February 25, 2021
Your weekly roundup 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.
A protest in St. Petersburg, Russia on January 23, 2021, following the arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Bestalex (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Upcoming Eurasia Elections
Russia Parliamentary Elections: By September 19, 2021
Russia is due to hold parliamentary elections by September 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. More
Scott Neuman, NPR (February 24, 2021): Amnesty Rescinds ‘Prisoner Of Conscience’ Designation For Russia Activist Navalny
Oliver Carroll, The Independent (February 24, 2021): Anger after Amnesty strips Navalny of ‘prisoner of conscience’ status
Natalia Antonova (February 23, 2021): Alexey Navalny & the digital footprint of Katya Kazbek: Who’s the Stalinist heiress trying to get an imprisoned Russian dissident cancelled? Well…
Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times (February 20, 2021): Russian Court Clears Way to Send Navalny to a Penal Colony
Armenia Parliamentary Elections: Due in December 2023, snap elections possible
Armenia is in the midst of a political crisis following a defeat in the recent Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Some have called for snap elections.
Zahra Ullah and Gul Tuysuz, CNN (February 25, 2021): Armenian Prime Minister says he is facing an attempted ‘military coup’ after army demands his resignation
Al Jazeera (February 23, 2021): Armenia protests: PM Pashinyan faces fresh calls to quit
Past Eurasia Elections
Georgia Parliamentary Runoffs: November 21, 2020
Georgia held parliamentary elections on October 31, 2020 in a climate of political tension, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic fallout. Georgian Dream claimed victory following the elections. However, many opposition parties are claiming fraud and protesting the results and demanding new elections. More
Thomas Grove, Wall Street Journal (February 23, 2021): Georgian Police Detain Opposition Leader as Worries Over Democracy Mount
Doug Klain and Shelby Magid, Atlantic Council (February 23, 2021): Experts react: What’s behind the crisis in Georgia?
Amy MacKinnon, Foreign Policy (February 23, 2021): Arrest of Georgia’s Opposition Leader Prompts Call for Sanctions
Mike Eckel, RFE/RL (February 18, 2021): Five Things To Know About Georgia And The Political Crisis It’s Slipping Toward
Moldova Presidential Runoff: November 15, 2020
Moldova a presidential election in November 2020. Pro-Europe center-right former Prime Minister Maia Sandu trounced pro-Kremlin leftist Igor Dodon, who had been the incumbent. However, no party has a clear majority in parliament (and Sandu’s allies are outnumbered by pro-Russian parties), leading to political instability and the constant possibility of snap elections. More
Craig Turp-Balazs, Emerging Europe (February 24, 2021): Moldova’s president vows to fight on as top court stymies hope for new election
RFE/RL (February 23, 2021): Moldovan Constitutional Court Blocks President’s Effort To Force New Elections
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 continue. More
Christine Lehnen, DW (February 23, 2021): Women fight for Belarus’ future
AP (February 19, 2021): Belarus journalist on trial over report on protester’s death
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.
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Eurasia This Week: February 25, 2021
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Last Updated: March 5, 2021 by 21votes
February 25, 2021
Your weekly roundup 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.
A protest in St. Petersburg, Russia on January 23, 2021, following the arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Bestalex (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Upcoming Eurasia Elections
Russia Parliamentary Elections: By September 19, 2021
Russia is due to hold parliamentary elections by September 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. More
Scott Neuman, NPR (February 24, 2021): Amnesty Rescinds ‘Prisoner Of Conscience’ Designation For Russia Activist Navalny
Oliver Carroll, The Independent (February 24, 2021): Anger after Amnesty strips Navalny of ‘prisoner of conscience’ status
Natalia Antonova (February 23, 2021): Alexey Navalny & the digital footprint of Katya Kazbek: Who’s the Stalinist heiress trying to get an imprisoned Russian dissident cancelled? Well…
Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times (February 20, 2021): Russian Court Clears Way to Send Navalny to a Penal Colony
Armenia Parliamentary Elections: Due in December 2023, snap elections possible
Armenia is in the midst of a political crisis following a defeat in the recent Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Some have called for snap elections.
Zahra Ullah and Gul Tuysuz, CNN (February 25, 2021): Armenian Prime Minister says he is facing an attempted ‘military coup’ after army demands his resignation
Al Jazeera (February 23, 2021): Armenia protests: PM Pashinyan faces fresh calls to quit
Past Eurasia Elections
Georgia Parliamentary Runoffs: November 21, 2020
Georgia held parliamentary elections on October 31, 2020 in a climate of political tension, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic fallout. Georgian Dream claimed victory following the elections. However, many opposition parties are claiming fraud and protesting the results and demanding new elections. More
Thomas Grove, Wall Street Journal (February 23, 2021): Georgian Police Detain Opposition Leader as Worries Over Democracy Mount
Doug Klain and Shelby Magid, Atlantic Council (February 23, 2021): Experts react: What’s behind the crisis in Georgia?
Amy MacKinnon, Foreign Policy (February 23, 2021): Arrest of Georgia’s Opposition Leader Prompts Call for Sanctions
Mike Eckel, RFE/RL (February 18, 2021): Five Things To Know About Georgia And The Political Crisis It’s Slipping Toward
Moldova Presidential Runoff: November 15, 2020
Moldova a presidential election in November 2020. Pro-Europe center-right former Prime Minister Maia Sandu trounced pro-Kremlin leftist Igor Dodon, who had been the incumbent. However, no party has a clear majority in parliament (and Sandu’s allies are outnumbered by pro-Russian parties), leading to political instability and the constant possibility of snap elections. More
Craig Turp-Balazs, Emerging Europe (February 24, 2021): Moldova’s president vows to fight on as top court stymies hope for new election
RFE/RL (February 23, 2021): Moldovan Constitutional Court Blocks President’s Effort To Force New Elections
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 continue. More
Christine Lehnen, DW (February 23, 2021): Women fight for Belarus’ future
AP (February 19, 2021): Belarus journalist on trial over report on protester’s death
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.
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Category: This Week Tags: Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia