Asia This Week: October 11, 2024

October 11, 2024

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.

The entrance to the A-Ma Temple, dedicated to Chinese sea-goddess Mazu, in Macau. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Edwin.11 (CC BY 2.0)

Upcoming Asia/Pacific Elections

Mongolia Local Elections: October 11, 2024

Craig Castagna, International Republican Institute (October 10, 2024): Election Watch: Mongolia

Macau Chief Executive Election: October 13, 2024 (indirect)

Kenji Kawase, Nikkei Asia (October 12, 2024): Macao’s predetermined election reverberates across casinos and Hong Kong

Kanis Leung, AP (October 11, 2024): An ex-judge from mainland China is set to take Macao’s top job. What’s at stake for the casino hub?

Kiribati Presidential Election: October 25, 2024

Don Wiseman, Radio New Zealand (October 10, 2024): Kiribati presidential candidates release manifestos

Kristy Needham, Reuters (October 7, 2024): China’s Pacific ally Kiribati criticises Beijing missile launch

Japan Snap Parliamentary Elections: October 27, 2024

In August 2024, Japan’s then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced he was stepping down in the wake of a slush fund scandal in the governing Liberal Democratic Party. The party helped a leadership election on September 27, which former defense minister Shigeru Ishiba won. Following the election, Ishiba called a snap election for October 27, a move that had been widely expected. 

Mari Yamaguchi, AP (October 9, 2024): Japan’s new PM dissolves the lower house of parliament to set up a snap election

Craig Mark, The Conversation (October 9, 2024): Why did Japan’s new leader trigger snap elections only a week after taking office? And what happens next?

Sri Lanka Snap Parliamentary Elections: November 14, 2024

Sri Lanka held its first presidential election since the 2022 financial crisis on September 21. Marxist Anura Kumara Dissanayake won, defeating a number of establishment political figures. He then called snap parliamentary elections, in a bid to consolidate his power. Sri Lanka remains a key site of geopolitical competition, with China constantly seeking to expand its influence and India continuing to play a role.  

Keerthi Martyn, The Diplomat (October 8, 2024): What Can the US Expect From Sri Lanka’s New President?

Indonesia Regional Elections: November 27, 2024

Erin Cook, Lowy Institute (October 9, 2024): Who’s in, who’s up, and who’s really representing who in Indonesia’s regional elections?

Paul Marshall, The Diplomat (October 7, 2024): Will Prabowo’s Election End Indonesia’s Era Reformasi?

Philippines Midterm Legislative and Local Elections: May 12, 2025

Mong Palatino, The Diplomat (October 11, 2024): What’s Old and New in the Midterm Philippine Elections?

Jim Gomez, AP (October 9, 2024): Rights groups ask Filipinos to reject ex-Pres Duterte and detained preacher in upcoming elections

Rebecca Ratcliffe,  The Guardian (October 9, 2024): Stage set for battle of the dynasties as Rodrigo Duterte eyes return to politics in the Philippines

Al Jazeera (October 8, 2024): Rodrigo Duterte to run for mayor in southern Philippines stronghold

Raissa Robles, South China Morning Post (October 6, 2024): Marcos allies gain early lead in Philippine Senate race amid voting machine controversy

Burma Elections: Proposed for 2025 (overdue following 2021 coup)

Mi Kun Chan Non and Ashley South, East Asia Forum (October 12, 2024): Don’t Fall For The Fake Election In Myanmar

Bangladesh Snap Elections: Forthcoming

AFP (October 8, 2024): Bangladesh’s Yunus says no elections before reforms

Ahmede Hussain, The Diplomat (October 8, 2024): The Bangladesh Army Must Not Meddle in Politics

Shahadat Hossain, The Diplomat (October 8, 2024): How the Shahbagh-Hefazat Ideological Divide Is Influencing Post-Revolution Bangladesh: Despite the unity during the 2024 protest movement, old divisions between secular leftists and Islamists quickly resurfaced.

Arafatul Islam, DW (October 7, 2024): Bangladesh: What awaits Ex-PM Hasina and the Awami League?

Past Asia/Pacific Elections

India, Assembly Elections in Jammu and Kashmir: September 18-October 1, 2024 and Haryana: October 5, 2024

AP (October 8, 2024): Biggest Kashmir party opposed to India’s stripping of region’s autonomy wins most seats in election

Sakshi Dayal and YP Rajesh, Reuters (October 8, 2024): India’s BJP set to win Haryana vote in boost for Modi, Congress rejects outcome

Alex Travelli, Hari Kumar, and Showkat Nanda, New York Times (October 8, 2024): India’s Political Carnival Is Back in Season, With Mixed Results for Modi

Neyaz Farooquee and Sharanya Hrishikesh, BBC (October 7, 2024): Modi’s BJP ahead in Haryana election but trails in Kashmir

Elections On Deck

Share This