August 26, 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.
Parliament building in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Brian Ireland (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Upcoming Asia/Pacific Elections
Nepal General and Provincial Elections: November 20, 2022
Purushottam Poudel, Kathmandu Post (August 29, 2022): Parties are fighting upcoming elections on usual planks: Congress will harp on democracy, UML will continue with ultranationalism, Maoists promise to shore up constitution, and Madhesh parties will press for constitution amendment.
Samik Kharel, Global Voices (August 29, 2022): Towards digital authoritarianism in Nepal: Surveillance, data collection, and online repression
Taiwan Local Elections: November 26, 2022
NHK (August 29, 2022): Taiwan starts accepting candidacies for local elections
Reuters (August 26, 2022): U.S. senator arrives in Taiwan, defying angry Beijing
Fiji Parliamentary Elections: November 2022 (due)
Stewart Firth, Australian Institute of International Affairs (August 24, 2022): What to Watch in the 2022 Fiji General Election
Thailand General Elections: By March 23, 2023 (earlier elections possible)
Kocha Olarn and Kathleen Magramo, CNN (August 25, 2022): Thailand has suspended its prime minister. What happens next?
David Rising and Grant Peck, AP (August 25, 2022): Political uncertainty in Thailand with PM’s suspension
Reuters (August 25, 2022): Explainer-How a Thai court suspended Prime Minister Prayuth
Tassanee Vejpongsa, AP (August 23, 2022): Thai protesters say PM reaches term limit, must step down: Protesters in Thailand have called for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to step down, saying he has exceeded his constitutional term limit
Malaysia General Elections and State Elections: May 2023 (due – general elections likely to be called earlier)
Amir Yusof, Channel News Asia (August 28, 2022): Malaysia’s key political parties hold meetings amid signs of imminent general election
Rozanna Latiff and A. Ananthalakshmi, Reuters (August 25, 2022): Malaysia’s Mahathir says ‘highly likely’ jailed Najib will get royal pardon
Niluksi Koswanage, Philip Heijmans, and Ravil Shirodkar, Bloomberg (August 24, 2022): Even From Jail, Najib Will Remain a Kingmaker in Malaysia
AP (August 23, 2022): Malaysia top court upholds ex-Prime Minister Najib’s graft conviction
Cambodia Parliamentary Elections: July 30, 2023 (due)
Sebastian Strangio, The Diplomat (August 24, 2022): Cambodia Readies Third Mass Trial of Opposition Officials: As the country heads toward national elections next year, the government is seeking to neutralize the influence of opposition leaders living in exile abroad.
Bangladesh General Elections: December 2023 (due)
The Daily Star Bangladesh (August 29, 2022): Hope EVM can help ensure free, fair, participatory elections: Japanese ambassador
Shafi Md Mostofa, The Diplomat (August 24, 2022): Bangladesh Parties Turn to Political Opportunism as Elections Draw Close: With Islamists displaying support for secular celebrations and secular parties burnishing their Islamist credentials, is Bangladesh heading toward political syncretism or hybridization?
Past Asia/Pacific Elections
Papua New Guinea General Elections: July 4-22, 2022
Tara Subramaniam, CNN (August 26 ,2022): Sleep, talk about coffee, wake up, talk about coffee: Papua New Guinea has a brand new minister job
Stephen Howes, East Asia Forum (August 23, 2022): Marape’s economic challenges this term around
Catherine Wilson, World Politics Review (August 19, 2022): A Messy Election Highlights Papua New Guinea’s Governance Challenges
Terrence Wood, DevPolicyBlog (August 19, 2022): What went wrong with the 2022 elections in PNG?
Philippines General Elections (Presidential, Legislative, and Local): May 9, 2022
Clara Ferreira Marques, Bloomberg (August 28, 2022): Marcos Brings Myth-Making to the Silver Screen: Months after the son of dictator Ferdinand Marcos was elected president in the Philippines, a hit film helps the family gloss over the brutality and corruption of the regime.
South Korea Local Elections: June 1, 2022, following Presidential Election: March 9, 2022
AP (August 28, 2022): Outspoken Lawmaker Picked to Lead South Korean Opposition
Japan House of Councillors Elections: July 10, 2022 (half of upper house)
Kyodo (August 26, 2022): Japan’s main opposition revamps executive lineup after July election defeat
Justin McCurry, The Guardian (August 23, 2022): Japan PM’s popularity dives over party links to Unification church
Macau Legislative Elections: September 12, 2021
Chen Zifei, Radio Free Asia (August 24, 2022): Macau to broaden reach of national security law in response to Pelosi’s Taiwan trip: The amendments could result in the loss of dissenting voices and put political pressure on the city’s NGOs.
Asia/Pacific Elections Coming Up in 2022 and 2023
Japan, Gubernatorial Election in Okinawa: September 11, 2022
Nauru Parliamentary Elections: Between September 24 and October 26, 2022 (due – exact date not set yet)
New Zealand Local Elections: October 8, 2022
Australia, Tasmania Local Elections: October 25, 2022
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)
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: August 26, 2022
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Last Updated: September 3, 2022 by 21votes
August 26, 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
Nepal General and Provincial Elections: November 20, 2022
Purushottam Poudel, Kathmandu Post (August 29, 2022): Parties are fighting upcoming elections on usual planks: Congress will harp on democracy, UML will continue with ultranationalism, Maoists promise to shore up constitution, and Madhesh parties will press for constitution amendment.
Samik Kharel, Global Voices (August 29, 2022): Towards digital authoritarianism in Nepal: Surveillance, data collection, and online repression
Taiwan Local Elections: November 26, 2022
NHK (August 29, 2022): Taiwan starts accepting candidacies for local elections
Reuters (August 26, 2022): U.S. senator arrives in Taiwan, defying angry Beijing
Fiji Parliamentary Elections: November 2022 (due)
Stewart Firth, Australian Institute of International Affairs (August 24, 2022): What to Watch in the 2022 Fiji General Election
Thailand General Elections: By March 23, 2023 (earlier elections possible)
Kocha Olarn and Kathleen Magramo, CNN (August 25, 2022): Thailand has suspended its prime minister. What happens next?
David Rising and Grant Peck, AP (August 25, 2022): Political uncertainty in Thailand with PM’s suspension
Reuters (August 25, 2022): Explainer-How a Thai court suspended Prime Minister Prayuth
Tassanee Vejpongsa, AP (August 23, 2022): Thai protesters say PM reaches term limit, must step down: Protesters in Thailand have called for Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to step down, saying he has exceeded his constitutional term limit
Malaysia General Elections and State Elections: May 2023 (due – general elections likely to be called earlier)
Amir Yusof, Channel News Asia (August 28, 2022): Malaysia’s key political parties hold meetings amid signs of imminent general election
Rozanna Latiff and A. Ananthalakshmi, Reuters (August 25, 2022): Malaysia’s Mahathir says ‘highly likely’ jailed Najib will get royal pardon
Niluksi Koswanage, Philip Heijmans, and Ravil Shirodkar, Bloomberg (August 24, 2022): Even From Jail, Najib Will Remain a Kingmaker in Malaysia
AP (August 23, 2022): Malaysia top court upholds ex-Prime Minister Najib’s graft conviction
Cambodia Parliamentary Elections: July 30, 2023 (due)
Sebastian Strangio, The Diplomat (August 24, 2022): Cambodia Readies Third Mass Trial of Opposition Officials: As the country heads toward national elections next year, the government is seeking to neutralize the influence of opposition leaders living in exile abroad.
Bangladesh General Elections: December 2023 (due)
The Daily Star Bangladesh (August 29, 2022): Hope EVM can help ensure free, fair, participatory elections: Japanese ambassador
Shafi Md Mostofa, The Diplomat (August 24, 2022): Bangladesh Parties Turn to Political Opportunism as Elections Draw Close: With Islamists displaying support for secular celebrations and secular parties burnishing their Islamist credentials, is Bangladesh heading toward political syncretism or hybridization?
Past Asia/Pacific Elections
Papua New Guinea General Elections: July 4-22, 2022
Tara Subramaniam, CNN (August 26 ,2022): Sleep, talk about coffee, wake up, talk about coffee: Papua New Guinea has a brand new minister job
Stephen Howes, East Asia Forum (August 23, 2022): Marape’s economic challenges this term around
Catherine Wilson, World Politics Review (August 19, 2022): A Messy Election Highlights Papua New Guinea’s Governance Challenges
Terrence Wood, DevPolicyBlog (August 19, 2022): What went wrong with the 2022 elections in PNG?
Philippines General Elections (Presidential, Legislative, and Local): May 9, 2022
Clara Ferreira Marques, Bloomberg (August 28, 2022): Marcos Brings Myth-Making to the Silver Screen: Months after the son of dictator Ferdinand Marcos was elected president in the Philippines, a hit film helps the family gloss over the brutality and corruption of the regime.
South Korea Local Elections: June 1, 2022, following Presidential Election: March 9, 2022
AP (August 28, 2022): Outspoken Lawmaker Picked to Lead South Korean Opposition
Japan House of Councillors Elections: July 10, 2022 (half of upper house)
Kyodo (August 26, 2022): Japan’s main opposition revamps executive lineup after July election defeat
Justin McCurry, The Guardian (August 23, 2022): Japan PM’s popularity dives over party links to Unification church
Macau Legislative Elections: September 12, 2021
Chen Zifei, Radio Free Asia (August 24, 2022): Macau to broaden reach of national security law in response to Pelosi’s Taiwan trip: The amendments could result in the loss of dissenting voices and put political pressure on the city’s NGOs.
Asia/Pacific Elections Coming Up in 2022 and 2023
Japan, Gubernatorial Election in Okinawa: September 11, 2022
Nauru Parliamentary Elections: Between September 24 and October 26, 2022 (due – exact date not set yet)
New Zealand Local Elections: October 8, 2022
Australia, Tasmania Local Elections: October 25, 2022
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)
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: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand