Upcoming Elections
Ukraine Snap Parliamentary – July 21, 2019 (following presidential elections earlier this year)
Freedom House Rating: Partly Free – Government Type: Semi-Presidential Republic
Actor and comedian Volodymyr Zelensky beat incumbent Petro Poroshenko in the March presidential election. Zelensky dissolved the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) and called for snap elections (parliamentary elections were originally supposed to take place in October this year). In addition to entrenched corruption and economic difficulties, Ukraine remains at war with Russian-backed separatists in the east. Policy debate largely centers on Russia, which has been ramping up aggression.
Zelensky is new to politics, so his Servant of the People party does not currently have any seats in the Rada, but will be running candidates in the parliamentary polls with a hope of securing a majority. Poroshenko’s bloc won the most seats in the 2014 parliamentary elections, judged by observers to be competitive and credible, but because elections could not take place in Crimea and parts of Donbas, only 423 out of 450 seats were filled. The pro-Russian Opposition Bloc only won 29 seats, and support for pro-Moscow politicians has declined in the face of Russian aggression.
Reuters: “Rock star seeks to upstage comedian president in Ukraine vote”
Melinda Haring, Atlantic Council’s Ukraine Alert: “Who Will Be Ukraine’s Next Prime Minister?”
Christopher Miller, RFE/RL: “Ukraine’s ‘Euro-Optimists’ Blazed A Trail And Got Burned. In The Elections, Can They Rise From The Ashes?”
Levon Sevunts, RCI: “While the threat of insidious Russian interference in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Ukraine preoccupies all Western election observers, the head of Canada’s election observation mission says he is also worried about the low participation rate of women candidates.”
Russia Local and Gubernatorial – September 8, 2019
Freedom House Rating: Not Free – Government Type: Semi-Presidential Federation
Russian elections are neither free nor fair, and viable genuine opposition candidates are frequently barred from running. Opposition politicians, civil society activists, and citizens who protest are routinely harassed and arrested. Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party has a stranglehold on Russia’s politics. Putin won last year’s stage-managed presidential election against a cast of absurd characters after credible opponents were banned from the contest.
However, in last year’s gubernatorial elections, United Russia lost four out of the 22 governorships up for election. Even though the winners came from “Potemkin opposition” parties that do not genuinely oppose Putin, the fact that United Russia failed to make a clean sweep could signify a decline in Putin’s popularity. The 16 governorships up for election this year include St. Petersburg, where Putin got his political start, and the strategic Arctic port of Murmansk. The Moscow City Duma is also up for election.
Robert Coalson, RFE/RL: “Managing To Win: Sagging Popularity Forces Russia’s Ruling Party To Dig Into Its Bag Of Election Tricks”
Meduza: “Moscow municipal legislators picket for opposition candidates to be allowed onto City Duma election ballots….Multiple picketers spoke out about violations in the signature collection process for City Duma candidates, citing reported cases in which pro-government candidates’ signatures were faked while real signatures on candidacy petitions for opposition politicians may be deemed fake by local election officials.”
Crime Russia: “The Golos Movement appealed to the CEC and the St. Petersburg Election Commission with a request to cancel and transfer elections to 32 of the 109 municipalities of the city due to multiple irregularities in the registration of candidates. …Students could get from 500 to 1500 rubles a day at the doors of the offices of individual election commissions. Thus, a queue was artificially created, because of which real independent candidates could not register.”
Meduza: “Liberal Moscow district head and City Duma candidate holds mass appointment with constituents by standing on a car….Those in the crowd attended the event to demand that Yashin be permitted to run for election to the Moscow State Duma.”
Vladimir Kara-Murza, Washington Post: “The Council of Europe just handed the Kremlin a major victory — and a huge rebuke”
Moldova Local – October 20, 2019
Freedom House Rating: Partly Free – Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Moldova sits at a geopolitical crossroads, and political debate has focused on whether to orient the country toward Europe or Russia. But at the moment, issues of corruption and state capture by oligarchs have come to the forefront. Shortly after the pro-Europe center-right ACUM and the pro-Moscow Socialists (PSRM) remarkably formed a surprise coalition government to oust oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc’s Democratic Party and end months of deadlock following inconclusive parliamentary elections, the government announced overdue local elections.
The last local elections took place in June 2015, and the mandates of the current mayors and councils ended June 14. In June 2018, a court invalidated the result of an early election for mayor of Chisinau, the capital, after pro-European candidate Andrei Nastase won (Nastase is now deputy prime minister). The decision sparked protests and condemnation from the international community. This year’s local elections will be an important test for Moldovan democracy and a gauge of the country’s mood following the formation of the fragile coalition government.
Ryhor Nizhnikau, The Globe Post: “Moldova Has a New Government, But its Political Crisis is Far from Over”
Belarus Parliamentary – November 17, 2019 and Presidential – October 2020
Freedom House Rating: Not Free – Government Type: Presidential Republic (in name; in fact a dictatorship)
Belarus – sometimes called “Europe’s last dictatorship” – has choreographed elections and minimal space for political dissent, with periodic violent crackdowns on opposition. The opposition has boycotted a series of recent elections, but did contest the 2016 parliamentary polls, winning two seats, despite the elections being widely judged as neither free nor fair. The upcoming elections are taking place in the context of Russia pushing for closer integration with Belarus within the framework of a “Union State” – perhaps as a precursor to an attempt to annex Belarus.
Roman Goncharenko, DW: “Belarus strongman Lukashenko marks 25 years in power. For 25 years, Belarus has been ruled by autocrat Alexander Lukashenko. The man once deemed ‘Europe’s last dictator’ has softened on the West somewhat, but his biggest political challenge may still lie ahead.”
Belsat: “The presidents of Russia and Belarus agreed not to destroy the Union Treaty, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said at Tuesday’s [July 9] meeting with State Secretary of the Union State Grigory Rapota….The president called on people not to discuss whether Belarus will become part of Russia or not as ‘it makes absolutely no sense’. The two leaders are set to ‘move step by step in order to implement the provisions of the Union State treaty’, he stressed.”
Belsat: “89% of Belarusians feel positive or neutral about the European Union, the recent report by EU Neighbours east project says.”
Georgia Parliamentary – October 2020
Freedom House Rating: Partly Free – Government Type: Semi-Presidential Republic
Georgia holds competitive but imperfect elections. The eccentric oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili runs the show from behind the scenes, despite holding no official office. Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream coalition came to power during the 2012 parliamentary elections, ousting former president Mikheil Saakasvili’s pro-European, pro-NATO United National Movement. Ivanishvili’s candidate, Salome Zurabishvili, won last year’s disputed presidential election. Georgian Dream did well in by-elections in May, but their brutal response to protests could harm the coalition ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections.
JAMNews: “Four protests in a night – Tbilisi takes to the streets”
Belsat: “State Duma called on the government to opt out of purchasing wine and water from Georgia, as well as to slap the ban on money transfers to this country in response to insulting Vladimir Putin in a live television broadcast, RIA Novosti reports.”
Sophiko Megrelidze, AP: “A Kremlin ban on direct flights between Russia and Georgia took effect Monday, affecting thousands of travelers and dealing a serious blow to Georgia’s tourism industry. The flight ban impacted dozens of flights operated by six Russian airlines and one Georgian airline. President Vladimir Putin introduced it following a wave of anti-Russian protests in the Georgian capital sparked by a Russian lawmaker’s appearance at the Georgian parliament.”
RFE/RL: “Georgian TV Broadcaster Drops F-Bomb On Vladimir Putin”
Tornike Zurabashvili, CivilGE: “The new Armenian government under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan seeks to advance political and economic cooperation with Georgia, but conflicting foreign policy priorities will limit the possibility of any dramatic overhaul in the bilateral relations.”
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC: “Tensions between Russia and Georgia are on the rise again: Here’s why it matters”
Giorgi Lomsadze, Eurasianet: “Georgia manages, finally, to hold Pride event. LGBTQ activists succeeded in holding a small demonstration in Tbilisi in spite of threats from radicals and police indifference.”
Past Elections
Kazakhstan Snap Presidential – June 9, 2019
Freedom House Rating: Not Free – Government Type: Presidential Republic
Longtime strongman Nursultan Nazerbayev, who ruled Kazakhstan since independence in 1991, surprised everyone by stepping down and calling a snap presidential election. Unsurprisingly, his chosen successor, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, won in a tightly-managed election that observers judged not free and not fair. In the days surrounding the election, over 1,000 people were arrested for peacefully protesting. No real opposition exists within Kazakhstan, but some think that the seeds of a civic awakening are being planted.
Editorial Board, Washington Post: “Kazakhstan figured out how to stage an election without practicing democracy”
Chris Rickleton, Eurasianet: “Kazakhstan jails mothers to be on the safe side. The women were accused of harboring leaflets advertising an upcoming protest.”
Armenia Snap Parliamentary – December 9, 2018
Freedom House Rating: Partly Free – Government Type: Parliamentary Democracy
On December 9, Armenia’s snap parliamentary elections officially elected former MP and journalist Nikol Pashinyan as prime minister. The snap elections followed a series of protests that led to the resignation of Serzh Sargsyan, Armenia’s former president who became prime minister in an attempt to remain in power when faced with term limits. This has been dubbed Armenia’s “Velvet Revolution.” The Economist named Armenia country of the year for 2018.
Joshua Kucera, Eurasianet: “A new poll shows declining, if still strong, support for the new authorities in Armenia, as well as increasing pessimism over the prospects of a peaceful settlement of the conflict with Azerbaijan.”
Eurasia This Week – July 11, 2019
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Last Updated: July 18, 2019 by 21votes
July 11, 2019
Each day, 21votes gathers election and political news from a different region of the world. We explore Eurasia on Thursdays. Click the map pins.
Ukraine Snap Parliamentary – July 21, 2019 (following presidential elections earlier this year)
Freedom House Rating: Partly Free – Government Type: Semi-Presidential Republic
Actor and comedian Volodymyr Zelensky beat incumbent Petro Poroshenko in the March presidential election. Zelensky dissolved the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) and called for snap elections (parliamentary elections were originally supposed to take place in October this year). In addition to entrenched corruption and economic difficulties, Ukraine remains at war with Russian-backed separatists in the east. Policy debate largely centers on Russia, which has been ramping up aggression.
Zelensky is new to politics, so his Servant of the People party does not currently have any seats in the Rada, but will be running candidates in the parliamentary polls with a hope of securing a majority. Poroshenko’s bloc won the most seats in the 2014 parliamentary elections, judged by observers to be competitive and credible, but because elections could not take place in Crimea and parts of Donbas, only 423 out of 450 seats were filled. The pro-Russian Opposition Bloc only won 29 seats, and support for pro-Moscow politicians has declined in the face of Russian aggression.
Reuters: “Rock star seeks to upstage comedian president in Ukraine vote”
Melinda Haring, Atlantic Council’s Ukraine Alert: “Who Will Be Ukraine’s Next Prime Minister?”
Belsat: “Bonuses instead of parade: Ukraine’s leader takes surprising decision. Volodymyr Zelensky has opted out of staging the Independence Day parade in 2019.”
Christopher Miller, RFE/RL: “Ukraine’s ‘Euro-Optimists’ Blazed A Trail And Got Burned. In The Elections, Can They Rise From The Ashes?”
Levon Sevunts, RCI: “While the threat of insidious Russian interference in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Ukraine preoccupies all Western election observers, the head of Canada’s election observation mission says he is also worried about the low participation rate of women candidates.”
Russia Local and Gubernatorial – September 8, 2019
Freedom House Rating: Not Free – Government Type: Semi-Presidential Federation
Russian elections are neither free nor fair, and viable genuine opposition candidates are frequently barred from running. Opposition politicians, civil society activists, and citizens who protest are routinely harassed and arrested. Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party has a stranglehold on Russia’s politics. Putin won last year’s stage-managed presidential election against a cast of absurd characters after credible opponents were banned from the contest.
However, in last year’s gubernatorial elections, United Russia lost four out of the 22 governorships up for election. Even though the winners came from “Potemkin opposition” parties that do not genuinely oppose Putin, the fact that United Russia failed to make a clean sweep could signify a decline in Putin’s popularity. The 16 governorships up for election this year include St. Petersburg, where Putin got his political start, and the strategic Arctic port of Murmansk. The Moscow City Duma is also up for election.
Robert Coalson, RFE/RL: “Managing To Win: Sagging Popularity Forces Russia’s Ruling Party To Dig Into Its Bag Of Election Tricks”
Meduza: “Moscow municipal legislators picket for opposition candidates to be allowed onto City Duma election ballots….Multiple picketers spoke out about violations in the signature collection process for City Duma candidates, citing reported cases in which pro-government candidates’ signatures were faked while real signatures on candidacy petitions for opposition politicians may be deemed fake by local election officials.”
Crime Russia: “The Golos Movement appealed to the CEC and the St. Petersburg Election Commission with a request to cancel and transfer elections to 32 of the 109 municipalities of the city due to multiple irregularities in the registration of candidates. …Students could get from 500 to 1500 rubles a day at the doors of the offices of individual election commissions. Thus, a queue was artificially created, because of which real independent candidates could not register.”
Meduza: “Liberal Moscow district head and City Duma candidate holds mass appointment with constituents by standing on a car….Those in the crowd attended the event to demand that Yashin be permitted to run for election to the Moscow State Duma.”
Vladimir Kara-Murza, Washington Post: “The Council of Europe just handed the Kremlin a major victory — and a huge rebuke”
Moldova Local – October 20, 2019
Freedom House Rating: Partly Free – Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Moldova sits at a geopolitical crossroads, and political debate has focused on whether to orient the country toward Europe or Russia. But at the moment, issues of corruption and state capture by oligarchs have come to the forefront. Shortly after the pro-Europe center-right ACUM and the pro-Moscow Socialists (PSRM) remarkably formed a surprise coalition government to oust oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc’s Democratic Party and end months of deadlock following inconclusive parliamentary elections, the government announced overdue local elections.
The last local elections took place in June 2015, and the mandates of the current mayors and councils ended June 14. In June 2018, a court invalidated the result of an early election for mayor of Chisinau, the capital, after pro-European candidate Andrei Nastase won (Nastase is now deputy prime minister). The decision sparked protests and condemnation from the international community. This year’s local elections will be an important test for Moldovan democracy and a gauge of the country’s mood following the formation of the fragile coalition government.
Ryhor Nizhnikau, The Globe Post: “Moldova Has a New Government, But its Political Crisis is Far from Over”
Belarus Parliamentary – November 17, 2019 and Presidential – October 2020
Freedom House Rating: Not Free – Government Type: Presidential Republic (in name; in fact a dictatorship)
Belarus – sometimes called “Europe’s last dictatorship” – has choreographed elections and minimal space for political dissent, with periodic violent crackdowns on opposition. The opposition has boycotted a series of recent elections, but did contest the 2016 parliamentary polls, winning two seats, despite the elections being widely judged as neither free nor fair. The upcoming elections are taking place in the context of Russia pushing for closer integration with Belarus within the framework of a “Union State” – perhaps as a precursor to an attempt to annex Belarus.
Roman Goncharenko, DW: “Belarus strongman Lukashenko marks 25 years in power. For 25 years, Belarus has been ruled by autocrat Alexander Lukashenko. The man once deemed ‘Europe’s last dictator’ has softened on the West somewhat, but his biggest political challenge may still lie ahead.”
Belsat: “The presidents of Russia and Belarus agreed not to destroy the Union Treaty, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said at Tuesday’s [July 9] meeting with State Secretary of the Union State Grigory Rapota….The president called on people not to discuss whether Belarus will become part of Russia or not as ‘it makes absolutely no sense’. The two leaders are set to ‘move step by step in order to implement the provisions of the Union State treaty’, he stressed.”
Belsat: “89% of Belarusians feel positive or neutral about the European Union, the recent report by EU Neighbours east project says.”
Georgia Parliamentary – October 2020
Freedom House Rating: Partly Free – Government Type: Semi-Presidential Republic
Georgia holds competitive but imperfect elections. The eccentric oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili runs the show from behind the scenes, despite holding no official office. Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream coalition came to power during the 2012 parliamentary elections, ousting former president Mikheil Saakasvili’s pro-European, pro-NATO United National Movement. Ivanishvili’s candidate, Salome Zurabishvili, won last year’s disputed presidential election. Georgian Dream did well in by-elections in May, but their brutal response to protests could harm the coalition ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections.
JAMNews: “Four protests in a night – Tbilisi takes to the streets”
Belsat: “State Duma called on the government to opt out of purchasing wine and water from Georgia, as well as to slap the ban on money transfers to this country in response to insulting Vladimir Putin in a live television broadcast, RIA Novosti reports.”
Sophiko Megrelidze, AP: “A Kremlin ban on direct flights between Russia and Georgia took effect Monday, affecting thousands of travelers and dealing a serious blow to Georgia’s tourism industry. The flight ban impacted dozens of flights operated by six Russian airlines and one Georgian airline. President Vladimir Putin introduced it following a wave of anti-Russian protests in the Georgian capital sparked by a Russian lawmaker’s appearance at the Georgian parliament.”
RFE/RL: “Georgian TV Broadcaster Drops F-Bomb On Vladimir Putin”
Tornike Zurabashvili, CivilGE: “The new Armenian government under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan seeks to advance political and economic cooperation with Georgia, but conflicting foreign policy priorities will limit the possibility of any dramatic overhaul in the bilateral relations.”
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC: “Tensions between Russia and Georgia are on the rise again: Here’s why it matters”
Giorgi Lomsadze, Eurasianet: “Georgia manages, finally, to hold Pride event. LGBTQ activists succeeded in holding a small demonstration in Tbilisi in spite of threats from radicals and police indifference.”
Kazakhstan Snap Presidential – June 9, 2019
Freedom House Rating: Not Free – Government Type: Presidential Republic
Longtime strongman Nursultan Nazerbayev, who ruled Kazakhstan since independence in 1991, surprised everyone by stepping down and calling a snap presidential election. Unsurprisingly, his chosen successor, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, won in a tightly-managed election that observers judged not free and not fair. In the days surrounding the election, over 1,000 people were arrested for peacefully protesting. No real opposition exists within Kazakhstan, but some think that the seeds of a civic awakening are being planted.
Editorial Board, Washington Post: “Kazakhstan figured out how to stage an election without practicing democracy”
Chris Rickleton, Eurasianet: “Kazakhstan jails mothers to be on the safe side. The women were accused of harboring leaflets advertising an upcoming protest.”
Armenia Snap Parliamentary – December 9, 2018
Freedom House Rating: Partly Free – Government Type: Parliamentary Democracy
On December 9, Armenia’s snap parliamentary elections officially elected former MP and journalist Nikol Pashinyan as prime minister. The snap elections followed a series of protests that led to the resignation of Serzh Sargsyan, Armenia’s former president who became prime minister in an attempt to remain in power when faced with term limits. This has been dubbed Armenia’s “Velvet Revolution.” The Economist named Armenia country of the year for 2018.
Joshua Kucera, Eurasianet: “A new poll shows declining, if still strong, support for the new authorities in Armenia, as well as increasing pessimism over the prospects of a peaceful settlement of the conflict with Azerbaijan.”
Upcoming Elections
Ukraine Snap Parliamentary – July 21, 2019 (following presidential elections earlier this year)
Freedom House Rating: Partly Free – Government Type: Semi-Presidential Republic
Actor and comedian Volodymyr Zelensky beat incumbent Petro Poroshenko in the March presidential election. Zelensky dissolved the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) and called for snap elections (parliamentary elections were originally supposed to take place in October this year). In addition to entrenched corruption and economic difficulties, Ukraine remains at war with Russian-backed separatists in the east. Policy debate largely centers on Russia, which has been ramping up aggression.
Zelensky is new to politics, so his Servant of the People party does not currently have any seats in the Rada, but will be running candidates in the parliamentary polls with a hope of securing a majority. Poroshenko’s bloc won the most seats in the 2014 parliamentary elections, judged by observers to be competitive and credible, but because elections could not take place in Crimea and parts of Donbas, only 423 out of 450 seats were filled. The pro-Russian Opposition Bloc only won 29 seats, and support for pro-Moscow politicians has declined in the face of Russian aggression.
Reuters: “Rock star seeks to upstage comedian president in Ukraine vote”
Melinda Haring, Atlantic Council’s Ukraine Alert: “Who Will Be Ukraine’s Next Prime Minister?”
Christopher Miller, RFE/RL: “Ukraine’s ‘Euro-Optimists’ Blazed A Trail And Got Burned. In The Elections, Can They Rise From The Ashes?”
Levon Sevunts, RCI: “While the threat of insidious Russian interference in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Ukraine preoccupies all Western election observers, the head of Canada’s election observation mission says he is also worried about the low participation rate of women candidates.”
Russia Local and Gubernatorial – September 8, 2019
Freedom House Rating: Not Free – Government Type: Semi-Presidential Federation
Russian elections are neither free nor fair, and viable genuine opposition candidates are frequently barred from running. Opposition politicians, civil society activists, and citizens who protest are routinely harassed and arrested. Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party has a stranglehold on Russia’s politics. Putin won last year’s stage-managed presidential election against a cast of absurd characters after credible opponents were banned from the contest.
However, in last year’s gubernatorial elections, United Russia lost four out of the 22 governorships up for election. Even though the winners came from “Potemkin opposition” parties that do not genuinely oppose Putin, the fact that United Russia failed to make a clean sweep could signify a decline in Putin’s popularity. The 16 governorships up for election this year include St. Petersburg, where Putin got his political start, and the strategic Arctic port of Murmansk. The Moscow City Duma is also up for election.
Robert Coalson, RFE/RL: “Managing To Win: Sagging Popularity Forces Russia’s Ruling Party To Dig Into Its Bag Of Election Tricks”
Meduza: “Moscow municipal legislators picket for opposition candidates to be allowed onto City Duma election ballots….Multiple picketers spoke out about violations in the signature collection process for City Duma candidates, citing reported cases in which pro-government candidates’ signatures were faked while real signatures on candidacy petitions for opposition politicians may be deemed fake by local election officials.”
Crime Russia: “The Golos Movement appealed to the CEC and the St. Petersburg Election Commission with a request to cancel and transfer elections to 32 of the 109 municipalities of the city due to multiple irregularities in the registration of candidates. …Students could get from 500 to 1500 rubles a day at the doors of the offices of individual election commissions. Thus, a queue was artificially created, because of which real independent candidates could not register.”
Meduza: “Liberal Moscow district head and City Duma candidate holds mass appointment with constituents by standing on a car….Those in the crowd attended the event to demand that Yashin be permitted to run for election to the Moscow State Duma.”
Vladimir Kara-Murza, Washington Post: “The Council of Europe just handed the Kremlin a major victory — and a huge rebuke”
Moldova Local – October 20, 2019
Freedom House Rating: Partly Free – Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Moldova sits at a geopolitical crossroads, and political debate has focused on whether to orient the country toward Europe or Russia. But at the moment, issues of corruption and state capture by oligarchs have come to the forefront. Shortly after the pro-Europe center-right ACUM and the pro-Moscow Socialists (PSRM) remarkably formed a surprise coalition government to oust oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc’s Democratic Party and end months of deadlock following inconclusive parliamentary elections, the government announced overdue local elections.
The last local elections took place in June 2015, and the mandates of the current mayors and councils ended June 14. In June 2018, a court invalidated the result of an early election for mayor of Chisinau, the capital, after pro-European candidate Andrei Nastase won (Nastase is now deputy prime minister). The decision sparked protests and condemnation from the international community. This year’s local elections will be an important test for Moldovan democracy and a gauge of the country’s mood following the formation of the fragile coalition government.
Ryhor Nizhnikau, The Globe Post: “Moldova Has a New Government, But its Political Crisis is Far from Over”
Belarus Parliamentary – November 17, 2019 and Presidential – October 2020
Freedom House Rating: Not Free – Government Type: Presidential Republic (in name; in fact a dictatorship)
Belarus – sometimes called “Europe’s last dictatorship” – has choreographed elections and minimal space for political dissent, with periodic violent crackdowns on opposition. The opposition has boycotted a series of recent elections, but did contest the 2016 parliamentary polls, winning two seats, despite the elections being widely judged as neither free nor fair. The upcoming elections are taking place in the context of Russia pushing for closer integration with Belarus within the framework of a “Union State” – perhaps as a precursor to an attempt to annex Belarus.
Roman Goncharenko, DW: “Belarus strongman Lukashenko marks 25 years in power. For 25 years, Belarus has been ruled by autocrat Alexander Lukashenko. The man once deemed ‘Europe’s last dictator’ has softened on the West somewhat, but his biggest political challenge may still lie ahead.”
Belsat: “The presidents of Russia and Belarus agreed not to destroy the Union Treaty, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said at Tuesday’s [July 9] meeting with State Secretary of the Union State Grigory Rapota….The president called on people not to discuss whether Belarus will become part of Russia or not as ‘it makes absolutely no sense’. The two leaders are set to ‘move step by step in order to implement the provisions of the Union State treaty’, he stressed.”
Belsat: “89% of Belarusians feel positive or neutral about the European Union, the recent report by EU Neighbours east project says.”
Georgia Parliamentary – October 2020
Freedom House Rating: Partly Free – Government Type: Semi-Presidential Republic
Georgia holds competitive but imperfect elections. The eccentric oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili runs the show from behind the scenes, despite holding no official office. Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream coalition came to power during the 2012 parliamentary elections, ousting former president Mikheil Saakasvili’s pro-European, pro-NATO United National Movement. Ivanishvili’s candidate, Salome Zurabishvili, won last year’s disputed presidential election. Georgian Dream did well in by-elections in May, but their brutal response to protests could harm the coalition ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections.
JAMNews: “Four protests in a night – Tbilisi takes to the streets”
Belsat: “State Duma called on the government to opt out of purchasing wine and water from Georgia, as well as to slap the ban on money transfers to this country in response to insulting Vladimir Putin in a live television broadcast, RIA Novosti reports.”
Sophiko Megrelidze, AP: “A Kremlin ban on direct flights between Russia and Georgia took effect Monday, affecting thousands of travelers and dealing a serious blow to Georgia’s tourism industry. The flight ban impacted dozens of flights operated by six Russian airlines and one Georgian airline. President Vladimir Putin introduced it following a wave of anti-Russian protests in the Georgian capital sparked by a Russian lawmaker’s appearance at the Georgian parliament.”
RFE/RL: “Georgian TV Broadcaster Drops F-Bomb On Vladimir Putin”
Tornike Zurabashvili, CivilGE: “The new Armenian government under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan seeks to advance political and economic cooperation with Georgia, but conflicting foreign policy priorities will limit the possibility of any dramatic overhaul in the bilateral relations.”
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC: “Tensions between Russia and Georgia are on the rise again: Here’s why it matters”
Giorgi Lomsadze, Eurasianet: “Georgia manages, finally, to hold Pride event. LGBTQ activists succeeded in holding a small demonstration in Tbilisi in spite of threats from radicals and police indifference.”
Past Elections
Kazakhstan Snap Presidential – June 9, 2019
Freedom House Rating: Not Free – Government Type: Presidential Republic
Longtime strongman Nursultan Nazerbayev, who ruled Kazakhstan since independence in 1991, surprised everyone by stepping down and calling a snap presidential election. Unsurprisingly, his chosen successor, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, won in a tightly-managed election that observers judged not free and not fair. In the days surrounding the election, over 1,000 people were arrested for peacefully protesting. No real opposition exists within Kazakhstan, but some think that the seeds of a civic awakening are being planted.
Editorial Board, Washington Post: “Kazakhstan figured out how to stage an election without practicing democracy”
Chris Rickleton, Eurasianet: “Kazakhstan jails mothers to be on the safe side. The women were accused of harboring leaflets advertising an upcoming protest.”
Armenia Snap Parliamentary – December 9, 2018
Freedom House Rating: Partly Free – Government Type: Parliamentary Democracy
On December 9, Armenia’s snap parliamentary elections officially elected former MP and journalist Nikol Pashinyan as prime minister. The snap elections followed a series of protests that led to the resignation of Serzh Sargsyan, Armenia’s former president who became prime minister in an attempt to remain in power when faced with term limits. This has been dubbed Armenia’s “Velvet Revolution.” The Economist named Armenia country of the year for 2018.
Joshua Kucera, Eurasianet: “A new poll shows declining, if still strong, support for the new authorities in Armenia, as well as increasing pessimism over the prospects of a peaceful settlement of the conflict with Azerbaijan.”
The Year Ahead: Eurasia
Ukraine snap parliamentary (July 21); Russia local (September 8); Moldova local (October 20); Belarus parliamentary (November 17); Uzbekistan parliamentary (December 19); Azerbaijan local (December 27); Tajikistan parliamentary (March)
21votes does not necessarily endorse all of the views in all of the linked articles or publications. More on our approach here.
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Category: This Week Tags: Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine