January 18, 2024

A weekly review of news and analysis of elections in Eurasia, usually posted on Thursdays and occasionally updated throughout the week.

A voter in Georgia’s 2018 elections. Photo credit: OSCE/Thomas Rymer (CC BY ND)

Upcoming Eurasia Elections

Azerbaijan Snap Presidential Election: February 7, 2024

Siranush Ghazanchyan, Public Radio of Armenia (January 17, 2024): The European Parliament will not observe upcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan

Cavid Veliyev, Daily Sabah (January 17, 2024): Azerbaijan’s early presidential elections: Preliminary assessment

Reuters (January 17, 2024): Azerbaijan accuses EU of meddling by criticising treatment of jailed journalists

Ismi Aghayev, OC Media (January 16, 2024): Azerbaijan detains 10th media worker ahead of elections

RFE/RL (January 13, 2024): Council Of Europe Urges Armenia, Azerbaijan To Focus On Rights, Safe Return Of Karabakh Refugees

Liam Scott and Alex Gendler, Voice of America (January 12, 2024): Beyond Azerbaijan’s Borders, Journalists Are Wary of Retaliation

Belarus Parliamentary Elections: February 25, 2024

Vindobona (January 16, 2024): Belarus Refuses OSCE Observation of Parliamentary Elections

Meduza (January 12, 2024): Tired but still fighting: Belarusian opposition politician Andrei Sannikov on sanctioning Lukashenko’s regime and freeing political prisoners

Erika Di Benedetto, OCCRP (January 12, 2024): Continuing its Crackdown on Media, Belarus Tries Reporter for Covering Protests

Human Rights Watch (January 11, 2024): Belarus: Crackdown Amid Growing Information Vacuum

Russia Presidential Election: March 17, 2024

Ann M. Simmons, Wall Street Journal (January 17, 2024): The Antiwar Candidate Prepared to Challenge Putin at the Ballot Box

Andrey Pertsev, Carnegie Endowment (January 16, 2024): Russia’s Managed Democracy Is Facing a Participation Crisis

Reuters (January 16, 2024): Putin gathers re-election signatures in Russian-held Ukraine

Reuters (January 12, 2024): Russian election candidate calls Ukraine war a ‘big mistake’ by Putin

Ukraine Presidential Election: March 2024 (due – delay likely)

Dominic McGrath, The Independent (January 17, 2024): Cameron plays down need for presidential election in Ukraine as war continues

Thomas Graham, Council on Foreign Relations (January 17, 2024): Political Hurdles on Ukraine’s Way to EU Membership

Georgia Parliamentary Elections: October 2024 (due)

Giorji Menabde, Jamestown Foundation (January 18, 2024): Georgia Gears Up for Billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili’s ‘Third Comeback’

Giorgi Lomsadze, Eurasianet (January 18, 2024): Georgia’s Revenant Oligarch: Georgian politics turn into a broken record as the nation’s billionaire boss keeps quitting and un-quitting politics.

Current Time (January 13, 2024): Abkhaz Separatists Say Work Set To Begin On Russian Naval Base In Georgian Region

Atlantic Council (January 11, 2024): EU aspirations and Russian realities: Georgia at the geopolitical crossroads

Moldova Presidential Election: Fall 2024 (due)

Madalin Necsutu, Balkan Insight (January 15, 2024): Moldova in 2024: Reform, Elections, and the Ripple-Effects of War

New Voice of Ukraine (January 15, 2024): Moldova’s President Sandu warns of Russian attempts to destabilize Moldova in spring 2024