Upcoming Elections
On deck: Moldova parliamentary (February 24); Ukraine presidential (March 31); Moldova local (June); Ukraine parliamentary (October); Uzbekistan parliamentary (December 19)
Moldova Parliamentary – February 24, 2019
Mandalin Necsutu on how elections and referenda in 2019 could redefine Moldovan politics.
Balkan Insight reports: “Russia’s December 29 decision to restrict imports from Ukraine and other foreign goods transiting Ukrainian territory has, de facto, placed Moldova under a new Russian embargo, and put its pro-Russian parties in an awkward position with elections looming.”
The government, headed by oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc, and the pro-Russian president Igor Dodon, who is nominally in opposition, have attempted to smear and suppress the pro-European opposition. The Supreme Court went so far as to invalidate the results of the Chisinau mayoral election, which the pro-Europeans won. Mihai Popșoi at the Jamestown Foundation notes, “If a modicum of free and fair elections is ensured, voters will have a chance to decide between a return to democracy and cementing the hybrid regime, the latter of which could regress further into outright authoritarianism.”
The United States government has called for free and fair elections. Facebook has removed another 512 Kremlin-linked accounts that were using the platform to spread disinformation in and about many countries in the region. The OSCE observation mission opened this week.
Ukraine Presidential – March 31, 2019 and Parliamentary – October 2019
Ukrainians celebrated Christmas on January 7 this year after winning independence from the Russian Orthodox Church, which had controlled Ukraine’s church since the 17th century. The Daily Signal’s Nolan Peterson writes, “Monday’s milestone marked a major step forward in Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to diminish Russian influence, highlighting an intractable cultural divorce between the two erstwhile Soviet allies.”
Journalist Mykola Vorobiov breaks down the foreign policy positions of Ukraine’s top five presidential candidates.
Belarus Presidential and Legislative – August or September 2020
The chair of Belarus’s election commission announced that the presidential election is be held no later than August 30, 2020, and the parliamentary elections are to be held no later than September 6, 2020. Several opposition parties have declared their intent to participate.
The main opposition parties boycotted the 2012 parliamentary elections, after a violent crackdown following the 2010 presidential elections. The OSCE found significant flaws with the 2015 presidential elections, but noted that the elections happened peacefully, in contrast to 2010. In the 2016 polls, they participated and actually won two seats, but regime critics note that that was probably only allowed in order to appease election observers.
Freedom House notes: “Belarus is an authoritarian state in which elections are carefully managed and civil liberties are minimal.” Regional experts have expressed concerns about Vladimir Putin’s possible designs on Belarus.
Past Elections
Armenia Snap Parliamentary – December 2018
Human Rights Watch released their annual world report. On Armenia, they stated: “Armenia’s new government has inherited a country plagued with corruption and myriad human rights problems….As the new leadership embarks on rebuilding the institutions and responding to accumulated public grievances, they should ensure respect for due process and fundamental human rights.” Armenia won The Economist’s 2018 Country of the Year award for its remarkable progress toward democracy.Tatevik Khachatryan at the Open Society Foundation suggests ways in which the United States can help Armenia solidify its democracy.
Azerbaijan Presidential – April 2018
Amy McKinnon reports: “More than a dozen political prisoners, activists, and members of the opposition in Azerbaijan have joined a solidarity hunger strike to call attention to the plight of the imprisoned anti-corruption blogger Mehman Huseynov, who has refused food for three weeks.” This is unprecedented in Azerbaijan. Members of the European Parliament passed a resolution with overwhelming support calling for his release.
Maia Sandu, who narrowly lost to pro-Russian Igor Dodon from the Party of Socialists in the 2016 presidential election, leads the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity. Photo credit: Wikimedia
21votes does not necessarily endorse all of the views in all of the linked articles or publications.
Eurasia This Week – January 16, 2019
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Last Updated: January 29, 2019 by 21votes
January 17, 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.
Moldova Parliamentary - February 24, 2019
Mandalin Necsutu on how elections and referenda in 2019 could redefine Moldovan politics.
Balkan Insight reports: “Russia’s December 29 decision to restrict imports from Ukraine and other foreign goods transiting Ukrainian territory has, de facto, placed Moldova under a new Russian embargo, and put its pro-Russian parties in an awkward position with elections looming.”
The government, headed by oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc, and the pro-Russian president Igor Dodon, who is nominally in opposition, have attempted to smear and suppress the pro-European opposition. The Supreme Court went so far as to invalidate the results of the Chisinau mayoral election, which the pro-Europeans won. Mihai Popșoi at the Jamestown Foundation notes, “If a modicum of free and fair elections is ensured, voters will have a chance to decide between a return to democracy and cementing the hybrid regime, the latter of which could regress further into outright authoritarianism.”
The United States government has called for free and fair elections. Facebook has removed another 512 Kremlin-linked accounts that were using the platform to spread disinformation in and about many countries in the region. The OSCE observation mission opened this week.
Ukraine Presidential - March 31, 2019 and Parliamentary - October 2019
Ukrainians celebrated Christmas on January 7 this year after winning independence from the Russian Orthodox Church, which had controlled Ukraine’s church since the 17th century. The Daily Signal’s Nolan Peterson writes, “Monday’s milestone marked a major step forward in Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to diminish Russian influence, highlighting an intractable cultural divorce between the two erstwhile Soviet allies.”
Journalist Mykola Vorobiov breaks down the foreign policy positions of Ukraine’s top five presidential candidates.
Belarus Presidential and Legislative - August or September 2020
The chair of Belarus’s election commission announced that the presidential election is be held no later than August 30, 2020, and the parliamentary elections are to be held no later than September 6, 2020. Several opposition parties have declared their intent to participate.
The main opposition parties boycotted the 2012 parliamentary elections, after a violent crackdown following the 2010 presidential elections. The OSCE found significant flaws with the 2015 presidential elections, but noted that the elections happened peacefully, in contrast to 2010. In the 2016 polls, they participated and actually won two seats, but regime critics note that that was probably only allowed in order to appease election observers.
Freedom House notes: “Belarus is an authoritarian state in which elections are carefully managed and civil liberties are minimal.” Regional experts have expressed concerns about Vladimir Putin’s possible designs on Belarus.
Armenia Snap Parliamentary - December 2018
Human Rights Watch released their annual world report. On Armenia, they stated: “Armenia’s new government has inherited a country plagued with corruption and myriad human rights problems….As the new leadership embarks on rebuilding the institutions and responding to accumulated public grievances, they should ensure respect for due process and fundamental human rights.” Armenia won The Economist’s 2018 Country of the Year award for its remarkable progress toward democracy.
Tatevik Khachatryan at the Open Society Foundation suggests ways in which the United States can help Armenia solidify its democracy.
Azerbaijan Presidential - April 2018
Amy McKinnon reports: “More than a dozen political prisoners, activists, and members of the opposition in Azerbaijan have joined a solidarity hunger strike to call attention to the plight of the imprisoned anti-corruption blogger Mehman Huseynov, who has refused food for three weeks.” This is unprecedented in Azerbaijan. Members of the European Parliament passed a resolution with overwhelming support calling for his release.
Upcoming Elections
On deck: Moldova parliamentary (February 24); Ukraine presidential (March 31); Moldova local (June); Ukraine parliamentary (October); Uzbekistan parliamentary (December 19)
Moldova Parliamentary – February 24, 2019
Mandalin Necsutu on how elections and referenda in 2019 could redefine Moldovan politics.
Balkan Insight reports: “Russia’s December 29 decision to restrict imports from Ukraine and other foreign goods transiting Ukrainian territory has, de facto, placed Moldova under a new Russian embargo, and put its pro-Russian parties in an awkward position with elections looming.”
The government, headed by oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc, and the pro-Russian president Igor Dodon, who is nominally in opposition, have attempted to smear and suppress the pro-European opposition. The Supreme Court went so far as to invalidate the results of the Chisinau mayoral election, which the pro-Europeans won. Mihai Popșoi at the Jamestown Foundation notes, “If a modicum of free and fair elections is ensured, voters will have a chance to decide between a return to democracy and cementing the hybrid regime, the latter of which could regress further into outright authoritarianism.”
The United States government has called for free and fair elections. Facebook has removed another 512 Kremlin-linked accounts that were using the platform to spread disinformation in and about many countries in the region. The OSCE observation mission opened this week.
Ukraine Presidential – March 31, 2019 and Parliamentary – October 2019
Ukrainians celebrated Christmas on January 7 this year after winning independence from the Russian Orthodox Church, which had controlled Ukraine’s church since the 17th century. The Daily Signal’s Nolan Peterson writes, “Monday’s milestone marked a major step forward in Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to diminish Russian influence, highlighting an intractable cultural divorce between the two erstwhile Soviet allies.”
Journalist Mykola Vorobiov breaks down the foreign policy positions of Ukraine’s top five presidential candidates.
Belarus Presidential and Legislative – August or September 2020
The chair of Belarus’s election commission announced that the presidential election is be held no later than August 30, 2020, and the parliamentary elections are to be held no later than September 6, 2020. Several opposition parties have declared their intent to participate.
The main opposition parties boycotted the 2012 parliamentary elections, after a violent crackdown following the 2010 presidential elections. The OSCE found significant flaws with the 2015 presidential elections, but noted that the elections happened peacefully, in contrast to 2010. In the 2016 polls, they participated and actually won two seats, but regime critics note that that was probably only allowed in order to appease election observers.
Freedom House notes: “Belarus is an authoritarian state in which elections are carefully managed and civil liberties are minimal.” Regional experts have expressed concerns about Vladimir Putin’s possible designs on Belarus.
Past Elections
Armenia Snap Parliamentary – December 2018
Human Rights Watch released their annual world report. On Armenia, they stated: “Armenia’s new government has inherited a country plagued with corruption and myriad human rights problems….As the new leadership embarks on rebuilding the institutions and responding to accumulated public grievances, they should ensure respect for due process and fundamental human rights.” Armenia won The Economist’s 2018 Country of the Year award for its remarkable progress toward democracy.Tatevik Khachatryan at the Open Society Foundation suggests ways in which the United States can help Armenia solidify its democracy.
Azerbaijan Presidential – April 2018
Amy McKinnon reports: “More than a dozen political prisoners, activists, and members of the opposition in Azerbaijan have joined a solidarity hunger strike to call attention to the plight of the imprisoned anti-corruption blogger Mehman Huseynov, who has refused food for three weeks.” This is unprecedented in Azerbaijan. Members of the European Parliament passed a resolution with overwhelming support calling for his release.
21votes does not necessarily endorse all of the views in all of the linked articles or publications.
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Category: This Week Tags: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine