’s Long March Revive the Fortunes of the Congress Party?
Thailand General Elections: By March 23, 2023 (earlier elections possible)
Council on Foreign Relations (September 15, 2022): Thailand Simmers on the Edge: Thailand’s political environment is tense in the run-up to the 2023 national elections.
Voice of America (September 14, 2022): Thailand Court Set to Rule on PM Prayuth’s Tenure on Sept. 30
Reuters (September 12, 2022): Thai opinion poll shows majority want an early election
Malaysia General Elections and State Elections: May 2023 (due – general elections likely to be called earlier)
AP (September 22, 2022): Malaysia’s Anwar: Opposition has ‘fair chance’ to win polls
Stratfor (September 21, 2022): What Early Elections in Malaysia Would Mean for the Prime Minister and Ruling Party
Eric Martin, Bloomberg (September 11, 2022): Malaysia Trade Chief Says Economy Needs to Recover Before Polls
Cambodia Parliamentary Elections: July 30, 2023 (due)
Sokunthea Hong, Radio Free Asia (September 23, 2022): PM Hun Sen’s United Nations appearance draws Cambodian diaspora protest
Union of Catholic Asian News (September 20, 2022): Cambodia’s shrinking civic freedoms slammed: The Hun Sen regime’s persecution of activists, trade union activists, the opposition and others must end, CIVICUS says
Sebastian Strangio, The Diplomat (September 16, 2022): Cambodia Opens Third Mass Trial of Opposition Activists
Burma Parliamentary Elections: By August 2023 (proposed – tentative, post-coup)
Sebastian Strangio, The Diplomat (September 15, 2022): Myanmar Junta Chief Airs Postponement of Sham Election: The military government is pinning its political hopes on a state-managed election next year, but it is unclear if it can be held in the current political conditions.
Bangladesh Parliamentary Elections: December 2023 (due)
Sohini Bose, Observer Research Foundation (September 15, 2022): Will Sheikh Hasina’s foreign policy boost her re-election bid? The ‘India factor’ has played an undeniable role in the Awami League’s past electoral triumphs.
Shafi Md Mostofa, The Diplomat (September 9, 2022): Sheikh Hasina’s Visit to Delhi Disappoints Bangladesh
Indonesia Presidential and Legislative Elections: February 14, 2024 and Provincial Elections: November 27, 2024
Financial Times (September 20, 2022): Indonesia’s unexpected success story: The economy is prospering despite the sense of crisis elsewhere but the country’s politics could become more unstable
Faris Mokhtar, Bloomberg (September 14, 2022): Jokowi Could Run for Vice President in Indonesia’s 2024 Election
Joshua Kurlantzick, Council on Foreign Relations (September 13, 2022): Prabowo Subianto and Indonesia’s Next Presidential Election
Solomon Islands General Elections: April 2024 (delayed)
Damien Cave, New York Times (September 12, 2022): Solomon Islands’ leader, a friend of China, gets an election delayed
Sri Lanka Presidential Election: September 2024 and Parliamentary Elections: August 2025 (snap elections possible)
The Diplomat (September 20, 2022): Bailouts Won’t Save Sri Lanka. Ending Dynastic Politics Might.
Past Asia/Pacific Elections
Japan, Gubernatorial Election in Okinawa: September 11, 2022
Jiji (September 11, 2022): Anti-U.S. base incumbent Gov. Denny Tamaki wins Okinawa vote
Reuters (September 11, 2022): Okinawa voters re-elect opposition-backed governor, media report
Australia General Elections: May 21, 2022
Rod McGuirk, AP (September 11, 2022): Australia’s PM says referendum on republic not his priority
Philippines General Elections (Presidential, Legislative, and Local): May 9, 2022
Dwight De Leon, Rappler (September 20, 2022): House approves postponement of barangay, SK elections on final reading
Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch (September 20, 2022): As Philippines’ Marcos Speaks Before UN, a Few Reminders
Reuters (September 13, 2022): Philippines President Marcos defends father’s martial law legacy
Hong Kong Chief Executive Election: May 8, 2022 (indirect)
Hillary Leung, Hong Kong Free Press (September 19, 2022): Hong Kong’s number 2 official appointed as chair of election candidate vetting committee: The Candidate Eligibility Review Committee was introduced as part of a sweeping electoral overhaul to ensure that only “patriots” can participate in politics in Hong Kong.
Regional Analysis
John R. Bolton, Washington Post (September 12, 2022): As China targets the South Pacific, the U.S. urgently needs to push back
Asia/Pacific Elections Coming Up in 2022 and 2023
Japan, Gubernatorial Election in Okinawa: September 11, 2022
Nauru Parliamentary Elections: September 24, 2022
New Zealand Local Elections: October 8, 2022
Vanuatu Snap Elections: October 13, 2022
Australia, Tasmania Local Elections: October 25, 2022
Timor-Leste Local Elections: October 2022 (due)
Fiji Parliamentary Elections: November 2022 (due)
Taiwan Local Elections: November 26, 2022
India, State Elections in Himachal Pradesh: November 2022 (due)
Australia, South Australia Local Elections; November 11, 2022
Australia, Victoria State Elections: November 26, 2022
India, State Elections in Gujarat: December 2022 (due)
India, State Elections in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland: February 2023 (due)
Thailand General Elections: By March 23, 2023 (earlier elections possible)
Australia, New South Wales State Elections: March 25, 2023
Micronesia Parliamentary Elections: March 7, 2023
Malaysia General Elections and State Elections: May 2023 (due – general elections likely to be called earlier)
India, State Elections in Karnataka: May 2023 (due)
Cambodia Parliamentary Elections: July 30, 2023 (due)
Burma Parliamentary Elections: By August 2023 (proposed – tentative, post-coup)
Maldives Presidential Election: September 2023 (due)
Tuvalu General Elections: September 2023 (due)
Singapore Presidential Election: September 2023 (expected – largely ceremonial role)
New Zealand General Elections: October 2023 (expected – due by January 2024)
Bhutan Parliamentary Elections: October 2023 (due)
India, State Elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Mizoram: November 2023 (due)
Bangladesh Parliamentary Elections: December 2023 (due)
India, State Elections in Rajasthan and Telangana: December 2023 (due)
Philippines Village Elections: December 2023 (following proposed delay)
21votes does not necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed in the linked articles; rather, our goal is to curate a wide range of voices. Furthermore, none of the individuals or organizations referenced have reviewed 21votes’ content. That is to say, their inclusion should not be taken to imply that they endorse us in any way. More on our approach here.
Asia This Week: September 23, 2022
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Last Updated: October 6, 2022 by 21votes
September 23, 2022
A weekly review of key news and analysis of elections in Asia and the Indo-Pacific, usually posted on Fridays and occasionally updated throughout the week.
Upcoming Asia/Pacific Elections
New Zealand Local Elections: October 8, 2022
Matthew Brockett, Bloomberg (September 15, 2022): Jacinda Ardern’s Feted Covid Response Could Yet Be Her Undoing
Nick Perry, AP (September 12, 2022): New Zealand PM says no republic plan following queen’s death
Nepal General and Provincial Elections: November 20, 2022
Sovit Subedi and Bishnu Adhikari, DevPolicy Blog (September 21, 2022): Nepal’s 2022 elections: a step towards democratic consolidation?
Purushottam Poudel, Kathmandu Post (September 19, 2022): Will Hinduism be an agenda in the upcoming elections? While events in India will have an impact, religion is as yet not a big vote-puller in Nepal.
Purushottam Poudel, Kathmandu Post (September 12, 2022): Visiting Chinese Speaker may have speculations of left unity to shrug off: Even in the past, China has clearly expressed its wish for a strong and united communist party in Nepal.
Taiwan Local Elections: November 26, 2022
Courtney Donovan Smith, Taiwan News (September 13, 2022): If this year’s Taiwan elections were normal, KMT would win big, but this year is strange
Thompson Chau, Nikkei Asia (September 13, 2022): Cyber warfare: China attacks force Taiwan to bolster defenses
India, State Elections in Himachal Pradesh: November 2022 (due)
Kavita Chowdhury, The Diplomat (September 12, 2022): Can Rahul Gandhi’s Long March Revive the Fortunes of the Congress Party?
Thailand General Elections: By March 23, 2023 (earlier elections possible)
Council on Foreign Relations (September 15, 2022): Thailand Simmers on the Edge: Thailand’s political environment is tense in the run-up to the 2023 national elections.
Voice of America (September 14, 2022): Thailand Court Set to Rule on PM Prayuth’s Tenure on Sept. 30
Reuters (September 12, 2022): Thai opinion poll shows majority want an early election
Malaysia General Elections and State Elections: May 2023 (due – general elections likely to be called earlier)
AP (September 22, 2022): Malaysia’s Anwar: Opposition has ‘fair chance’ to win polls
Stratfor (September 21, 2022): What Early Elections in Malaysia Would Mean for the Prime Minister and Ruling Party
Eric Martin, Bloomberg (September 11, 2022): Malaysia Trade Chief Says Economy Needs to Recover Before Polls
Cambodia Parliamentary Elections: July 30, 2023 (due)
Sokunthea Hong, Radio Free Asia (September 23, 2022): PM Hun Sen’s United Nations appearance draws Cambodian diaspora protest
Union of Catholic Asian News (September 20, 2022): Cambodia’s shrinking civic freedoms slammed: The Hun Sen regime’s persecution of activists, trade union activists, the opposition and others must end, CIVICUS says
Sebastian Strangio, The Diplomat (September 16, 2022): Cambodia Opens Third Mass Trial of Opposition Activists
Burma Parliamentary Elections: By August 2023 (proposed – tentative, post-coup)
Sebastian Strangio, The Diplomat (September 15, 2022): Myanmar Junta Chief Airs Postponement of Sham Election: The military government is pinning its political hopes on a state-managed election next year, but it is unclear if it can be held in the current political conditions.
Bangladesh Parliamentary Elections: December 2023 (due)
Sohini Bose, Observer Research Foundation (September 15, 2022): Will Sheikh Hasina’s foreign policy boost her re-election bid? The ‘India factor’ has played an undeniable role in the Awami League’s past electoral triumphs.
Shafi Md Mostofa, The Diplomat (September 9, 2022): Sheikh Hasina’s Visit to Delhi Disappoints Bangladesh
Indonesia Presidential and Legislative Elections: February 14, 2024 and Provincial Elections: November 27, 2024
Financial Times (September 20, 2022): Indonesia’s unexpected success story: The economy is prospering despite the sense of crisis elsewhere but the country’s politics could become more unstable
Faris Mokhtar, Bloomberg (September 14, 2022): Jokowi Could Run for Vice President in Indonesia’s 2024 Election
Joshua Kurlantzick, Council on Foreign Relations (September 13, 2022): Prabowo Subianto and Indonesia’s Next Presidential Election
Solomon Islands General Elections: April 2024 (delayed)
Damien Cave, New York Times (September 12, 2022): Solomon Islands’ leader, a friend of China, gets an election delayed
Sri Lanka Presidential Election: September 2024 and Parliamentary Elections: August 2025 (snap elections possible)
The Diplomat (September 20, 2022): Bailouts Won’t Save Sri Lanka. Ending Dynastic Politics Might.
Past Asia/Pacific Elections
Japan, Gubernatorial Election in Okinawa: September 11, 2022
Jiji (September 11, 2022): Anti-U.S. base incumbent Gov. Denny Tamaki wins Okinawa vote
Reuters (September 11, 2022): Okinawa voters re-elect opposition-backed governor, media report
Australia General Elections: May 21, 2022
Rod McGuirk, AP (September 11, 2022): Australia’s PM says referendum on republic not his priority
Philippines General Elections (Presidential, Legislative, and Local): May 9, 2022
Dwight De Leon, Rappler (September 20, 2022): House approves postponement of barangay, SK elections on final reading
Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch (September 20, 2022): As Philippines’ Marcos Speaks Before UN, a Few Reminders
Reuters (September 13, 2022): Philippines President Marcos defends father’s martial law legacy
Hong Kong Chief Executive Election: May 8, 2022 (indirect)
Hillary Leung, Hong Kong Free Press (September 19, 2022): Hong Kong’s number 2 official appointed as chair of election candidate vetting committee: The Candidate Eligibility Review Committee was introduced as part of a sweeping electoral overhaul to ensure that only “patriots” can participate in politics in Hong Kong.
Regional Analysis
John R. Bolton, Washington Post (September 12, 2022): As China targets the South Pacific, the U.S. urgently needs to push back
Asia/Pacific Elections Coming Up in 2022 and 2023
Japan, Gubernatorial Election in Okinawa: September 11, 2022
Nauru Parliamentary Elections: September 24, 2022
New Zealand Local Elections: October 8, 2022
Vanuatu Snap Elections: October 13, 2022
Australia, Tasmania Local Elections: October 25, 2022
Timor-Leste Local Elections: October 2022 (due)
Fiji Parliamentary Elections: November 2022 (due)
Taiwan Local Elections: November 26, 2022
India, State Elections in Himachal Pradesh: November 2022 (due)
Australia, South Australia Local Elections; November 11, 2022
Australia, Victoria State Elections: November 26, 2022
India, State Elections in Gujarat: December 2022 (due)
India, State Elections in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland: February 2023 (due)
Thailand General Elections: By March 23, 2023 (earlier elections possible)
Australia, New South Wales State Elections: March 25, 2023
Micronesia Parliamentary Elections: March 7, 2023
Malaysia General Elections and State Elections: May 2023 (due – general elections likely to be called earlier)
India, State Elections in Karnataka: May 2023 (due)
Cambodia Parliamentary Elections: July 30, 2023 (due)
Burma Parliamentary Elections: By August 2023 (proposed – tentative, post-coup)
Maldives Presidential Election: September 2023 (due)
Tuvalu General Elections: September 2023 (due)
Singapore Presidential Election: September 2023 (expected – largely ceremonial role)
New Zealand General Elections: October 2023 (expected – due by January 2024)
Bhutan Parliamentary Elections: October 2023 (due)
India, State Elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Mizoram: November 2023 (due)
Bangladesh Parliamentary Elections: December 2023 (due)
India, State Elections in Rajasthan and Telangana: December 2023 (due)
Philippines Village Elections: December 2023 (following proposed delay)
21votes does not necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed in the linked articles; rather, our goal is to curate a wide range of voices. Furthermore, none of the individuals or organizations referenced have reviewed 21votes’ content. That is to say, their inclusion should not be taken to imply that they endorse us in any way. More on our approach here.
Category: This Week Tags: Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand