Asia

December 21, 2018

Each day, 21votes gathers election and political news from a different region of the world. We explore Asia and the Pacific. Click the map pins.

Bangladesh Parliamentary - December 30, 2018

The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) canceled its election observation mission because Bangladesh did not grant visas to enough of its observers in time. The United States was disappointed.

Facebook has closed several fake news site accounts set up by the government to disparage the opposition.

Human Rights Watch released a report that “finds that authoritarian measures, including widespread surveillance and a crackdown on free speech, have contributed to a widely described climate of fear.”

DW has a handy summary of what one needs to know about the elections, and an article on why mainstream parties court Islamists.

Thailand Parliamentary - February 24, 2019

Nikkei Asian Review reports that the Thai election commission and the governing military junta have clashed over the issue of international election observers.

Maldives Parliamentary - April 9, 2019

The Elections Commission has announced that Maldives will hold parliamentary elections on April 9, 2019. The elections come on the heels of a remarkable win for the pro-democracy coalition’s candidate for president, and the new parliament will have numerous opportunities to improve and enshrine human rights and democracy. The center-right, pro-democracy Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) will hold its primaries on January 18. Former president Mohamed Nasheed will run in the newly-created Central Machchangaolhi constituency in the capital, Malé.

Indonesia General - April 17, 2019

Kevin O’Rourke, an expert on Indonesian politics, thinks incumbent president Joko Widodo’s indecisive behavior will harm Indonesia: “Unfortunately, Indonesia’s demographic dividend is expiring and a middle-income trap is rapidly approaching. Widodo seems likely to coast to re-election, and he can at least offer stability, but another five years of erratic policymaking will be costly in terms of opportunities squandered.”

Afghanistan Presidential - April 20, 2019

Afghanistan’s election commission has announced that the presidential poll will take place on April 20, 2019, with results out by June. International donors previously set April 20 as the deadline for holding the election. The recent parliamentary elections had been delayed for four years. The announcement came amid talks between the United States and the Taliban.

India Parliamentary - April-May 2019

CNN’s Nikhil Kumar writes: “Ahead of India’s general election next year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing an unexpected image problem: he’s starting to look weak.

It’s a dramatic shift in the way he’s been perceived ever since a history-making general election victory in 2014. For years, political observers in New Delhi spoke with awe of the “hawa,” or political wind, that lifted Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power.”

World Politics Review writes: “India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was ousted from power in three key state elections last week in a rebuke of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration. The results in the heartland rural states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh will likely force Modi to make adjustments in his economic policy priorities as the BJP gears up for general elections set to take place this coming spring.”

Reuters reports on the major, possibly deciding, role that social media will play in the upcoming elections: “India already has close to 900 million eligible voters, and an estimated half-a-billion have access to the Internet. The country has 300 million Facebook (FB.O) users and 200 million on Facebook’s WhatsApp messaging service – more than any other democracy. Millions use Twitter (TWTR.N).”

Taiwan Local

Josh Rogin writes in the Washington Post: “While Washington is focused on Russian election interference, China is rapidly advancing its own election-meddling capability using social media, illicit funding and false news. The Chinese government’s massive and successful interference in Taiwan’s elections last month shows Beijing is getting into the game in a major way.”

Burma

Burmese analyst Myo Win Nyunt looks at how Facebook has both helped and harmed democracy in Burma.

Cambodia

Phnom Penh-based journalist Charles Dunst examines whether Cambodia’s ruler Hun Sen, who been in power for 33 years, can successfully pass power to his children. Hun Sen’s son has been appointed to the ruling party’s permanent committee.

Radio Free Asia reports that the police continue to harass opposition activists.

New Zealand

Sydney Morning Herald reports: “The New Zealand government will hold a referendum on personal cannabis use at the 2020 general election – and it will be binding.”

Sri Lanka

President Maithripala Sirisena has reappointed Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister. DW questions whether this will solve Sri Lanka’s political crisis, which has been going on since October, when Sirisena replaced Wickremesinghe with former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, and then attempted to dissolve the parliament when Wickremesinghe refused to step down. Geopolitics plays a major role in the crisis, as China and India compete for dominance in the country and the Indian Ocean in general.

Regional

Joshua Kurlantzick at the Council on Foreign Relations writes about Southeast Asia’s democratic backsliding in 2018.

Upcoming Elections
Bangladesh Parliamentary – December 30, 2018
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) canceled its election observation mission because Bangladesh did not grant visas to enough of its observers in time. The United States was disappointed.

Facebook has closed several fake news site accounts set up by the government to disparage the opposition.

Human Rights Watch released a report that “finds that authoritarian measures, including widespread surveillance and a crackdown on free speech, have contributed to a widely described climate of fear.”

DW has a handy summary of what one needs to know about the elections, and an article on why mainstream parties court Islamists.

Thailand Parliamentary – February 24, 2019
Nikkei Asian Review reports that the Thai election commission and the governing military junta have clashed over the issue of international election observers.

Maldives Parliamentary – April 9, 2019
The Elections Commission has announced that Maldives will hold parliamentary elections on April 9, 2019. The elections come on the heels of a remarkable win for the pro-democracy coalition’s candidate for president, and the new parliament will have numerous opportunities to improve and enshrine human rights and democracy. The center-right, pro-democracy Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) will hold its primaries on January 18. Former president Mohamed Nasheed will run in the newly-created Central Machchangaolhi constituency in the capital, Malé.

Indonesia General – April 17, 2019
Kevin O’Rourke, an expert on Indonesian politics, thinks incumbent president Joko Widodo’s indecisive behavior will harm Indonesia: “Unfortunately, Indonesia’s demographic dividend is expiring and a middle-income trap is rapidly approaching. Widodo seems likely to coast to re-election, and he can at least offer stability, but another five years of erratic policymaking will be costly in terms of opportunities squandered.”

Afghanistan Presidential – April 20, 2019
Afghanistan’s election commission has announced that the presidential poll will take place on April 20, 2019, with results out by June. International donors previously set April 20 as the deadline for holding the election. The recent parliamentary elections had been delayed for four years. The announcement came amid talks between the United States and the Taliban.

India Parliamentary – April-May 2019
CNN’s Nikhil Kumar writes: “Ahead of India’s general election next year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing an unexpected image problem: he’s starting to look weak.

It’s a dramatic shift in the way he’s been perceived ever since a history-making general election victory in 2014. For years, political observers in New Delhi spoke with awe of the “hawa,” or political wind, that lifted Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power.”

World Politics Review writes: “India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was ousted from power in three key state elections last week in a rebuke of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration. The results in the heartland rural states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh will likely force Modi to make adjustments in his economic policy priorities as the BJP gears up for general elections set to take place this coming spring.”

Reuters reports on the major, possibly deciding, role that social media will play in the upcoming elections: “India already has close to 900 million eligible voters, and an estimated half-a-billion have access to the Internet. The country has 300 million Facebook (FB.O) users and 200 million on Facebook’s WhatsApp messaging service – more than any other democracy. Millions use Twitter (TWTR.N).”

Recent Elections
Taiwan Local
Josh Rogin writes in the Washington Post: “While Washington is focused on Russian election interference, China is rapidly advancing its own election-meddling capability using social media, illicit funding and false news. The Chinese government’s massive and successful interference in Taiwan’s elections last month shows Beijing is getting into the game in a major way.”

Other Regional News and Views
Burma
Burmese analyst Myo Win Nyunt looks at how Facebook has both helped and harmed democracy in Burma.

Cambodia
Phnom Penh-based journalist Charles Dunst examines whether Cambodia’s ruler Hun Sen, who been in power for 33 years, can successfully pass power to his children. Hun Sen’s son has been appointed to the ruling party’s permanent committee.

Radio Free Asia reports that the police continue to harass opposition activists.

New Zealand
Sydney Morning Herald reports: “The New Zealand government will hold a referendum on personal cannabis use at the 2020 general election – and it will be binding.”

Sri Lanka
President Maithripala Sirisena has reappointed Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister. DW questions whether this will solve Sri Lanka’s political crisis, which has been going on since October, when Sirisena replaced Wickremesinghe with former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, and then attempted to dissolve the parliament when Wickremesinghe refused to step down. Geopolitics plays a major role in the crisis, as China and India compete for dominance in the country and the Indian Ocean in general.

Regional
Joshua Kurlantzick at the Council on Foreign Relations writes about Southeast Asia’s democratic backsliding in 2018.

Bangladesh’s famous Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (National Parliament House), one of the largest legislative complexes in the world, designed by noted architect Louis KhanPhoto credit: Wikimedia/Rossi101

21votes does not necessarily endorse the views in the linked articles or publications. 

Share This