Upcoming Elections
We’re watching India, the world’s biggest democracy, which has general elections scheduled for this spring, as well as legislative elections Thailand, Maldives, and Philippines midterms. Indonesia will hold presidential, legislative, and regional elections in April. Japan has a series of regional elections throughout the year, as well as a big vote on half of the upper house of the legislature set for summertime.
Thailand General – February 24, 2019 (delay possible)
The Associated Press reports: “About 200 protesters staged a rare demonstration Tuesday in military-ruled Thailand, demanding that there be no further delays in holding elections. The polls had seemed set for February 24, but that date may slip, apparently because of the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn on May 4. Critics of the military government, which seized power in 2014, wonder if it is using the recently announced coronation date as an excuse to push back the elections.”
Scholar Chonlawit Sirikupt has a useful article on “Working around the ‘menu of manipulation’ — the tactics by which authoritarian regimes achieve a semblance of democratic legitimacy.”
India General – April or May 2019
Reuters reports: “India’s government has recently announced a series of measures to try to win over farmers, small business owners and the less well-off, after the ruling party suffered setbacks in state elections and with a general election due in months.”
Maldives Parliamentary – April 6, 2019
Campaigning continues ahead of Maldives’ parliamentary elections. The pro-democracy center-right Maldivian Democratic Party will hold primaries later this month, following their coalition’s surprise victory in presidential elections last fall, which the world had widely assumed would be so rigged that the opposition had no chance.
Former president Abdullah Yameen, a would-be autocrat who came to power on the back of a coup, in addition to destroying artwork in an attempt to court religious conservatives has also admitted to corrupt dealings.
Police are investigating a group of religious fanatics issuing death threats against Maldivians they deem “apostates.” While most people associate luxury resorts with Maldives, the International Institute for Strategic Studies notes: “On a per-capita basis, more foreign recruits to the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) have come from the Maldives than any other country – between 250 and 450.”
Indonesia General – April 17, 2019
Australian National University’s East Asia Forum examines the state of Indonesian democracy ahead of April’s elections: “While good-news stories for democracy are few and far between throughout the region, this April Indonesians will for the fifth time in 20 years elect their parliament and president in largely free and fair elections…. But as Edward Aspinall makes clear in this week’s lead essay, Indonesia’s democratic gloss is flakier the closer one looks at political machinations taking place ahead of President Joko Widodo’s fight for re-election.”
Widodo (widely known as Jokowi) is the clear favorite for re-election, but it’s far from a sure thing. The election pits Jokowi, widely seen as a reformer, against former general Prabowo Subianto, widely seen as a populist authoritarian. To court religious conservatives, Jokowi chose Islamic cleric Ma’ruf Amin as his running mate, while Prabowo chose entrepreneur Sandiaga Uno.
The campaign is in full swing, both in person and on social media.
Philippines Legislative and Local – May 13, 2019
Philippines’ populist president, Rodrigo Duterte, has once again attacked the Catholic Church, calling bishops “sons of bitches.” Rappler, a Philippines news site founded by former CNN investigative reporter Maria Ressa, reports: “The election period begins on Sunday, January 13, along with prohibition on various activities….The prohibitions include the gun ban during the entire election period, and the liquor ban on election eve and Election Day.
Rappler also reports: “ With the exception of Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, other top Philippine leaders continued to enjoy the approval and trust of a majority of Filipinos, based on the results of a Pulse Asia Research, Incorporated survey held in December but released on Friday, January 11.”
Pacific, Various Elections – 2019
Tess Newton Cain, visiting fellow at Australian National University’s Development Policy Centre, outlines the 2019 elections happening in Pacific Island nations.
South Korea General – April 2020
Nikkei Asian Review reports: “South Korean President Moon Jae-in has shaken up his cabinet by appointing close associates to senior positions, part of an effort to build up his political muscle ahead of the general election scheduled for April 2020.”
Mongolia General – 2020
Mark Koenig from the Asia Foundation writes: “Mongolia enters 2019 still reeling from a major corruption scandal, involving misuse of the national small and medium enterprise fund, and wracked by political infighting within the ruling Mongolian People’s Party. These two factors make it likely that government instability will persist until the 2020 elections.” World Politics Review looks at Mongolia’s struggle with corruption.
Recent Elections
Bangladesh Parliamentary – December 30, 2018
A protest on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, by thousands of garment workers demanding higher wages led to at least one death and up to 50 injuries. This follows December’s chaotic elections.
Taiwan Local – November 24, 2018
After defeat in December’s local elections, Taiwan’s governing Democratic Progressive Party has chosen a new leader, replacing China skeptic Tsai Ing-wen with moderate Cho Jung-tai, who defeated a pro-independence candidate.
The chamber of the Congress of the Philippines during then-president Benigno Aquino III’s state of the union address.
![](https://21votes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Philippines-Congress.jpg")
The chamber of the Congress of the Philippines during then-president Benigno Aquino III’s state of the union address.
Photo credit: Philippines Government/Robert Viñas
21votes does not necessarily endorse all of the views in all of the linked articles or publications.
Asia This Week – January 11, 2019
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Last Updated: January 29, 2019 by 21votes
Each day, 21votes gathers election and political news from a different region of the world. We explore Asia and the Pacific on Fridays. Click the map pins.
Thailand General - February 24, 2019 (delay possible)
The Associated Press reports: “About 200 protesters staged a rare demonstration Tuesday in military-ruled Thailand, demanding that there be no further delays in holding elections. The polls had seemed set for February 24, but that date may slip, apparently because of the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn on May 4. Critics of the military government, which seized power in 2014, wonder if it is using the recently announced coronation date as an excuse to push back the elections.”
Scholar Chonlawit Sirikupt has a useful article on “Working around the ‘menu of manipulation’ — the tactics by which authoritarian regimes achieve a semblance of democratic legitimacy.”
India General - April or May 2019
Reuters reports: “India’s government has recently announced a series of measures to try to win over farmers, small business owners and the less well-off, after the ruling party suffered setbacks in state elections and with a general election due in months.”
Maldives Parliamentary - April 6, 2019
Campaigning continues ahead of Maldives’ parliamentary elections. The pro-democracy center-right Maldivian Democratic Party will hold primaries later this month, following their coalition’s surprise victory in presidential elections last fall, which the world had widely assumed would be so rigged that the opposition had no chance.
Former president Abdullah Yameen, a would-be autocrat who came to power on the back of a coup, in addition to destroying artwork in an attempt to court religious conservatives has also admitted to corrupt dealings.
Police are investigating a group of religious fanatics issuing death threats against Maldivians they deem “apostates.” While most people associate luxury resorts with Maldives, the International Institute for Strategic Studies notes: “On a per-capita basis, more foreign recruits to the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) have come from the Maldives than any other country – between 250 and 450.”
Indonesia General - April 17, 2019
Australian National University’s East Asia Forum examines the state of Indonesian democracy ahead of April’s elections: “While good-news stories for democracy are few and far between throughout the region, this April Indonesians will for the fifth time in 20 years elect their parliament and president in largely free and fair elections…. But as Edward Aspinall makes clear in this week’s lead essay, Indonesia’s democratic gloss is flakier the closer one looks at political machinations taking place ahead of President Joko Widodo’s fight for re-election.”
Widodo (widely known as Jokowi) is the clear favorite for re-election, but it’s far from a sure thing. The election pits Jokowi, widely seen as a reformer, against former general Prabowo Subianto, widely seen as a populist authoritarian. To court religious conservatives, Jokowi chose Islamic cleric Ma’ruf Amin as his running mate, while Prabowo chose entrepreneur Sandiaga Uno.
The campaign is in full swing, both in person and on social media.
Philippines Legislative and Local - May 13, 2019
Philippines’ populist president, Rodrigo Duterte, has once again attacked the Catholic Church, calling bishops “sons of bitches.” Rappler, a Philippines news site founded by former CNN investigative reporter Maria Ressa, reports: “The election period begins on Sunday, January 13, along with prohibition on various activities….The prohibitions include the gun ban during the entire election period, and the liquor ban on election eve and Election Day.
Rappler also reports: “ With the exception of Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, other top Philippine leaders continued to enjoy the approval and trust of a majority of Filipinos, based on the results of a Pulse Asia Research, Incorporated survey held in December but released on Friday, January 11.”
Pacific, Various Elections - 2019
Tess Newton Cain, visiting fellow at Australian National University’s Development Policy Centre, outlines the 2019 elections happening in Pacific Island nations.
South Korea General - April 2020
Nikkei Asian Review reports: “South Korean President Moon Jae-in has shaken up his cabinet by appointing close associates to senior positions, part of an effort to build up his political muscle ahead of the general election scheduled for April 2020.”
Mongolia General - 2020
Mark Koenig from the Asia Foundation writes: “Mongolia enters 2019 still reeling from a major corruption scandal, involving misuse of the national small and medium enterprise fund, and wracked by political infighting within the ruling Mongolian People’s Party. These two factors make it likely that government instability will persist until the 2020 elections.” World Politics Review looks at Mongolia’s struggle with corruption.a
Taiwan Local - November 24, 2018
After defeat in December’s local elections, Taiwan’s governing Democratic Progressive Party has chosen a new leader, replacing China skeptic Tsai Ing-wen with moderate Cho Jung-tai, who defeated a pro-independence candidate.
Bangladesh Parliamentary - December 30, 2018
A protest on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, by thousands of garment workers demanding higher wages led to at least one death and up to 50 injuries. This follows December’s chaotic elections.
Upcoming Elections
We’re watching India, the world’s biggest democracy, which has general elections scheduled for this spring, as well as legislative elections Thailand, Maldives, and Philippines midterms. Indonesia will hold presidential, legislative, and regional elections in April. Japan has a series of regional elections throughout the year, as well as a big vote on half of the upper house of the legislature set for summertime.
Thailand General – February 24, 2019 (delay possible)
The Associated Press reports: “About 200 protesters staged a rare demonstration Tuesday in military-ruled Thailand, demanding that there be no further delays in holding elections. The polls had seemed set for February 24, but that date may slip, apparently because of the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn on May 4. Critics of the military government, which seized power in 2014, wonder if it is using the recently announced coronation date as an excuse to push back the elections.”
Scholar Chonlawit Sirikupt has a useful article on “Working around the ‘menu of manipulation’ — the tactics by which authoritarian regimes achieve a semblance of democratic legitimacy.”
India General – April or May 2019
Reuters reports: “India’s government has recently announced a series of measures to try to win over farmers, small business owners and the less well-off, after the ruling party suffered setbacks in state elections and with a general election due in months.”
Maldives Parliamentary – April 6, 2019
Campaigning continues ahead of Maldives’ parliamentary elections. The pro-democracy center-right Maldivian Democratic Party will hold primaries later this month, following their coalition’s surprise victory in presidential elections last fall, which the world had widely assumed would be so rigged that the opposition had no chance.
Former president Abdullah Yameen, a would-be autocrat who came to power on the back of a coup, in addition to destroying artwork in an attempt to court religious conservatives has also admitted to corrupt dealings.
Police are investigating a group of religious fanatics issuing death threats against Maldivians they deem “apostates.” While most people associate luxury resorts with Maldives, the International Institute for Strategic Studies notes: “On a per-capita basis, more foreign recruits to the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) have come from the Maldives than any other country – between 250 and 450.”
Indonesia General – April 17, 2019
Australian National University’s East Asia Forum examines the state of Indonesian democracy ahead of April’s elections: “While good-news stories for democracy are few and far between throughout the region, this April Indonesians will for the fifth time in 20 years elect their parliament and president in largely free and fair elections…. But as Edward Aspinall makes clear in this week’s lead essay, Indonesia’s democratic gloss is flakier the closer one looks at political machinations taking place ahead of President Joko Widodo’s fight for re-election.”
Widodo (widely known as Jokowi) is the clear favorite for re-election, but it’s far from a sure thing. The election pits Jokowi, widely seen as a reformer, against former general Prabowo Subianto, widely seen as a populist authoritarian. To court religious conservatives, Jokowi chose Islamic cleric Ma’ruf Amin as his running mate, while Prabowo chose entrepreneur Sandiaga Uno.
The campaign is in full swing, both in person and on social media.
Philippines Legislative and Local – May 13, 2019
Philippines’ populist president, Rodrigo Duterte, has once again attacked the Catholic Church, calling bishops “sons of bitches.” Rappler, a Philippines news site founded by former CNN investigative reporter Maria Ressa, reports: “The election period begins on Sunday, January 13, along with prohibition on various activities….The prohibitions include the gun ban during the entire election period, and the liquor ban on election eve and Election Day.
Rappler also reports: “ With the exception of Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, other top Philippine leaders continued to enjoy the approval and trust of a majority of Filipinos, based on the results of a Pulse Asia Research, Incorporated survey held in December but released on Friday, January 11.”
Pacific, Various Elections – 2019
Tess Newton Cain, visiting fellow at Australian National University’s Development Policy Centre, outlines the 2019 elections happening in Pacific Island nations.
South Korea General – April 2020
Nikkei Asian Review reports: “South Korean President Moon Jae-in has shaken up his cabinet by appointing close associates to senior positions, part of an effort to build up his political muscle ahead of the general election scheduled for April 2020.”
Mongolia General – 2020
Mark Koenig from the Asia Foundation writes: “Mongolia enters 2019 still reeling from a major corruption scandal, involving misuse of the national small and medium enterprise fund, and wracked by political infighting within the ruling Mongolian People’s Party. These two factors make it likely that government instability will persist until the 2020 elections.” World Politics Review looks at Mongolia’s struggle with corruption.
Recent Elections
Bangladesh Parliamentary – December 30, 2018
A protest on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, by thousands of garment workers demanding higher wages led to at least one death and up to 50 injuries. This follows December’s chaotic elections.
Taiwan Local – November 24, 2018
After defeat in December’s local elections, Taiwan’s governing Democratic Progressive Party has chosen a new leader, replacing China skeptic Tsai Ing-wen with moderate Cho Jung-tai, who defeated a pro-independence candidate.
The chamber of the Congress of the Philippines during then-president Benigno Aquino III’s state of the union address.
Photo credit: Philippines Government/Robert Viñas
21votes does not necessarily endorse all of the views in all of the linked articles or publications.
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Category: This Week Tags: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Mongolia, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand