Upcoming Elections
Thailand Parliamentary – March 24, 2019
New York Times: “The sister of Thailand’s king was nominated on Friday as a candidate for prime minister, upending the political landscape in a country where the monarchy is considered above the volcanic eruptions of Thai politics.”
AFP: “Former Thai princess Ubolratana’s political move raises questions over lese majeste law”
The Economist: “For almost 20 years an endless political battle has pitted royalist elites, known as “yellow shirts”, against partisans of a populist former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, known as “red shirts”. Parties linked to Mr Thaksin have won every election since 2001; the army has twice ousted Thaksinite governments in coups, most recently in 2014.”
Reuters: “Thailand’s junta chief says he will run for PM in March 24 elections”
South China Morning Post: “In Thailand, election campaigning has a real case of military fatigue. As candidates prepare for the March 24 polls, even the Shinawatra-backed Pheu Chart Party is struggling to keep up with new campaign rules put in place by the junta-influenced Electoral Commission.”
The Guardian: “‘We are hero’: Thai election hopefuls give themselves a Hollywood makeover. Thai Local Power party goes the full blockbuster to get candidates ahead of the other 107 registered parties
Indonesia General – April 17, 2019
Aris Aditya in Bloomberg: “Jokowi Ratchets Up Election Debate With Allegation of Russian Meddling”
Nikkei Asian Review: “Indonesia economy fails to pick up steam ahead of April election. GDP grows at highest rate under Widodo but falls short of government target”
Sian Troath in The Interpreter: “Indonesian vice-presidential candidate Ma’ruf Amin has expressed regret for his role in testifying in the blasphemy case which saw former Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) convicted. This statement touches on a number of themes and tensions we can expect to play out during the lead up to the election on 17 April.”
Ben Bland at the Lowy Institute: “On the face of it, Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s flip-flop over whether to release the jailed jihadi preacher who inspired the Bali bombers should be of little concern to foreign investors. But his vacillation over freeing Abu Bakar Ba’asyir is symptomatic of a leader who has become too wary of criticism, even as he prepares to fight for re-election in April with a large opinion poll lead over rival Prabowo Subianto.”
India General – April/May 2019
Alan Rosling in the South China Morning Post: “The world’s biggest election is coming down to the wire.” India’s elections this spring will be the biggest election in the history of the world, with 900 million voters, including 100 million first-time voters, and the results are far from guaranteed for anyone.
Rishi Iyengar at CNN Business reports on WhatsApp in India: “Last year, a spate of lynchings triggered by viral hoax messages on its service put the company at the center of a debate about misinformation in the country, where it has more than 200 million users. Now it’s bracing for India’s upcoming national elections, the biggest in the world.”
Australia Federal Parliamentary – On or Before May 18, 2019
Sydney Morning Herald: “Prime Minister Scott Morrison has joined China’s biggest social media platform, WeChat, in time for Lunar New Year – but perhaps more potently, the 2019 election campaign.” The Australian Strategic Policy Institute has warned that users of WeChat – which is closely regulated by the PRC government – could be exposed to disinformation. WeChat is also a factor in upcoming federal and provincial elections in Canada.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: “Australia has stripped Chinese billionaire political donor Huang Xiangmo of permanent residency and killed off his citizenship application. Mr Huang quickly rose to become a leading pro-China lobbyist, courting politicians and donating at least $2 million to Australian political parties through his companies.”
Sydney Morning Herald: “Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out calling a snap election if his government suffers a humiliating defeat on the floor of Parliament on what he called a ‘stupid’ bill on refugees.”
Andrew Beatty in the Hong Kong Free Press: “Australia’s decision to ban a well-connected Chinese businessman for his political activity is being seen as a potential watershed moment, the start of pushback against Beijing’s long-running operations to buy influence overseas.”
Past Elections
Japan, Aichi Prefecture Gubernatorial – February 3, 2019
Japan Times: “NAGOYA – Hideaki Omura won a third term in the Aichi gubernatorial election Sunday, defeating a challenger backed by the Japanese Communist Party. Omura ran as an independent with the support of the local chapter of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the LDP’s coalition partner Komeito, as well as the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.”
Bangladesh Parliamentary – December 30, 2019
Former Canadian high commissioner to Bangladesh Jon Scott and Simon Fraser University professor John Richards in The Globe and Mail: “The struggle for democracy in Bangladesh deserves our attention”
Samaya Anjum at Global Voices Online: “For the first time in Bangladesh’s history, transgender candidates who identify as women can vie for the 50 seats reserved for women in the upcoming elections in the Jatiya Sansad or National Parliament. The election schedule is due to be announced on 17 February, and so far, eight members of the transgender community have been confirmed as running on the Awami League party ballot, which is the first and only political party in the nation to allow this.”
Malaysia General – May 9, 2018
Wall Street Journal: “Malaysia’s former leader, Najib Razak, faces the prospect of years in prison over one of the world’s largest corruption scandals. But with his trial about to start, he is focused on getting more likes on Facebook.”
Malay Mail reports: “KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 — Umno acting president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan today said that the party will form its own committee to research voters and collect data, in preparation for the 15th general election. He said this was needed as Umno no longer has the privilege of using government research outfits.”
Asia This Week – February 8, 2019
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Last Updated: February 15, 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 Parliamentary - March 24, 2019
New York Times: “The sister of Thailand’s king was nominated on Friday as a candidate for prime minister, upending the political landscape in a country where the monarchy is considered above the volcanic eruptions of Thai politics.”
AFP: “Former Thai princess Ubolratana’s political move raises questions over lese majeste law”
The Economist: “For almost 20 years an endless political battle has pitted royalist elites, known as “yellow shirts”, against partisans of a populist former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, known as “red shirts”. Parties linked to Mr Thaksin have won every election since 2001; the army has twice ousted Thaksinite governments in coups, most recently in 2014.”
Reuters: “Thailand’s junta chief says he will run for PM in March 24 elections”
South China Morning Post: “In Thailand, election campaigning has a real case of military fatigue. As candidates prepare for the March 24 polls, even the Shinawatra-backed Pheu Chart Party is struggling to keep up with new campaign rules put in place by the junta-influenced Electoral Commission.”
The Guardian: “‘We are hero’: Thai election hopefuls give themselves a Hollywood makeover. Thai Local Power party goes the full blockbuster to get candidates ahead of the other 107 registered parties
Indonesia General - April 17, 2019
Aris Aditya in Bloomberg: “Jokowi Ratchets Up Election Debate With Allegation of Russian Meddling”
Nikkei Asian Review: “Indonesia economy fails to pick up steam ahead of April election. GDP grows at highest rate under Widodo but falls short of government target”
Sian Troath in The Interpreter: “Indonesian vice-presidential candidate Ma’ruf Amin has expressed regret for his role in testifying in the blasphemy case which saw former Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) convicted. This statement touches on a number of themes and tensions we can expect to play out during the lead up to the election on 17 April.”
Ben Bland at the Lowy Institute: “On the face of it, Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s flip-flop over whether to release the jailed jihadi preacher who inspired the Bali bombers should be of little concern to foreign investors. But his vacillation over freeing Abu Bakar Ba’asyir is symptomatic of a leader who has become too wary of criticism, even as he prepares to fight for re-election in April with a large opinion poll lead over rival Prabowo Subianto.”
India General - April/May 2019
Alan Rosling in the South China Morning Post: “The world’s biggest election is coming down to the wire.” India’s elections this spring will be the biggest election in the history of the world, with 900 million voters, including 100 million first-time voters, and the results are far from guaranteed for anyone.
Rishi Iyengar at CNN Business reports on WhatsApp in India: “Last year, a spate of lynchings triggered by viral hoax messages on its service put the company at the center of a debate about misinformation in the country, where it has more than 200 million users. Now it’s bracing for India’s upcoming national elections, the biggest in the world.”
Australia Federal Parliamentary - On or Before May 18, 2019
Sydney Morning Herald: “Prime Minister Scott Morrison has joined China’s biggest social media platform, WeChat, in time for Lunar New Year – but perhaps more potently, the 2019 election campaign.” The Australian Strategic Policy Institute has warned that users of WeChat – which is closely regulated by the PRC government – could be exposed to disinformation. WeChat is also a factor in upcoming federal and provincial elections in Canada.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: “Australia has stripped Chinese billionaire political donor Huang Xiangmo of permanent residency and killed off his citizenship application. Mr Huang quickly rose to become a leading pro-China lobbyist, courting politicians and donating at least $2 million to Australian political parties through his companies.”
Sydney Morning Herald: “Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out calling a snap election if his government suffers a humiliating defeat on the floor of Parliament on what he called a ‘stupid’ bill on refugees.”
Andrew Beatty in the Hong Kong Free Press: “Australia’s decision to ban a well-connected Chinese businessman for his political activity is being seen as a potential watershed moment, the start of pushback against Beijing’s long-running operations to buy influence overseas.”
Japan, Aichi Prefecture Gubernatorial - February 3, 2019
Japan Times: “NAGOYA – Hideaki Omura won a third term in the Aichi gubernatorial election Sunday, defeating a challenger backed by the Japanese Communist Party. Omura ran as an independent with the support of the local chapter of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the LDP’s coalition partner Komeito, as well as the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.”
Bangladesh Parliamentary - December 30, 2019
Former Canadian high commissioner to Bangladesh Jon Scott and Simon Fraser University professor John Richards in The Globe and Mail: “The struggle for democracy in Bangladesh deserves our attention”
Samaya Anjum at Global Voices Online: “For the first time in Bangladesh’s history, transgender candidates who identify as women can vie for the 50 seats reserved for women in the upcoming elections in the Jatiya Sansad or National Parliament. The election schedule is due to be announced on 17 February, and so far, eight members of the transgender community have been confirmed as running on the Awami League party ballot, which is the first and only political party in the nation to allow this.”
Malaysia General - May 9, 2018
Wall Street Journal: “Malaysia’s former leader, Najib Razak, faces the prospect of years in prison over one of the world’s largest corruption scandals. But with his trial about to start, he is focused on getting more likes on Facebook.”
Malay Mail reports: “KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 — Umno acting president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan today said that the party will form its own committee to research voters and collect data, in preparation for the 15th general election. He said this was needed as Umno no longer has the privilege of using government research outfits.”
Upcoming Elections
Thailand Parliamentary – March 24, 2019
New York Times: “The sister of Thailand’s king was nominated on Friday as a candidate for prime minister, upending the political landscape in a country where the monarchy is considered above the volcanic eruptions of Thai politics.”
AFP: “Former Thai princess Ubolratana’s political move raises questions over lese majeste law”
The Economist: “For almost 20 years an endless political battle has pitted royalist elites, known as “yellow shirts”, against partisans of a populist former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, known as “red shirts”. Parties linked to Mr Thaksin have won every election since 2001; the army has twice ousted Thaksinite governments in coups, most recently in 2014.”
Reuters: “Thailand’s junta chief says he will run for PM in March 24 elections”
South China Morning Post: “In Thailand, election campaigning has a real case of military fatigue. As candidates prepare for the March 24 polls, even the Shinawatra-backed Pheu Chart Party is struggling to keep up with new campaign rules put in place by the junta-influenced Electoral Commission.”
The Guardian: “‘We are hero’: Thai election hopefuls give themselves a Hollywood makeover. Thai Local Power party goes the full blockbuster to get candidates ahead of the other 107 registered parties
Indonesia General – April 17, 2019
Aris Aditya in Bloomberg: “Jokowi Ratchets Up Election Debate With Allegation of Russian Meddling”
Nikkei Asian Review: “Indonesia economy fails to pick up steam ahead of April election. GDP grows at highest rate under Widodo but falls short of government target”
Sian Troath in The Interpreter: “Indonesian vice-presidential candidate Ma’ruf Amin has expressed regret for his role in testifying in the blasphemy case which saw former Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) convicted. This statement touches on a number of themes and tensions we can expect to play out during the lead up to the election on 17 April.”
Ben Bland at the Lowy Institute: “On the face of it, Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s flip-flop over whether to release the jailed jihadi preacher who inspired the Bali bombers should be of little concern to foreign investors. But his vacillation over freeing Abu Bakar Ba’asyir is symptomatic of a leader who has become too wary of criticism, even as he prepares to fight for re-election in April with a large opinion poll lead over rival Prabowo Subianto.”
India General – April/May 2019
Alan Rosling in the South China Morning Post: “The world’s biggest election is coming down to the wire.” India’s elections this spring will be the biggest election in the history of the world, with 900 million voters, including 100 million first-time voters, and the results are far from guaranteed for anyone.
Rishi Iyengar at CNN Business reports on WhatsApp in India: “Last year, a spate of lynchings triggered by viral hoax messages on its service put the company at the center of a debate about misinformation in the country, where it has more than 200 million users. Now it’s bracing for India’s upcoming national elections, the biggest in the world.”
Australia Federal Parliamentary – On or Before May 18, 2019
Sydney Morning Herald: “Prime Minister Scott Morrison has joined China’s biggest social media platform, WeChat, in time for Lunar New Year – but perhaps more potently, the 2019 election campaign.” The Australian Strategic Policy Institute has warned that users of WeChat – which is closely regulated by the PRC government – could be exposed to disinformation. WeChat is also a factor in upcoming federal and provincial elections in Canada.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: “Australia has stripped Chinese billionaire political donor Huang Xiangmo of permanent residency and killed off his citizenship application. Mr Huang quickly rose to become a leading pro-China lobbyist, courting politicians and donating at least $2 million to Australian political parties through his companies.”
Sydney Morning Herald: “Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out calling a snap election if his government suffers a humiliating defeat on the floor of Parliament on what he called a ‘stupid’ bill on refugees.”
Andrew Beatty in the Hong Kong Free Press: “Australia’s decision to ban a well-connected Chinese businessman for his political activity is being seen as a potential watershed moment, the start of pushback against Beijing’s long-running operations to buy influence overseas.”
Past Elections
Japan, Aichi Prefecture Gubernatorial – February 3, 2019
Japan Times: “NAGOYA – Hideaki Omura won a third term in the Aichi gubernatorial election Sunday, defeating a challenger backed by the Japanese Communist Party. Omura ran as an independent with the support of the local chapter of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the LDP’s coalition partner Komeito, as well as the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.”
Bangladesh Parliamentary – December 30, 2019
Former Canadian high commissioner to Bangladesh Jon Scott and Simon Fraser University professor John Richards in The Globe and Mail: “The struggle for democracy in Bangladesh deserves our attention”
Samaya Anjum at Global Voices Online: “For the first time in Bangladesh’s history, transgender candidates who identify as women can vie for the 50 seats reserved for women in the upcoming elections in the Jatiya Sansad or National Parliament. The election schedule is due to be announced on 17 February, and so far, eight members of the transgender community have been confirmed as running on the Awami League party ballot, which is the first and only political party in the nation to allow this.”
Malaysia General – May 9, 2018
Wall Street Journal: “Malaysia’s former leader, Najib Razak, faces the prospect of years in prison over one of the world’s largest corruption scandals. But with his trial about to start, he is focused on getting more likes on Facebook.”
Malay Mail reports: “KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 — Umno acting president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan today said that the party will form its own committee to research voters and collect data, in preparation for the 15th general election. He said this was needed as Umno no longer has the privilege of using government research outfits.”
The Year Ahead: Asia
Japan, provincial elections throughout the year; Solomon Islands general (February); Micronesia congressional (March 5); Australia, New South Wales state (March 23); Thailand parliamentary (March 24); Tuvalu legislative (March 31); India, general and Andhra Pradesh and Odisha states (April/May); Solomon Islands legislative (April 3); Japan local (April 7); Maldives parliamentary (April 9); Indonesia general (April 17); Philippines midterms – legislative and local (May 13); Australia parliamentary (on or before May 18); Tonga local (June); Japan legislative – half of upper house (July); Nauru legislative (July); India, Maharashtra state (September); New Zealand local (October 12); Hong Kong local (November); Marshall Islands legislative (November); Kiribati legislative (December)
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Category: This Week Tags: Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand