September 29, 2021
A weekly review of news and analysis of elections in Europe, usually posted on Wednesdays and occasionally updated throughout the week. For a full electoral calendar and interactive map, click here.
The Pyramid of Cestius in Rome, built 18-12 BC, and the Porta San Paolo. A number of Italian cities, including Rome, hold mayoral elections October 3-4. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Joris van Rooden (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Upcoming Europe Elections
Italy, Mayoral Elections in Rome, Milan, Turin, Naples and other cities and regional elections in Calabria: October 3-4, 2021
Italy is due to hold regional elections in Calabria in the south, as well as mayoral elections in several major cities, on October 10 and 11. The next general elections aren’t due until June 2023, but as is ever the case with Italy, snap elections are possible. However, in January 2021, the government collapsed after former prime minister Matteo Renzi withdrew his support. Former European Central Bank chief Mario “Super Mario” Draghi formed a government in February 2021.
Gavin Jones, Reuters (September 30, 2021): Italy’s Salvini pressured by far-right as centre-left set to sweep mayors
Nick Squires, The Telegraph (September 30, 2021): Matteo Salvini’s social media guru accused of paying for drug-fuelled sex parties with escorts: Allegations come just days before millions of Italians go to the polls in local elections and have been an embarrassment for The League
Pietro Lombardi, Politico (September 28, 2021): Fall of ancient bank looms over Italy’s left in Siena vote: Siena has long been a stronghold for Italy’s center-left but the failure of Monte dei Paschi is unleashing political shockwaves.
Sky News (September 24, 2021 – video): Rome: Brazen wild boar on streets of Italian capital becomes election campaign issue – as residents left ‘scared’
Czech Republic Parliamentary Elections: October 8-9, 2021
The Czech Republic has scheduled parliamentary elections for October 8-9, 2021. The current prime minister, controversial billionaire Andrej Babiš, came to power following the 2017 parliamentary elections. His populist ANO party won a plurality, but not majority, of seats, and he has had a turbulent tenure in office. More
Monika Brusenbauch Meislová Petr Suchý, London School of Economics (September 30, 2021): Czech election: Assessing the foreign policy positions of each of the main parties
Robert Muller, Reuters (September 29, 2021): Hungary’s Orban hits Czech campaign trail to back PM Babis
Prague Morning (September 28, 2021): Czech PM Candidates Clash in Pre-Election Debate Over Czexit
David Hutt, Euronews (September 27, 2021): Will the Czech elections see Prague turn its back on Russia and China?
Krystof Chamonikolas and Peter Laca, Bloomberg (September 26, 2021): Czech Premier’s Lead Narrows in Poll Before October Elections
Nick Cohen, The Spectator (September 24, 2021): China’s obsessive attempts to subvert the West
North Macedonia Local Elections: October 17, 2021
North Macedonia holds local elections on October 17, 2021. These follow parliamentary elections in July 2020. Following a historic agreement with Greece, and a name change, North Macedonia joined NATO in 2020 and is currently in talks to join the EU (although now Bulgaria is trying to hold that up).
The country’s politics are fragmented and fractious. The 2020 elections were extremely close, but ultimately PM Zoran Zaev and his Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) were able to once again form a government with the backing of the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), the main ethnic Albanian party (ethnic Albanians make up about a quarter of the population). SDSM also controls most of the municipalities heading into the local elections, having beaten the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE in a majority of municipalities and ousting the VMRO-DMPNE mayor of Skopje.
Aleksandar Samardjiev, OBC Transeuropa (September 29, 2021): Independent lists: will they bring more democracy to North Macedonia?
AFP (September 26, 2021): North Macedonia holds first high-stakes census, first in 20 years
Sinisa Jakov Marusic, Balkan Insight (September 24, 2021): Women Scarce Among North Macedonia Mayoral Candidates
Kosovo Local Elections: October 17, 2021
Kosovo holds local elections on October 17, 2021. These follow snap parliamentary elections that took place in February 2021. In those elections, Kosovo held on February 14. The left-wing nationalist Vetëvendosje won, potentially jeopardizing any resolution to a long-standing territorial dispute with Serbia. However, the new prime minister, Albin Kurti has also advocated for closer ties with the United States and Europe.
Al Jazeera (September 30, 2021): Kosovo, Serbia agree deal to end border tensions: Breakthrough negotiated in Brussels ends flare-up in hostilities triggered by dispute over vehicle licence plates.
AFP (September 27, 2021): NATO steps up patrols as Kosovo-Serbia tensions soar
Sasa Dragojlo and Perparim Isufi, Balkan Insight (September 27, 2021): Kosovo-Serbia Border Dispute ‘Driven by Internal Politics’
Estonia Local Elections: October 17, 2021 (following an indirect presidential election that began on August 30)
Estonia – a poster child for a successful post-communist transition to democracy – holds local elections on October 16, following an indirect presidential election on August 30.
In Estonia’s parliamentary system, the president plays a largely ceremonial and representative role, with no executive power. The Riigikogu (parliament) elects the president. Incumbent Kersti Kaljulaid sought re-election. However, the government nominated Alar Karis, director of the Estonian National Museum, and Karis ended up winning.
Since January 2021, Estonia’s government has been a grand coalition of the center-right Reform Party and the centrist Centre Party, which has historically been supported by Estonia’s Russian community. Following the 2019 elections, Centre shocked the country by forming a government with the far-right EKRE, but PM Juri Ratas was forced to resign in January 2021 following a real estate scandal. Subsequently, Reform – previously in opposition – formed a coalition with Centre as the junior partner, making Reform’s Kaja Kallas Estonia’s first female prime minister. More
ERR News (September 28, 2021): Center Party completes bill to change presidential election system
Reuters (September 23, 2021): Russian plane enters NATO member Estonia’s airspace for 6th time this year
Bulgaria Parliamentary Elections, Take 3 and Presidential Election: November 14, 2021
Bulgaria is holding a presidential election on November 14 along with a third set of parliamentary elections since no government was formed following the July 11 elections (themselves the result of no government being formed following the original elections on April 4). In Bulgaria’s parliamentary system, the prime minister holds executive power, while the president is largely ceremonial.
In the April polls, PM Boyko Borissov’s center-right GERB won the most seats, but lost ground and failed to win a majority. New parties running against the establishment did surprisingly well – in fact, a party called There Is Such a People (ITN), led by TV star Stanislav Trifonov, came in second and ruled out forming a coalition with GERB. Trifonov’s main platform was anti-corruption – indeed, corruption was the biggest issue in the election.
In the July elections, Trifonov’s ITN surpassed GERB to win the most seats, but not enough for a majority. ITN was not able to form a government, and the Socialists refused. Therefore, Bulgarians will head to the polls for a third time. More
Antoaneta Dimitrova and Bernard Steunenberg, London School of Economics (September 29, 2021): What lessons can be learned from the failure to form a government in Bulgaria and the Netherlands?
RFE/RL (September 27, 2021): Ahead Of Elections, Bulgaria Urged To Improve Press Freedom
Finland County Elections: January 23, 2022
On January 23, 2022, Finland will hold elections to newly-created county councils. These councils will assume responsibility for providing healthcare (the responsibility previously fell to municipal councils).
Following the 2019 parliamentary elections, a left-leaning coalition came into government nationally. The conservative National Coalition Party won the most seats in the local elections, with the Social Democrats placing second. The far-right Finns Party made gains in its vote share. More
YLE (September 28, 2021): Smaller towns could lack representation in new regional assemblies: Finland’s regional elections will see representatives elected to new assemblies.
YLE (September 24, 2021): Low turnout predicted for January’s provincial elections
France Presidential Election: April 10 and 24, 2022, followed by Legislative Elections: June 12 and 19, 2022
France holds presidential and legislative elections in spring 2022. These follow the June 2021 regional elections, in which the far-right failed to make gains that had been predicted by pre-election polls. The regional elections put the center-right Republicans in a stronger position to challenge President Emmanuel Macron, although the far-right Marine Le Pen plans to mount a vigorous campaign.
Victor Mallet, Financial Times (September 29, 2021): Anti-immigration TV personality threatens to displace Le Pen in French polls
Laura Kayali and Pierre-Paul Bermingham, Politico (September 28, 2021): French Greens narrowly choose MEP Yannick Jadot as presidential candidate: Results show environmentalist voters still deeply divided over pragmatism versus more radical reforms.
France24 (September 26, 2021): Conservative Les Républicains forgo primary to choose candidate at party convention
Aude Mazque, France24 (September 24, 2021): Le Pen’s bid for French presidency off to stormy start as far-right pundit steals her thunder
The Local (September 24, 2021): Calendar: What happens and when in the 2022 French presidential election campaigns
Hungary Parliamentary Elections: By Spring 2022 (or earlier)
Hungary is due to hold parliamentary elections by Spring 2022, although snap elections are possible. Prime Minster Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party has become increasingly authoritarian, to the concern of many both in Hungary and in the international community. A number of opposition parties plan to hold a primary to field a single candidate for prime minister. Gergely Karácsony, the liberal mayor of Budapest, is seen by many as a leading candidate to challenge Orbán.
Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves, Reuters (September 30, 2021): Pro-EU Dobrev wins first round of opposition primary to take on Hungary’s Orban
Zoltan SImon, Bloomberg (September 30, 2021): Orban Foe Who’d Break the Law to Raze His Regime Leads Primaries
Eszter Zalan, Euronews (September 30, 2021): United anti-Orban opposition pins hopes on primaries
Sweden Parliamentary Elections: September 11, 2022
Sweden’s next elections are not due until September 2022, but in June 2021, the left-leaning coalition led by Prime Minister Stefan Lofven fell in a no-confidence vote. Lofven was re-elected PM, but could fall in yet another no-confidence vote if his government cannot pass a budget. In August, Lofven suddenly announced his resignation, effective in November. Magdalena Andersson, currently the finance minister, looks likely to succeed him and become Sweden’s first female prime minister.
Richard Milne, Financial Times (September 29, 2021): Finance minister on course to become Sweden’s first female PM: Magdalena Andersson nominated as leader of the ruling Social Democrats
Past Europe Elections
Germany Bundestag Elections: September 26, 2021 (plus state elections throughout the year)
Germany held several sets of elections next year, culminating in the September 26, 2021 federal parliamentary elections that will determine who succeeds Angela Merkel as chancellor. The Social Democratic Party (SPD), headed by Olaf Scholz, placed first, with 25.7 percent of the vote. Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), along with its Bavarian partner Christian Social Union (CSU), suffered a historic defeat in these elections, placing second with 24.1 percent of the vote, possibly due to the personal unpopularity of its standard-bearer, Armin Laschet, who made a series of gaffes during the campaign.
A big story during the election was the rise of the Greens, who even topped opinion polls at various points, but ultimately placed third. They portrayed themselves as responsible and mainstream, choosing pragmatist Annalena Baerbock as their standard-bearer. Finally, the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) placed fourth, with 11 percent of the vote, after five years of having no seats in the Bundestag (since FDP failed to meet the 5 percent threshold in the 2017 elections).
Since another “grand coalition” between CDU/CSU and SPD – the current government – is unlikely for a variety of reasons, the next government will most likely consist of three parties. It could either be a “Jamaica coalition” of CDU/CSU, FDP, and the Greens, or a “traffic light coalition” consisting of SPD, plus FDP and the Greens. The Greens and FDP are holding talks with one another before negotiating with either CDU/CSU or SPD, and reaching any sort of deal could take months.
DW (September 29, 2021): German election: Greens and FDP meet for preliminary two-way talks
Jens Kastner, Nikkei Asia (September 28, 2021): Merkel’s CDU election loss set to complicate Germany-China ties: Beijing’s biggest fear is Greens getting foreign minister role
Euronews (September 27, 2021): German election: How could a new government in Berlin affect Brussels?
Tara John, Nadine Schmidt, Stephanie Halasz and Frederik Pleitgen, CNN (September 27, 2021): Five key takeaways from Germany’s historic election
New York Times (September 27, 2021): Maps show where Merkel’s party lost ground: everywhere.
Holly Ellyatt and Matt Clinch, CNBC (September 26, 2021): Social Democrats narrowly beat Angela Merkel’s alliance in historic German election
Lorne Cook, AP (September 24, 2021): EU warns Russia over cyberattacks ahead of German elections
Erika Solomon, Financial Times (September 24, 2021): Germany’s electoral oracle struggles to divine the post-Merkel future
Portugal Local Elections: September 26, 2021
Portugal held local elections on September 26. The two main parties, center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) and leftist Socialist Party (PS), regularly alternate in power. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa from PSD won the 2016 presidential election and was re-elected in January 2021.
In the local elections, the Socialists won overall, but lost the mayoral race in Lisbon for the first time in 14 years. More
Andrei Khalip, Reuters (September 27, 2021): Portugal’s ruling Socialists lead in local elections but lose Lisbon
Austria, Upper Austria State and Municipal Elections: September 26, 2021 and Presidential Election: April 2022 (due)
Austria’s Upper Austria (whose capital is Linz, home of the Linzertorte cake) state holds elections in September. All four parties who have seats in the state legislature – ÖVP, FPÖ, the Social Democrats (SPÖ), and the Greens – are part of the state government.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz’s ÖVP remained the biggest party, but a new anti-lockdown party called People Freedom Fundamental Rights (MFG) won 6.2 percent of the vote, enough to secure seats. Meanwhile, the state of Styria held local elections, and the Communists – who normally get 1 percent of the vote nationally – won an unprecedented victory in the mayoral contest in Graz, Austria’s second-largest city.
The Local (September 28, 2021): Austrian Communist Party wins local election in Graz
Robert Krotzer, Jacobin (September 27, 2021 – interview): The Communist Party Just Won the Elections in Austria’s Second-Biggest City
Reuters (September 27, 2021): New Austrian anti-lockdown party seeking more seats after election coup
San Marino Abortion Referendum: September 26, 2021
San Marino, one of Europe’s smallest states, held a referendum on legalizing abortion on September 26, 2021. It is a controversial topic in this deeply conservative country, but the referendum overwhelmingly passed, paving the way to legalize abortion.
Caitlin Hu and Sharif Paget, CNN (September 27, 2021): San Marino votes overwhelmingly to end abortion ban
Switzerland Referendums: September 26, 2021
Switzerland holds referendums frequently (Swiss citizens are fans of direct democracy), and the most recent one was on September 26. Swiss citizens voted to legalize marriage equality.
AP (September 26, 2021): Switzerland votes to legalize same-sex marriage
Iceland Parliamentary Elections: September 25, 2021
Iceland held elections for the Althing, its parliament (which has a strong claim to the title of oldest parliament in the world), September 25, 2021. The current government, a broad coalition of the Left-Green Movement, the conservative Independence Party, and the agrarian Progressive Party, looks likely to remain in power. More
Reuters (September 26, 2021): Vote recount deprives Iceland of Europe’s first female-majority parliament
Norway Parliamentary Elections: September 13, 2021
Norway held parliamentary elections on September 13, 2021. Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who had led a center-right coalition since 2013, suffered a defeat from the left-leaning opposition, which will now form a government (the exact makeup remains to be seen). More
Reuters (September 29, 2021): Norway’s centre-left Labour seeks to lead minority govt after Socialists ditch talks
Albania Parliamentary Elections: April 25, 2021
Albania held parliamentary elections on April 25, 2021 in a tense political climate with several violent incidents. Since communism collapsed in 1990, Albania has held competitive elections and several transitions of power between political parties. The elections were close, and the incumbent Socialist Party won a third term in office, defeating the main opposition center-right Democratic Party. More
RFE/RL (September 28, 2021): EU Hopes To Start Accession Talks With Albania, North Macedonia By Year’s End
Llazar Semini, AP (September 28, 2021): Albania complains its EU accession bid is being held hostage
Netherlands Parliamentary Elections: March 17, 2021
Netherlands held parliamentary elections on March 17, 2020. Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s center-right VVD once again won the most seats, but coalition negotiations continued for nearly six months after the elections. The parties finally announced that they would probably renew the four-party coalition, and remain in government. More
AFP (September 30, 2021): Dutch break coalition deadlock in boost for Rutte
DutchNews.NL (September 30, 2021): D66 gives green light to a cabinet restart with the VVD, CDA and ChristenUnie
Mike Corder, AP (September 29, 2021): Leaders of 4 Dutch parties open to renewing coalition
Romania Parliamentary Elections: December 6, 2020
Romania held parliamentary elections on December 6. Amid low turnout due partly to COVID-19, the scandal-plagued leftist Social Democrats (PSD) unexpectedly came in first place. However, a coalition of parties formed a center-right government, headed by Florin Cîțu from the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL). More
Reuters (September 25, 2021): Romanian PM Citu wins party leadership, prolonging political stalemate
Nastia Kukunova, Foreign Brief (September 25, 2021): Romania’s Liberal Party to hold internal elections
Lithuania Parliamentary Elections: October 11, 2020 and October 25, 2020
Lithuania held parliamentary elections in October 2020. A center-right coalition led by Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS–LKD) defeated the incumbent populist Farmers and Greens. Following the elections, a coalition of four parties – all led by women – formed a government, with Ingrida Šimonytė as the country’s first female prime minister.
Under the present government, Lithuania has become increasingly vocal on matters related to China’s human rights record, leading other European countries to re-assess their relations with Beijing.
Andrew Higgins, New York Times (September 30, 2021): Lithuania vs. China: A Baltic Minnow Defies a Rising Superpower
World Politics Review (September 29, 2021 – podcast): Lithuania Tests Its Anti-Authoritarian Mettle
The Big Picture
James Lamond and Jake Morris, Defense One (September 28, 2021): It’s China, Stupid: More voters across the West are caring more about China. In the next round of elections, politicians should, too.
Europe Elections Coming Up in 2021 and 2022
Italy Municipal Elections, plus regional elections in Calabria: October 3-4, 2021
Czech Republic Parliamentary Elections: October 8-9, 2021
Estonia Local Elections: October 17, 2021
North Macedonia Local Elections: October 17, 2021
Kosovo Local Elections: October 17, 2021
Bulgaria Presidential Election: November 14, 2021
Denmark Regional and Municipal Elections: November 16, 2021
Finland County Elections: January 23, 2022
Serbia Presidential and Parliamentary Elections: April 3, 2022
France Presidential Election: April 10 and 24, 2022
Austria Presidential Election: April 2022 (due)
Hungary Parliamentary Elections: April 2022 (due)
Slovenia Parliamentary Elections: By June 5, 2022
France Legislative Elections: June 12 and 19, 2022
Malta Parliamentary Elections: June 2022 (due – snap elections possible)
Sweden Parliamentary Elections: September 11, 2022
Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidential and Legislative Elections: October 2022 (due)
Latvia Parliamentary Elections: October 2022 (due)
Slovenia Presidential Election: October/November 2022 (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.
Africa This Week: October 4, 2021
Last Updated: October 20, 2021 by 21votes Leave a Comment
October 4, 2021
A weekly review of news and analysis of elections in Africa, usually posted on Mondays and occasionally updated throughout the week. For a full electoral calendar and interactive map, click here.
Upcoming Africa Elections
Cabo Verde Presidential Election: October 17, 2021
Cabo Verde, a stable democracy with regular elections and peaceful transfers of power, holds a presidential election on October 17, 2021, following parliamentary elections that took place on April 18, 2021. The incumbent center-right MpD won, defeating the socialist PAICV (which had run Cabo Verde as a one-party state until 1990, but MpD won a historic victory in 2016).
Cabo Verde’s strategic location in the Atlantic has made it the site of increasing geopolitical competition between the U.S., NATO, and the EU on one hand and China on the other. While PAICV advocates strong links with Beijing, and has a party-to-party relationship with the Chinese Communist Party, current PM Ulisses Correia e Silva from MpD advocates stronger links with NATO and the West. More
Eugene Teixeira, Voice of America (September 30, 2021 – in Portuguese): Presidents in Cape Verde: Carlos Veiga and José Maria Neves show their credentials
RFI (September 30, 2021 – in Portuguese): The campaign for presidential in Cape Verde has begun
South Africa Local Elections: October 27, 2021
South Africa will hold local elections on October 27, 2021, although some have called for delays due to COVID-19. Voters will elect councils for all municipalities in each of the country’s nine provinces. These are taking place in the context of unrest following the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma for corruption. More
The Economist (October 2, 2021): South Africa’s main opposition sees coalitions ahead: Will a weakening ruling party team up with liberals or the thuggish far left?
Reuters (October 1, 2021): S.African president Ramaphosa eases COVID-19 restrictions to lowest level
Africanews/AFP (September 28, 2021): ‘We will do better’: South Africa’s ruling ANC launches manifesto before local elections
Nigeria, Anambra State Gubernatorial Election: November 6, 2021, followed by several state elections in 2022, and general elections in 2023 (and preceded by local elections in various states)
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, holds general elections in February 2023, but some states are due to hold elections before that.
In addition, potential 2023 candidates have already begun jockeying for position. Since the return to civilian rule, vote-rigging and violence have plagued elections. While the 2015 polls – which handed the opposition its first-ever victory – were considered credible, international and Nigerian observers found that the 2019 polls fell short. The country is in the midst of several security crises.
William Clowes, Bloomberg (October 1, 2021): Nigerian Opposition Hints It Wants Southerner as Next President
Anita Patrick and Stephanie Busari, CNN (October 1, 2021): Twitter says it is ‘continuing to engage’ with the Nigerian government as they discuss lifting ban
Chinedu Asadu, AP (September 30, 2021): Dozens killed and abducted in Nigeria’s north
Gambia Presidential Election: December 4, 2021
Gambia is due to hold its first presidential election since it began its remarkable transition to democracy in 2016, when citizens removed dictator Yahya Jammeh – who had come to power in a coup and ruled for 22 years – peacefully, via the ballot box. In a surprising election result, opposition candidate Adama Barrow won the presidency with the backing of a coalition of seven opposition parties. However, the process of establishing democracy and recovering from Jammeh’s brutal dictatorship has not been easy.
In a shock move, Barrow announced an alliance with Jammeh ahead of December’s election. More
Isaac Kaledzi, DW (October 2, 2021): Gambia: The story of a Jammeh-era survivor
Sheriff Bojang Jr., World Politics Review (October 1, 2021): Barrow’s Alliance with Jammeh Deflates Gambians’ Hopes for Justice
Al Jazeera (September 30, 2021): The Gambia delays report on former longtime leader Jammeh
Mali Presidential and Legislative Elections: February 27, 2022 (following two coups)
Mali has set presidential and legislative elections for February 27, 2022, following the August 2020 coup. In the coup, soldiers removed President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, dissolved parliament (which had just been elected in April, in elections marred by fraud and intimidation) and established a transitional government. Before that, there will be a constitutional referendum on October 31, 2021 and local and regional elections on December 26.
On May 25, Mali had another coup, but leaders have stated that the elections will remain on the calendar for 2022. However, the situation remains fluid.
Moses Rono, BBC (October 2, 2021): Mali’s plan for Russia mercenaries to replace French troops unsettles Sahel
Al Jazeera (September 29, 2021): Mali receives helicopters and weapons from Russia
David Rich, France24 (September 29, 2021): Mali junta’s sovereignty push arouses hope, fear amid troubled anti-jihadist struggle
RFI (September 28, 2021): France rejects Mali ‘abandonment’ claim, insists election timetable be respected
Roger Boyes, Times of London (September 28, 2021): Mercenaries tighten Putin’s grip in Africa
Jeff Seldin, Voice of America (September 28, 2021): Mali Seeking ‘Better Ways’ to Contain Terrorism
Reuters (September 28, 2021): Mali could delay post-coup elections, interim PM says
Kenya General Elections: August 9, 2022
Kenya is due to hold general elections on August 9, 2022. The last elections, in August 2017, were disputed, and the presidential poll was re-run in October 2017. President Uhuru Kenyatta won re-election after opposition leader Raila Odinga encouraged his supporters to boycott the re-run. Kenyan politics is highly polarized with a strong ethnic component.
Dr Westen K Shilaho, The Conversation (September 28, 2021): Kenya’s next election is in view: the struggle between elites and rule of law is intensifying
Chad Elections: By December 2022 (tentative, post-coup)
Chad held a presidential election on April 11, 2021. President Idriss Déby, seized power in a rebellion in 1990, won a sixth term. However, on April 20, he was killed by rebels.
Although the country holds elections, there has never been a change in power by a free or fair vote. Long-delayed long-delayed parliamentary elections had been set for October 24, 2021 and local elections for April 2022. Originally due in 2015, the legislative elections have been delayed multiple times. However, Deby’s death could lead to further delays – the military has said it plans to rule the country for 18 months. More
Reuters (October 2, 2021): One policeman killed, at least ten civilians wounded in Chad opposition protest
Trevor Filseth, National Interest (September 28, 2021): Chad Interim Parliament Announced: Opposition Leaders Excluded
Zimbabwe General Elections: July 2023 (due)
Zimbabwe is due to hold elections in 2023. These will be the second since the 2017 coup that led to the fall of Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s longtime dictator, who left a legacy of gross economic mismanagement and political repression. However, democracy continues to face many challenges in Zimbabwe.
Gibbs Dube, Voice of America (October 1, 2021): Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Says MDC Alliance Not Barred from Attending Stakeholders Meetings
AFP (October 1, 2021): 19 arrested at Zimbabwe pre-election protest
Guinea Elections: TBD, following coup
On September 5, 2021, Guinea’s president, Alpha Condé, fell in a military coup. Guinea’s political future remains uncertain, but regional and international bodies, as well as Guinean civil society and political groups, have urged elections.
Condé was re-elected in October 2020 amid violence. He sought and won a controversial third term, and for the third time, faced off against opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo. Both candidates claimed they won, but election officials declared Condé the winner. However, Diallo is challenged the results, alleging fraud and prompting street protests leading to at least 10 deaths. The government arrested a number of opposition members following the election. More
Marième Soumaré, The Africa Report (October 4, 2021): Army reform in Guinea: Will Mamady Doumbouya succeed where Alpha Condé failed?
BBC (October 1, 2021): Mamady Doumbouya: Guinea coup leader sworn in as president
Saliou Samb, Reuters (September 28, 2021): Guinea junta bars its members from running in next elections
Boubacar Diallo and Carley Petesch, AP (September 28, 2201): Guinea’s junta releases transition charter toward elections
Past Africa Elections
Ethiopia Partial Elections: September 30, 2021, preceded by General Elections: June 21, 2021
Ethiopia held general elections on June 21, 2021, after several postponements. These elections took place in the context of increasing ethnic violence that has reached crisis levels. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, previously a reformer (he even won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2019) but most recently an authoritarian, won in a landslide. Polling couldn’t happen in several areas due to the ongoing conflict, so make-up votes took place on September 30, amid opposition boycotts. Nonetheless, Abiy already had enough seats to form a new government regardless of the results of the September elections.
AP (October 4, 2021): Ethiopian PM begins 2nd term saying war exacts ‘heavy price’
Bileh Jelan and Siyanne Mekonnen, Addis Standard (October 4, 2021): Analysis : As it reckons with multi-layered crises, Ethiopia forms new government in the absence of Tigray, incomplete electoral process
Bethlehem Feleke and Eliza Mackintosh, CNN (October 1, 2021): Ethiopia to expel UN officials amid fears of Tigray famine
AFP (September 30, 2021): Ethiopia to expel seven senior UN staff for ‘meddling’
France24 (September 30, 2021 – video): Ethiopia elections: Somali region holds vote after 3-month delay
Georja Calvin-Smith and Laura Di Blasio, France24 (September 29, 2021 – video): Opposition parties pull out of Ethiopia’s elections
Maria Gerth-Niculescu, DW (September 28, 2021): Ethiopia: War and optimism collide as Abiy Ahmed prepares to form a new government
Benin Presidential Election: April 11, 2021
Benin held a presidential election on April 11, 2021. Incumbent Patrice Talon won a second term after largely keeping the opposition off the ballot. Previously a model democracy in the region, Benin has seen democratic decline since Talon’s election in 2016. More
Virgile Dénakpo, African Arguments (September 29, 2021): The jailed candidate: What Madougou’s case tells us about Benin
Regional Analysis
Chris Olaoluwa Ogunmodede, World Politics Review (September 30, 2021): ‘Stability’ Without Democratic Values Has Failed in West Africa
Africa Elections Coming Up in 2021 and 2022
Nigeria: Local Elections in Nasarawa State: October 6, 2021
Nigeria: Local Elections in Plateau State: October 9, 2021
Cabo Verde Presidential Election: October 17, 2021
Somalia, Direct Local Elections in Puntland: October 25, 2021
South Africa Local Elections: October 27, 2021
Nigeria, Anambra State Gubernatorial Election: November 6, 2021
Gambia Presidential Election: December 4, 2021
Angola Local Elections: Overdue, might possibly happen in 2021
Senegal Local Elections: January 23, 2021
Somalia Indirect Presidential and Legislative Elections: February 8, 2022 (Tentative, following numerous delays – additional delays possible)
Mali Presidential and Legislative Elections: February 27, 2022 (following coup – delays possible)
Gambia Parliamentary Elections: April 2022 (due)
Burkina Faso Local Elections: May 2022 (due)
Lesotho Parliamentary Elections: June 2022 (due)
Republic of Congo Legislative Elections: July 2022 (due)
Senegal Legislative Elections: July 2022 (due)
Kenya Presidential and Legislative Elections: August 9, 2022
Angola Legislative Elections: August 2022 (due)
Sao Tome and Principe Parliamentary Elections: October 2022 (due)
Equatorial Guinea Parliamentary Elections: November 2022 (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.
Americas This Week: October 2, 2021
Last Updated: October 15, 2021 by 21votes Leave a Comment
October 2, 2021
A weekly review of news and analysis of elections in the Americas, usually posted on Saturdays and occasionally updated throughout the week. For a full electoral calendar and interactive map, click here.
Upcoming Americas Elections
Paraguay Municipal Elections: October 10, 2021
Paraguay holds local elections on October 10, 2021. On June 20, many of the political parties held primary elections. The federal government is led by President Mario Abdo Benítez from the conservative Colorado Party, which also won a majority in the lower house of the legislature in the 2018 elections (no party holds a majority in the Senate). Colorado has been in power most of the time since the 1950s.
Paraguay returned to democracy in 1989, following the collapse of the 35-year dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner, but a number of issues remain. As a result, it is rated Partly Free by Freedom House.
AP (September 29, 2021): Indigenous protest in Paraguay’s capital erupts in violence
Nicaragua General Elections: November 7, 2021
Nicaragua holds general elections on November 7, 2021. President Daniel Ortega, who has been in power for 20 years, will seek another term, and under his rule, Nicaragua has become increasingly authoritarian, with rule of law and fundamental freedoms under assault.
Several opposition candidates have been arrested, including Cristiana Chamorro, seen by many as the opposition’s best chance of ousting Ortega (in fact, her mother, Violeta Chamorro, beat Ortega in the 1990 election, becoming Nicaragua’s first – and to date only – female president and ending 11 years of Sandinista rule).
Christopher Sherman, AP (September 30, 2021): US pulls defense attaché out of Nicaragua after comments
José Zepeda, openDemocracy (September 26, 2021): Nicaragua: The revolution betrayed
Argentina Midterm Legislative Elections: November 14, 2021 (postponed from October)
Argentina is due to hold midterm legislative elections on November 14, along with a few sets of provincial elections on various dates. Although most of the country’s 23 provinces hold their elections at the same time as presidential elections (which last took place in 2019 and are due again in 2023), a few are due to hold elections this year.
Argentina’s 2021 elections – both provincial and legislative – are happening in the context of an economic crisis, which the leftist government and COVID-19 have exacerbated. In the 2019 presidential election, Peronist Alberto Fernández defeated center-right incumbent Mauricio Macri (the first defeat for an Argentine incumbent president), running on a ticket with populist firebrand Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who served as president from 2007 to 2015. Kirchner herself did not run for president because she was facing criminal charges related to misconduct during her time in office. Frente de Todos, the party formed by Kirchner and Fernández, currently holds a majority in the Senate and is the biggest party in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house.
Scott Squires, Bloomberg (October 4, 2021): Argentina Investors Got Election Wish, Then Got Hammered Anyway
Hector R. Torres, Project Syndicate (October 4, 2021): Argentina’s Confidence Game
James Neilson, Buenos Aires Times (October 2, 2021): Argentina now in the danger zone: In a country in which parliament calls all the shots, the fall of an unpopular government would not present any constitutional difficulties, but here things are done differently.
Chile Presidential and Legislative Elections: November 21, 2021
Chile holds presidential and legislative elections in November, following presidential primaries on July 18 that produced surprise results ). These elections follow the May 2021 local elections, and importantly, elections to the Constitutional Assembly. Incumbent president Sebastian Pinera, from the center-right Chile Vamos coalition, is not running for another term. He currently has low approval ratings. Moreover, the conservatives failed to secure even one-third of the Constitutional Assembly.
The results of the July 18 presidential primaries indicate that voters seem to want a return to moderation. Center-right Sebastian Sichel prevailed over candidates who were both more established and more to the right. Similarly, on the left, communist Daniel Jadue, a darling of the international left-wing commentariat, lost to Gabriel Boric, a socialist former student leader. A number of other candidates could also enter the race, leaving the result far from clear.
These elections are taking place in the context of a year of protests and riots, including violent looting, arson, and vandalism. Furthermore, an intense debate over the new constitution continues. More
The Economist (October 2, 2021): Can Chile’s constitutional convention defuse people’s discontent? The reasons for massive protests in 2019 have not entirely gone away
Venezuela Regional and Local Elections: November 21, 2021
Venezuela has scheduled regional and local elections for November 21, 2021. In December 2020, Venezuela held legislative elections despite members of the opposition and international community calling for a delay in order to ensure credible, fair elections. Ultimately, most of the opposition boycotted; however, opposition parties appear willing to participate in the elections this year.
Andres Oppenheimer, Miami Herald (October 1, 2021): Venezuelan exodus reaches record 6 million people — and will likely soar in 2022
Reuters (September 29, 2021): EU to deploy election observation mission to Venezuela
Al Bawaba (September 29, 2021): Mexico to Host 3rd Round of Talks Between Venezuelan Government and Opposition
Nicolle Yapur, Bloomberg (September 28, 2021): Venezuela Opposition to Explore Engaging Creditors Over Citgo
AFP (September 27, 2021): Venezuela rivals report more progress at political talks
Lexi Lonas, The Hill (September 25, 2021): Iran and Venezuela strike oil deal amid US sanctions
Colombia Legislative Elections: March 13, 2022 and Presidential Election: May 29, 2022
Colombia is due to hold presidential and legislative elections in spring 2022. Conservative Ivan Duque, elected president in 2018, is constitutionally barred from running for re-election. One of the frontrunners to replace him is former left-wing guerilla Gustavo Petro, who placed second in 2018. The country has been rocked by riots recently. The proximate cause was a tax bill, but the protests have grown – and grown violent – and dozens have died.
Andrea Jaramillo, Bloomberg (October 1, 2021): Colombia’s Center-Left Is Seen Winning 2022’s Presidential Race
Mauricio Cárdenas, Americas Quarterly (September 29, 2021): How to Avoid a Caudillo in Colombia (and Elsewhere)
Haiti Parliamentary and Presidential Elections: Delayed
Haiti had planned to hold presidential and parliamentary elections this year in the midst of political and humanitarian crises, but the elections have now been delayed.
Haiti’s political crisis went into overdrive on July 7 with the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Moïse had been governing by decree for over a year and stood accused by many of attempting to consolidate power through a controversial constitutional change (Moïse ultimately postponed the referendum).
Allegations of fraud followed Haiti’s presidential 2015 election, sparking a political crisis that remains ongoing. Some have called for the upcoming elections to be delayed, but the interim government has said they will take place this year (although the date could be moved, especially in the wake of a deadly earthquake on August 14 that left over 1,000 people dead).
Emmanuela Douyon, Americas Quarterly (September 30, 2021): Haiti’s Ariel Henry Makes a Play for Power
AP (September 28, 2021): Haiti’s prime minister tells AP that he plans to organize presidential and legislative elections for early next year
AFP (September 28, 2021): Haiti elections postponed indefinitely amid political crisis
Past Americas Elections
Canada Snap Parliamentary Elections: September 20, 2021
Canada held snap elections on September 20, 2021, two years early. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hoped to win a majority for his Liberals. He ended up remaining in power, but once again helming a minority government. His gamble did not pay off.
Bill Greenwalt, Breaking Defense (October 4, 2021): O No Canada: Is A Three-Eyed AUKUS An Augury For Change?
David Cochrane, CBC News (October 3, 2021): Trudeau’s got a cabinet to build — and this time, it’ll be harder
Paul Wells, Maclean’s (September 29, 2021): The broken triumph of Justin Trudeau
Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press (September 28, 2021): Only 1 in 10 Canadians happy with outcome of federal election: poll
Americas Elections Coming Up in 2021 and 2022
Paraguay Local Elections: October 10, 2021
Nicaragua Presidential and Legislative Elections: November 7, 2021
Argentina Midterm Legislative Elections: November 14, 2021
Chile Presidential and Legislative Elections: November 21, 2021
Venezuela Regional and Local Elections: November 21, 2021
Honduras Presidential and Legislative Elections: November 28, 2021
Guyana Local Elections: Due in 2021 (delays possible)
Costa Rica Presidential and Legislative Elections: February 6, 2022
Colombia Legislative Elections: March 13, 2022
Colombia Presidential Election: May 29, 2022
Brazil Presidential and Legislative Elections: October 2, 2022
Haiti Presidential and Legislative Elections: Delayed from November 7, 2021, no new date set
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: October 1, 2021
Last Updated: October 15, 2021 by 21votes Leave a Comment
October 1, 2021
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. For a full electoral calendar and interactive map, click here.
Upcoming Asia/Pacific Elections
Japan General Elections: October 31, 2021
Japan’s new prime minister, Fumio Kishida, plans to hold general elections on October 31, a bit earlier than the November deadline. These come on the heels of Tokyo Assembly elections, in which Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) did not win a majority. Before the elections, the assembly was dominated by the Tomin First party, founded by Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike, who used to belong to LDP.
These elections follow the LDP’s September 29 leadership contest. Former prime minister Yoshihide Suga did not seek re-election. Kishida defeated vaccine czar Kono Taro in a runoff, as well as the hawkish former internal affairs minister Takaichi Sanae and former gender equality minister Noda Seiko.
Isabel Reynolds, Bloomberg (October 3, 2021): Japan’s Kishida Appointed Premier, Set to Call Oct. 31 Election
Kevin Buckland, Reuters (October 1, 2021): Japan’s incoming PM to retain defence, education ministers – report
Purnendra Jain, Lowy Institute (September 30, 2021): Meet Japan’s new PM: Asia’s oldest democracy looks for a steady hand on the tiller in a time of regional flux.
AP (September 29, 2021): Fumio Kishida set to become Japan’s next prime minister after winning ruling party leadership race
Motoko Rich, New York Times (September 29, 2021): Why the Governing Party Election Is the Main Event in Japan: The country has free elections, opposition parties and, lately, public discontent. So why are the Liberal Democrats nearly assured to remain in power?
Tonga General Elections: November 18, 2021
Tonga has scheduled general elections for November 18, 2021. Along with other Pacific states, it is a focal point of geopolitical competition between China and the world’s democracies.
Radio New Zealand (September 30, 2021): New-look Tongan parliament likely
Hong Kong Legislative Elections: December 19, 2021
Hong Kong is holding elections to the Legislative Council on December 19, 2021, after more than a year’s delay. These elections are taking place in the context of Beijing’s determination to gut Hong Kong’s democracy. More
Ellen Bork, The Dispatch (September 30, 2021): How the Biden Administration Is Hurting Its Credibility on China
Tony Cheung, South China Morning Post (September 29, 2021): Another 10 Hong Kong district councillors ousted after being grilled on opposition election primary, protest slogans
Primrose Riordan, Financial Times (September 29, 2021): Hong Kong’s ‘loyal critic’ faces tough test as Beijing targets media
Taiwan Referendum: December 18, 2021 and Local Elections: November 2022 (due)
Taiwan, a robust democracy, is due to hold a referendum on December 18 with four questions (on algae reef protection, lifting restrictions on pork imports from the U.S., the activation of a nuclear plant, and referendum dates). After that, local elections are due in November 2022.
The country held presidential and legislative elections in January 2020. President Tsai Ing-Wen’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the legislative elections and Tsai herself was re-elected president. The DPP, established in 1986 during Taiwan’s transition to democracy, supports Taiwan’s independence. The main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), founded by Sun Yat-Sen, favors closer ties to the mainland, which it ruled from 1925 to 1948. Relations with China are a dominant theme in Taiwan’s political debate.
Erin Hale, Nikkei Asia (September 28, 2021): Taiwan’s new Kuomintang leader keeps party on China-friendly track: Choice of Eric Chu as chairman puts KMT at odds with a majority on the island
South Korea Presidential Election: March 9, 2022
South Korea holds its presidential election on March 9, 2021. Recently, the conservative opposition won special mayoral elections in Seoul and Busan by a landslide, just a year after President Moon Jae-in’s center-left Democratic Party swept the legislature. Moreover, Moon’s approval rating is tanking.
Verity Bowman, The Telegraph (October 3, 2021): South Korean politicians use Netflix sensation ‘Squid Game’ for election race
Kang Seung-woo, Korea Times (September 29, 2021): Will inter-Korean summit affect presidential election? Conservative bloc criticizes gov’t for using inter-Korean detente for political ends
Philippines Presidential Election: May 9, 2022
Philippines holds a presidential election on May 9, 2022. In 2016, populist firebrand Rodrigo Duterte won the presidency, claiming to be an outsider. He has governed with an iron fist. Although he is banned from seeking a second term, critics fear that he will seek to consolidate illiberalism in the form of a handpicked successor. Meanwhile, a broad coalition of opposition figures have formed 1Sambayan (One Nation) in the hopes of defeating Duterte’s allies with a united front. Boxing star Manny Pacquiao, a former Duterte ally, has been discussed as a possible presidential candidate for 1Sambayan.
Duterte has made moves to bring the Philippines closer to China and away from the United States during his tenure in office, but has ultimately kept the defense pact with the U.S. in tact.
Karen Lema, Reuters (October 2, 2021): Philippines’ Duterte says he is retiring from politics, but not everyone is convinced
Aaron Gavila and Joeal Calupitan, AP (October 1, 2021): Former pugilist, future president? Pacquiao files candidacy in Philippine race
AFP (September 30, 2021):
Australia Parliamentary Elections: May 2022 (due – snap elections possible)
Australia’s federal parliamentary elections are due by 2022, but snap elections could happen. In Australia’s last federal elections in May 2019, the conservative Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, won a surprise victory, even though polls had predicted that Labor would oust them. The Liberals are currently in their third term in government. Morrison has been criticized for his “COVID zero” strategy that has been used to justify increasingly authoritarian policies.
Meanwhile, several states hold various types of elections in 2021.
Matthew Doran, ABC News Australia (September 28, 2021): Here are all the dates, likely and unlikely, for the next Australian federal election
Cambodia Local Elections: June 5, 2022 and Parliamentary Elections: July 2023 (due)
Cambodia is due to hold local elections in 2022 and general elections in 2023. Although Cambodia has held elections in the past that had some element of competition, the 2018 election – neither free nor fair – signified the closing of Cambodia’s political space. They have been called “the death of democracy.”
The main pro-democracy opposition, Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), was dissolved and banned from fielding candidates, and its leader, Sam Rainsy, was sent into exile, so its supporters boycotted the polls, resulting in the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) taking 58 out of 62 seats in parliament, and allowing Prime Minister Hun Sen to consolidate even more power while extending his three decades in power.
Andrew Nachemson, The Diplomat (October 1, 2021): Peace vs. Democracy in Cambodia
Radio Free Asia (September 29, 2021): US Lawmakers Pass Legislation Targeting Political Repression in Cambodia
Aun Chhengpor, Voice of America Cambodia (September 29, 2021): As Constitution Turns 28, Observers Says Top Law Fragile Under One-Party Rule
Thailand, Bangkok Local Elections and Referendum: TBD
Thai officials have said they will schedule elections soon for various types of local elections (such as Bangkok city council) and potentially a constitutional referendum. These follow provincial elections that took place in December 2020 and municipal elections in March 2021.
These elections are taking place in the context of unprecedented protests against the monarchy, and calls for unprecedented types of reforms. These protests have been going on for months. More
Zachary Abuza, The Diplomat (September 27, 2021): Thailand’s Constitutional Dictatorship Weathers the Storm
Past Asia/Pacific Elections
Samoa General Elections: April 9, 2021
Samoa held general elections on April 9, 2021, and after a post-election roller coaster ride, a new prime minister has finally been inaugurated and approved by the courts. A new opposition party, Fa’atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST, “Faith in the one true God”), posed a new challenge to the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), which has been in power since 1982.
FAST ultimately won the knife-edge election, but the former prime minister refused to concede and the ensuing political standoff lasted more than three months. Following a court decision, FAST was declared the winner of the elections and Fiame Naomi Mataʻafa was sworn in as prime minister – the first woman to hold the office.
Amalyah Hart and Joshua Mcdonald, The Diplomat (October 1, 2021): Samoa: Fiame’s Uphill Climb
Asia/Pacific Elections Coming Up in 2021 and 2022
Japan Parliamentary Elections: October 31, 2021
Tonga General Elections: November 18, 2021
New Caledonia Independence Referendum: December 12, 2021
Taiwan Referendum: December 18, 2021
Hong Kong Legislative Council Elections: December 19, 2021
Timor-Leste Municipal Elections: 2021 (due)
Sri Lanka Early Provincial Elections: Late 2021 (proposed)
Nepal Parliamentary Elections: January 2022 (due)
India, State Elections in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand: February/March 2022 (due)
South Korea Presidential Election: March 9, 2022
Timor-Leste Presidential Election: March 2022 (due)
Philippines Presidential and Legislative Elections: May 9, 2022
Australia Parliamentary Elections: May 2022 (due – snap elections possible)
Papua New Guinea Parliamentary Elections: June 2022 (due)
Cambodia Local Elections: June 5, 2022
Nauru Parliamentary Elections: August 2022 (due)
India, State Elections in Himachal Pradesh: October 2022 (due)
Fiji Parliamentary Elections: November 2022 (due)
Taiwan Local Elections: November 2022 (due)
India, State Elections in Gujarat: December 2022 (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.
Eurasia This Week: September 30, 2021
Last Updated: October 11, 2021 by 21votes Leave a Comment
September 30, 2021
A weekly review of news and analysis of elections in Eurasia, usually posted on Thursdays and occasionally updated throughout the week. For a full electoral calendar and interactive map, click here.
Upcoming Eurasia Elections
Georgia Local Elections: October 2, 2021
Georgia has scheduled local elections for October 2, 2021, and they are particularly important because – as a result of a deal to resolve the political crisis following last year’s parliamentary elections – they could spark new parliamentary elections if the ruling Georgian Dream party wins less than 43 percent of the proportional vote. However, the ruling Georgian Dream scrapped the agreement in July, raising concerns about Georgia’s political stability. Georgian Dream has re-iterated that it will not hold snap elections in 2022 even if it loses the local elections. The political climate is tense, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic fallout.
Most recently, an uptick in violence against the LGBT community and journalists, perpetrated by far-right and pro-Kremlin forces, has fueled the wider debate about where Georgia is going, both culturally and geopolitically. More
Dato Parulava and Louis Westendarp, Politico (October 1, 2021): Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili arrested on eve of election
RFE/RL (October 1, 2021): A Massive Purported State Surveillance Leak Rocks Georgia Ahead Of Key Elections
Giorgi Lomsadze, Eurasianet (October 1, 2021): Georgia’s big little election
Manana Vardiashvili, Institute for War and Peace Reporting (September 30, 2021): Georgia Heads For Crucial Elections: Vote for mayors and municipal councillors may choose the country’s political direction.
Soso Dzamukashvili, Emerging Europe (September 29, 2021): In Georgia, the stakes couldn’t be higher ahead of local elections
Sean Mueller, London School of Economics (September 27, 2021): Why Georgia’s local elections could trigger new instability in the country
Kyrgyzstan Parliamentary Elections Take 2: November 28, 2021
Kyrgyzstan will hold parliamentary elections on November 28, 2021 – a re-run of the parliamentary elections that took place in October 2020. Those elections and allegations of fraud led to political turmoil, followed by a snap presidential election in January 2021 and a constitutional referendum (alongside local elections) in April 2021. The new constitution, which passed, grants the president vastly expanded powers. Its critics have dubbed it the “Khanstitution.” The political climate was tense heading into the October 2020 parliamentary elections. It subsequently exploded following said elections. More
RFE/RL (September 27, 2021): Jailed Kyrgyz Ex-President Says Pondering Parliamentary Run
Institute for War and Peace Reporting (September 27, 2021): Kyrgyzstan: Demands for Public Enquiry Over State Wiretapping
Paul Bartlett, Nikkei Asia (September 26, 2021): Big Brother-style internet controls expand in Central Asia
Past Eurasia Elections
Russia Parliamentary Elections: September 17-19, 2021
Russia held parliamentary elections September 17-19, 2021. Russian elections are neither free nor fair. Nonetheless, the opposition has been making some gains in recent regional elections, helped by opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s “Smart Vote,” a campaign of tactical voting, in which they developed a list of candidates the best chance of beating Vladimir Putin’s United Russia.
Consequently, the Kremlin launched a brutal crackdown on the proposition, including imprisoning Navalny. Candidates who have worked with Navalny or supported him were banned from the election. Only one genuine opposition party – the liberal Yabloko – was able to field candidates.
Moreover, international technology companies such as Google and Apple assisted the regime by removing apps associated with Navalny’s Smart Vote. More
Lexi Lonas, The Hill (September 25, 2021): Hundreds protest in Moscow claiming Russia’s election was rigged
Vladimir Kara-Murza, Washington Post (September 25, 2021): The Russian election was supposed to shore up Putin’s legitimacy. It achieved the opposite.
Andrei Pertsev, Moscow Times (September 24, 2021): Why the Kremlin Isn’t Celebrating the Duma Election Results
Meduza (September 24, 2021): Turning red: Russia held elections to 39 regional parliaments last weekend. Here’s how the results played out.
Vladimir Socor, Jamestown Foundation (September 23, 2021): Russian Elections in Ukraine’s Donbas: Annexing People Before Annexing Territory
Moldova Snap Parliamentary Elections: July 11, 2021
Moldova held snap parliamentary elections on July 11, which pro-Europe center-right president Maia Sandu had been trying to call for months because in Moldova’s parliamentary system, a legislative majority is necessary to execute on any policy agenda. Prior to these elections, party had a clear majority in parliament (and Sandu’s allies were outnumbered by pro-Russian parties), leading to political instability. Sandu’s allies ended up winning in a landslide.
Sandu herself trounced pro-Kremlin leftist Igor Dodon, who had been the incumbent, in the November 2020 presidential election, after losing narrowly to him in 2016. More
Sandor Zsiros, Euronews (September 30, 2021): Moldova’s new prime minister discusses the country’s “renewed energy”
Georgi Gotev and Malte Ketelsen, Euractiv (September 29, 2021 – video): Gavrilita: Moldova voted for the European model
Belarus Presidential Election: August 9, 2020
Belarus held a presidential election on August 9, 2020. In a vote widely deemed not free and not fair, incumbent Alexander Lukashenko declared victory. However, the opposition declared that Svetlana Tikhanovskaya had in fact won. Hundreds of thousands of Belarusians have taken to the streets in protest to demand free and fair elections, even in the face of assault and arrest by security forces. Protests and political defiance continue. More
BBC (October 1, 2021): Belarus mass arrests as Lukashenko cracks down after shooting: Eighty-seven people have been arrested in Belarus for commenting on social media about a shoot-out that claimed two lives, a human rights group says.
Pawel Zerka, European Council on Foreign Relations (September 30, 2021): How half-hearted sanctions put the future of Belarus at risk
Sarah Rainsford, BBC (September 30, 2021): Maria Kolesnikova: No regrets for Belarus activist jailed for coup plot
RFE/RL (September 29, 2021): Belarusian Authorities Seek Dissolution Of Top Human Rights Group
AP (September 28, 2021): Belarus hits back at EU and announces vote on a new constitution in 2022
RFE/RL (September 28, 2021): Lukashenka Says Belarus Plans Constitutional Referendum By February 2022
Ukraine Local Election Runoffs: November 15 and 22, 2020
Ukraine held local elections on October 25, 2020. Mayoral runoffs in some cities will take place on November 15, and the rest will happen on November 22. The results delivered a blow to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the country’s traditional pro-Europe and pro-Russia political forces won key races. More
Vitaliy Sych, Atlantic Council (September 30, 2021): Want to assess Ukraine’s progress? Look at Belarus
Eurasia Elections Coming Up in 2021 and 2022
Georgia Local Elections: October 2, 2021
Uzbekistan Presidential Election: October 24, 2021
Kyrgyzstan Parliamentary Elections Take 2: November 28, 2021
Belarus Constitutional Referendum: By February 2022 (proposed)
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.
Europe This Week: September 29, 2021
Last Updated: October 11, 2021 by 21votes Leave a Comment
September 29, 2021
A weekly review of news and analysis of elections in Europe, usually posted on Wednesdays and occasionally updated throughout the week. For a full electoral calendar and interactive map, click here.
Upcoming Europe Elections
Italy, Mayoral Elections in Rome, Milan, Turin, Naples and other cities and regional elections in Calabria: October 3-4, 2021
Italy is due to hold regional elections in Calabria in the south, as well as mayoral elections in several major cities, on October 10 and 11. The next general elections aren’t due until June 2023, but as is ever the case with Italy, snap elections are possible. However, in January 2021, the government collapsed after former prime minister Matteo Renzi withdrew his support. Former European Central Bank chief Mario “Super Mario” Draghi formed a government in February 2021.
Gavin Jones, Reuters (September 30, 2021): Italy’s Salvini pressured by far-right as centre-left set to sweep mayors
Nick Squires, The Telegraph (September 30, 2021): Matteo Salvini’s social media guru accused of paying for drug-fuelled sex parties with escorts: Allegations come just days before millions of Italians go to the polls in local elections and have been an embarrassment for The League
Pietro Lombardi, Politico (September 28, 2021): Fall of ancient bank looms over Italy’s left in Siena vote: Siena has long been a stronghold for Italy’s center-left but the failure of Monte dei Paschi is unleashing political shockwaves.
Sky News (September 24, 2021 – video): Rome: Brazen wild boar on streets of Italian capital becomes election campaign issue – as residents left ‘scared’
Czech Republic Parliamentary Elections: October 8-9, 2021
The Czech Republic has scheduled parliamentary elections for October 8-9, 2021. The current prime minister, controversial billionaire Andrej Babiš, came to power following the 2017 parliamentary elections. His populist ANO party won a plurality, but not majority, of seats, and he has had a turbulent tenure in office. More
Monika Brusenbauch Meislová Petr Suchý, London School of Economics (September 30, 2021): Czech election: Assessing the foreign policy positions of each of the main parties
Robert Muller, Reuters (September 29, 2021): Hungary’s Orban hits Czech campaign trail to back PM Babis
Prague Morning (September 28, 2021): Czech PM Candidates Clash in Pre-Election Debate Over Czexit
David Hutt, Euronews (September 27, 2021): Will the Czech elections see Prague turn its back on Russia and China?
Krystof Chamonikolas and Peter Laca, Bloomberg (September 26, 2021): Czech Premier’s Lead Narrows in Poll Before October Elections
Nick Cohen, The Spectator (September 24, 2021): China’s obsessive attempts to subvert the West
North Macedonia Local Elections: October 17, 2021
North Macedonia holds local elections on October 17, 2021. These follow parliamentary elections in July 2020. Following a historic agreement with Greece, and a name change, North Macedonia joined NATO in 2020 and is currently in talks to join the EU (although now Bulgaria is trying to hold that up).
The country’s politics are fragmented and fractious. The 2020 elections were extremely close, but ultimately PM Zoran Zaev and his Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) were able to once again form a government with the backing of the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), the main ethnic Albanian party (ethnic Albanians make up about a quarter of the population). SDSM also controls most of the municipalities heading into the local elections, having beaten the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE in a majority of municipalities and ousting the VMRO-DMPNE mayor of Skopje.
Aleksandar Samardjiev, OBC Transeuropa (September 29, 2021): Independent lists: will they bring more democracy to North Macedonia?
AFP (September 26, 2021): North Macedonia holds first high-stakes census, first in 20 years
Sinisa Jakov Marusic, Balkan Insight (September 24, 2021): Women Scarce Among North Macedonia Mayoral Candidates
Kosovo Local Elections: October 17, 2021
Kosovo holds local elections on October 17, 2021. These follow snap parliamentary elections that took place in February 2021. In those elections, Kosovo held on February 14. The left-wing nationalist Vetëvendosje won, potentially jeopardizing any resolution to a long-standing territorial dispute with Serbia. However, the new prime minister, Albin Kurti has also advocated for closer ties with the United States and Europe.
Al Jazeera (September 30, 2021): Kosovo, Serbia agree deal to end border tensions: Breakthrough negotiated in Brussels ends flare-up in hostilities triggered by dispute over vehicle licence plates.
AFP (September 27, 2021): NATO steps up patrols as Kosovo-Serbia tensions soar
Sasa Dragojlo and Perparim Isufi, Balkan Insight (September 27, 2021): Kosovo-Serbia Border Dispute ‘Driven by Internal Politics’
Estonia Local Elections: October 17, 2021 (following an indirect presidential election that began on August 30)
Estonia – a poster child for a successful post-communist transition to democracy – holds local elections on October 16, following an indirect presidential election on August 30.
In Estonia’s parliamentary system, the president plays a largely ceremonial and representative role, with no executive power. The Riigikogu (parliament) elects the president. Incumbent Kersti Kaljulaid sought re-election. However, the government nominated Alar Karis, director of the Estonian National Museum, and Karis ended up winning.
Since January 2021, Estonia’s government has been a grand coalition of the center-right Reform Party and the centrist Centre Party, which has historically been supported by Estonia’s Russian community. Following the 2019 elections, Centre shocked the country by forming a government with the far-right EKRE, but PM Juri Ratas was forced to resign in January 2021 following a real estate scandal. Subsequently, Reform – previously in opposition – formed a coalition with Centre as the junior partner, making Reform’s Kaja Kallas Estonia’s first female prime minister. More
ERR News (September 28, 2021): Center Party completes bill to change presidential election system
Reuters (September 23, 2021): Russian plane enters NATO member Estonia’s airspace for 6th time this year
Bulgaria Parliamentary Elections, Take 3 and Presidential Election: November 14, 2021
Bulgaria is holding a presidential election on November 14 along with a third set of parliamentary elections since no government was formed following the July 11 elections (themselves the result of no government being formed following the original elections on April 4). In Bulgaria’s parliamentary system, the prime minister holds executive power, while the president is largely ceremonial.
In the April polls, PM Boyko Borissov’s center-right GERB won the most seats, but lost ground and failed to win a majority. New parties running against the establishment did surprisingly well – in fact, a party called There Is Such a People (ITN), led by TV star Stanislav Trifonov, came in second and ruled out forming a coalition with GERB. Trifonov’s main platform was anti-corruption – indeed, corruption was the biggest issue in the election.
In the July elections, Trifonov’s ITN surpassed GERB to win the most seats, but not enough for a majority. ITN was not able to form a government, and the Socialists refused. Therefore, Bulgarians will head to the polls for a third time. More
Antoaneta Dimitrova and Bernard Steunenberg, London School of Economics (September 29, 2021): What lessons can be learned from the failure to form a government in Bulgaria and the Netherlands?
RFE/RL (September 27, 2021): Ahead Of Elections, Bulgaria Urged To Improve Press Freedom
Finland County Elections: January 23, 2022
On January 23, 2022, Finland will hold elections to newly-created county councils. These councils will assume responsibility for providing healthcare (the responsibility previously fell to municipal councils).
Following the 2019 parliamentary elections, a left-leaning coalition came into government nationally. The conservative National Coalition Party won the most seats in the local elections, with the Social Democrats placing second. The far-right Finns Party made gains in its vote share. More
YLE (September 28, 2021): Smaller towns could lack representation in new regional assemblies: Finland’s regional elections will see representatives elected to new assemblies.
YLE (September 24, 2021): Low turnout predicted for January’s provincial elections
France Presidential Election: April 10 and 24, 2022, followed by Legislative Elections: June 12 and 19, 2022
France holds presidential and legislative elections in spring 2022. These follow the June 2021 regional elections, in which the far-right failed to make gains that had been predicted by pre-election polls. The regional elections put the center-right Republicans in a stronger position to challenge President Emmanuel Macron, although the far-right Marine Le Pen plans to mount a vigorous campaign.
Victor Mallet, Financial Times (September 29, 2021): Anti-immigration TV personality threatens to displace Le Pen in French polls
Laura Kayali and Pierre-Paul Bermingham, Politico (September 28, 2021): French Greens narrowly choose MEP Yannick Jadot as presidential candidate: Results show environmentalist voters still deeply divided over pragmatism versus more radical reforms.
France24 (September 26, 2021): Conservative Les Républicains forgo primary to choose candidate at party convention
Aude Mazque, France24 (September 24, 2021): Le Pen’s bid for French presidency off to stormy start as far-right pundit steals her thunder
The Local (September 24, 2021): Calendar: What happens and when in the 2022 French presidential election campaigns
Hungary Parliamentary Elections: By Spring 2022 (or earlier)
Hungary is due to hold parliamentary elections by Spring 2022, although snap elections are possible. Prime Minster Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party has become increasingly authoritarian, to the concern of many both in Hungary and in the international community. A number of opposition parties plan to hold a primary to field a single candidate for prime minister. Gergely Karácsony, the liberal mayor of Budapest, is seen by many as a leading candidate to challenge Orbán.
Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves, Reuters (September 30, 2021): Pro-EU Dobrev wins first round of opposition primary to take on Hungary’s Orban
Zoltan SImon, Bloomberg (September 30, 2021): Orban Foe Who’d Break the Law to Raze His Regime Leads Primaries
Eszter Zalan, Euronews (September 30, 2021): United anti-Orban opposition pins hopes on primaries
Sweden Parliamentary Elections: September 11, 2022
Sweden’s next elections are not due until September 2022, but in June 2021, the left-leaning coalition led by Prime Minister Stefan Lofven fell in a no-confidence vote. Lofven was re-elected PM, but could fall in yet another no-confidence vote if his government cannot pass a budget. In August, Lofven suddenly announced his resignation, effective in November. Magdalena Andersson, currently the finance minister, looks likely to succeed him and become Sweden’s first female prime minister.
Richard Milne, Financial Times (September 29, 2021): Finance minister on course to become Sweden’s first female PM: Magdalena Andersson nominated as leader of the ruling Social Democrats
Past Europe Elections
Germany Bundestag Elections: September 26, 2021 (plus state elections throughout the year)
Germany held several sets of elections next year, culminating in the September 26, 2021 federal parliamentary elections that will determine who succeeds Angela Merkel as chancellor. The Social Democratic Party (SPD), headed by Olaf Scholz, placed first, with 25.7 percent of the vote. Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), along with its Bavarian partner Christian Social Union (CSU), suffered a historic defeat in these elections, placing second with 24.1 percent of the vote, possibly due to the personal unpopularity of its standard-bearer, Armin Laschet, who made a series of gaffes during the campaign.
A big story during the election was the rise of the Greens, who even topped opinion polls at various points, but ultimately placed third. They portrayed themselves as responsible and mainstream, choosing pragmatist Annalena Baerbock as their standard-bearer. Finally, the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) placed fourth, with 11 percent of the vote, after five years of having no seats in the Bundestag (since FDP failed to meet the 5 percent threshold in the 2017 elections).
Since another “grand coalition” between CDU/CSU and SPD – the current government – is unlikely for a variety of reasons, the next government will most likely consist of three parties. It could either be a “Jamaica coalition” of CDU/CSU, FDP, and the Greens, or a “traffic light coalition” consisting of SPD, plus FDP and the Greens. The Greens and FDP are holding talks with one another before negotiating with either CDU/CSU or SPD, and reaching any sort of deal could take months.
DW (September 29, 2021): German election: Greens and FDP meet for preliminary two-way talks
Jens Kastner, Nikkei Asia (September 28, 2021): Merkel’s CDU election loss set to complicate Germany-China ties: Beijing’s biggest fear is Greens getting foreign minister role
Euronews (September 27, 2021): German election: How could a new government in Berlin affect Brussels?
Tara John, Nadine Schmidt, Stephanie Halasz and Frederik Pleitgen, CNN (September 27, 2021): Five key takeaways from Germany’s historic election
New York Times (September 27, 2021): Maps show where Merkel’s party lost ground: everywhere.
Holly Ellyatt and Matt Clinch, CNBC (September 26, 2021): Social Democrats narrowly beat Angela Merkel’s alliance in historic German election
Lorne Cook, AP (September 24, 2021): EU warns Russia over cyberattacks ahead of German elections
Erika Solomon, Financial Times (September 24, 2021): Germany’s electoral oracle struggles to divine the post-Merkel future
Portugal Local Elections: September 26, 2021
Portugal held local elections on September 26. The two main parties, center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) and leftist Socialist Party (PS), regularly alternate in power. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa from PSD won the 2016 presidential election and was re-elected in January 2021.
In the local elections, the Socialists won overall, but lost the mayoral race in Lisbon for the first time in 14 years. More
Andrei Khalip, Reuters (September 27, 2021): Portugal’s ruling Socialists lead in local elections but lose Lisbon
Austria, Upper Austria State and Municipal Elections: September 26, 2021 and Presidential Election: April 2022 (due)
Austria’s Upper Austria (whose capital is Linz, home of the Linzertorte cake) state holds elections in September. All four parties who have seats in the state legislature – ÖVP, FPÖ, the Social Democrats (SPÖ), and the Greens – are part of the state government.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz’s ÖVP remained the biggest party, but a new anti-lockdown party called People Freedom Fundamental Rights (MFG) won 6.2 percent of the vote, enough to secure seats. Meanwhile, the state of Styria held local elections, and the Communists – who normally get 1 percent of the vote nationally – won an unprecedented victory in the mayoral contest in Graz, Austria’s second-largest city.
The Local (September 28, 2021): Austrian Communist Party wins local election in Graz
Robert Krotzer, Jacobin (September 27, 2021 – interview): The Communist Party Just Won the Elections in Austria’s Second-Biggest City
Reuters (September 27, 2021): New Austrian anti-lockdown party seeking more seats after election coup
San Marino Abortion Referendum: September 26, 2021
San Marino, one of Europe’s smallest states, held a referendum on legalizing abortion on September 26, 2021. It is a controversial topic in this deeply conservative country, but the referendum overwhelmingly passed, paving the way to legalize abortion.
Caitlin Hu and Sharif Paget, CNN (September 27, 2021): San Marino votes overwhelmingly to end abortion ban
Switzerland Referendums: September 26, 2021
Switzerland holds referendums frequently (Swiss citizens are fans of direct democracy), and the most recent one was on September 26. Swiss citizens voted to legalize marriage equality.
AP (September 26, 2021): Switzerland votes to legalize same-sex marriage
Iceland Parliamentary Elections: September 25, 2021
Iceland held elections for the Althing, its parliament (which has a strong claim to the title of oldest parliament in the world), September 25, 2021. The current government, a broad coalition of the Left-Green Movement, the conservative Independence Party, and the agrarian Progressive Party, looks likely to remain in power. More
Reuters (September 26, 2021): Vote recount deprives Iceland of Europe’s first female-majority parliament
Norway Parliamentary Elections: September 13, 2021
Norway held parliamentary elections on September 13, 2021. Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who had led a center-right coalition since 2013, suffered a defeat from the left-leaning opposition, which will now form a government (the exact makeup remains to be seen). More
Reuters (September 29, 2021): Norway’s centre-left Labour seeks to lead minority govt after Socialists ditch talks
Albania Parliamentary Elections: April 25, 2021
Albania held parliamentary elections on April 25, 2021 in a tense political climate with several violent incidents. Since communism collapsed in 1990, Albania has held competitive elections and several transitions of power between political parties. The elections were close, and the incumbent Socialist Party won a third term in office, defeating the main opposition center-right Democratic Party. More
RFE/RL (September 28, 2021): EU Hopes To Start Accession Talks With Albania, North Macedonia By Year’s End
Llazar Semini, AP (September 28, 2021): Albania complains its EU accession bid is being held hostage
Netherlands Parliamentary Elections: March 17, 2021
Netherlands held parliamentary elections on March 17, 2020. Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s center-right VVD once again won the most seats, but coalition negotiations continued for nearly six months after the elections. The parties finally announced that they would probably renew the four-party coalition, and remain in government. More
AFP (September 30, 2021): Dutch break coalition deadlock in boost for Rutte
DutchNews.NL (September 30, 2021): D66 gives green light to a cabinet restart with the VVD, CDA and ChristenUnie
Mike Corder, AP (September 29, 2021): Leaders of 4 Dutch parties open to renewing coalition
Romania Parliamentary Elections: December 6, 2020
Romania held parliamentary elections on December 6. Amid low turnout due partly to COVID-19, the scandal-plagued leftist Social Democrats (PSD) unexpectedly came in first place. However, a coalition of parties formed a center-right government, headed by Florin Cîțu from the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL). More
Reuters (September 25, 2021): Romanian PM Citu wins party leadership, prolonging political stalemate
Nastia Kukunova, Foreign Brief (September 25, 2021): Romania’s Liberal Party to hold internal elections
Lithuania Parliamentary Elections: October 11, 2020 and October 25, 2020
Lithuania held parliamentary elections in October 2020. A center-right coalition led by Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS–LKD) defeated the incumbent populist Farmers and Greens. Following the elections, a coalition of four parties – all led by women – formed a government, with Ingrida Šimonytė as the country’s first female prime minister.
Under the present government, Lithuania has become increasingly vocal on matters related to China’s human rights record, leading other European countries to re-assess their relations with Beijing.
Andrew Higgins, New York Times (September 30, 2021): Lithuania vs. China: A Baltic Minnow Defies a Rising Superpower
World Politics Review (September 29, 2021 – podcast): Lithuania Tests Its Anti-Authoritarian Mettle
The Big Picture
James Lamond and Jake Morris, Defense One (September 28, 2021): It’s China, Stupid: More voters across the West are caring more about China. In the next round of elections, politicians should, too.
Europe Elections Coming Up in 2021 and 2022
Italy Municipal Elections, plus regional elections in Calabria: October 3-4, 2021
Czech Republic Parliamentary Elections: October 8-9, 2021
Estonia Local Elections: October 17, 2021
North Macedonia Local Elections: October 17, 2021
Kosovo Local Elections: October 17, 2021
Bulgaria Presidential Election: November 14, 2021
Denmark Regional and Municipal Elections: November 16, 2021
Finland County Elections: January 23, 2022
Serbia Presidential and Parliamentary Elections: April 3, 2022
France Presidential Election: April 10 and 24, 2022
Austria Presidential Election: April 2022 (due)
Hungary Parliamentary Elections: April 2022 (due)
Slovenia Parliamentary Elections: By June 5, 2022
France Legislative Elections: June 12 and 19, 2022
Malta Parliamentary Elections: June 2022 (due – snap elections possible)
Sweden Parliamentary Elections: September 11, 2022
Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidential and Legislative Elections: October 2022 (due)
Latvia Parliamentary Elections: October 2022 (due)
Slovenia Presidential Election: October/November 2022 (due)
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