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Current Issues
Elections around the World
2006
E-Brief: Online Only issued
22 May 2006, updated 28 September 2006
Adrienne
Blunt, Information/E-links
Politics and Public Administration Section
Introduction
This electronic
brief provides links to web-based information and full-text articles relevant
to selected countries having national elections in 2006.
The electronic brief will cover
all elections held in the Pacific region, but coverage will be selective
for Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Elections may be presidential or
parliamentary (legislative). It will also cover elections that are regionally
significant.
The country information is brief.
Information covered includes the date and type of election; the number
of registered voters; the party in power (where applicable); the type
of government; whether voting is compulsory; some key issues; the main
players; commentary as the elections unfold; and results when known.
For an explanation of the terms
used in this electronic brief, see the glossary.
The links in this document will
change as events occur and additional analyses become available.
Elections
by date
January
23 January
2006: Canada (Parliamentary)
25 January
2006:Palestinian Territories (Parliamentary)
29 January
2006: Finland (Presidential)
February
March
28 March 2006:
Israel (Parliamentary)
31 March 2006:
Samoa (Parliamentary)
April
2 April
2006: Thailand (Parliamentary).
5 April 2006:
Solomon Islands (Parliamentary)
9 April 2006:
Italy (Parliamentary)
9 April
2006: Thailand (Parliamentary by-election as a result of 2 April election)
May
6–13 May 2006:
Fiji (Parliamentary)
8 May 2006:
Italy (Presidential)
21 May 2006:
Cyprus (Parliamentary)
June
July
August
3 August 2006:
Tuvalu (Parliamentary)
September
17 September
2006: Sweden (Parliamentary)
October
1 October
2006: Austria (Parliamentary)
15 October
2006: Thailand (Parliamentary) *Due to a military coup, this election
will now be held in October 2007.
November
7 November 2006:
United States of America (USA) (Parliamentary)
December
24 December
2006: Pitcairn Islands (Parliamentary)
Glossary
Compulsory voting is
the legal requirement that people who are eligible to vote are required
to do so, and that if a person does not attend the polling place, penalties
may be imposed. Sources vary as to the exact number of countries that
may be said to have compulsory voting. The presence or absence of mandatory
voting laws in a constitution does not recognise the range of enforcement
that is possible. It may vary from a symbolic but basically impotent law,
to a government with a systematic follow-up of each non-voting citizen
and possible penalties such as fines. Not all laws are created to be enforced.
Some are created solely to state the government’s position regarding what
the citizen’s responsibility should be.
There are over twenty countries
that have some form of compulsory
voting in elections. The interpretation of 'compulsory' may vary from
country to country. Our list includes the follwing: Argentina, Australia,
Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Lebanon,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Nauru, Panama, Singapore, Thailand,
some parts of Switzerland, Turkey, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The Electoral Commission of
the United Kingdom has recently released (June 2006) a Research Report
entitled Compulsory
voting around the world
which looks at those countries with compulsory voting, the level of
enforcement, issues and arguments for and against compulsory voting, the
events which led to the introduction of compulsory voting in selected
countries, how compulsory voting systems operate and the impact of compulsory
voting on voter turnout and political engagement. Australia is one of
the countries examined in depth.
International
IDEA, (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance)
lists thirty-two countries that have some form of compulsory voting, and
provides a table giving country, type of sanction, level of enforcement,
year introduced and comments for each.
In New Zealand
eligible voter registration is compulsory but voting is voluntary.
Democracy is government
by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested
in the people and exercised by them or by their elected representatives
under a free electoral system.
Government in its broadest
sense is the exercise of authority over the people of a nation or community.
Parliament is an assembly
of elected or appointed persons, or some of each, with power to make laws
and to govern.
A parliamentary election
or legislative election is an election to select the members of the
national legislative body in a parliamentary system of government.
A parliamentary system of
government is one of the two major types of democratic governing systems
(the other is presidential government), having an elected body of representatives;
a government or council of ministers (cabinet) with a prime minister approved
by the majority of members of the parliament; a maximum period of time
between elections and a head of state (a monarch or president), who must
(even if only ceremonially) assent to bills passed by the parliament in
order for the bills to become law.
A presidential election
is an election to select the chief of state or head of government (the
president) in a presidential system of government.
A presidential system of
government is one of the two major types of democratic governing systems
(the other is parliamentary government), in which the position and powers
of both chief of state and head of government are vested in a president
whose election, duties and powers are constitutionally independent of
the legislature.
Suffrage means the legal
right to vote.
Election web sites
Psephos
Adam Carr’s Election Archive
Electionguide
gives world wide coverage of national elections, both current and
past elections.
International
Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) Electionguide.org
gives election dates, information and results for elections world-wide,
back to 1998.
Richard
Kimber’s Elections and Electoral Systems Around the World has
links to a wide variety of election-related web sites. Included is Adam
Carr’s excellent coverage of recent elections; the Proportional Representation
Society of Australia; The Global Initiative to Enfranchise People with
Disabilities; the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems; The Electoral
Reform Society; the Center for Voting and Democracy; and voter turnout
around the world since 1945.
The
University of British Columbia Library—Elections, Political Parties and
Parliaments gives an academic approach to elections and political
parties. Here you will find links to information on electoral behaviour,
an in-depth look at Australian, British, Canadian and American elections,
manifestos, platforms, speeches and political thought.
The Political
Studies Association is a United Kingdom based organisation and
provides a gateway to election portals, links to the Centre for Research
into Elections and Social Trends (CREST), the International Institute
for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and the Inter-Parliamentary
Union (IPU). There is also information on internet voting, constitutions,
gender and politics and electronic journals.
Parliamentary Library Elections
Publications
Scott Bennett and Gerard Newman,
Electoral
systems, Research Brief, no.10, 2005-2006
Scott Bennett, Compulsory
voting in Australian national elections, Research Brief, no.6,
2005-2006
Scott Bennett, Election
2006: Canada changes government, Research Note, no.23, 2005-2006
Scott Bennett, United
Kingdom Election 2005, Research Note, no.51, 2004-2005
Scott Bennett, US
Presidential Election 2004, Research Note, no.27, 2004-2005
Scott Bennett, Minority
Government for Canada 2004, Research Note, no.8, 2004-2005
Scott Bennett, Electing
the US President, Research Note, no.30, 2003-2004
Frank Frost, The
Philippines Elections 2004: issues and implications, Research Note,
no.13, 2004-2005
Ian Holland and Sarah Miskin,
Interpreting
Election Results in Western Democracies, Current Issues Brief,
no.2, 2002-03.
Sarah Miskin, New
Zealand election: 17 September 2005, Research Note, no.17,
2005-2006
References
This publication acknowledges
the following sources:
The CIA
World Fact Book (for flags and government information)
Corcoran, R. The Collins
Australian Dictionary of Political Terms, North Blackburn, Victoria,
Collins Dove, 1994
IFES [International Foundation
for Election Systems] Election Guide.org
(for glossary definitions)
For copyright reasons some linked
items are only available to members of Parliament.
Finland
Election type: Presidential
Election dates: 15 January
2006 (first round) and 29 January 2006 (second round). If none of the
candidates receives a majority of the votes in the first round, a second
round run-off is held between the two candidates who gained the most votes
in the first round. The last election was held on 16 January 2000 and
6 February 2000.
President: Tarja HALONEN
Number of registered voters:
4 276 967
Compulsory voting: No
In the second round of the Finnish
presidential election, of the eight candidates, incumbent Social Democratic
Party President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000) is re-elected,
defeating Sauli NIINISTO of the National Coalition Party.
CIA World Factbook
– Finland provides a map and sections covering, background history,
geography, the people, the government structure, the economy, communications,
transport, the military and trans-national issues.
CNN World/Election
Watch – Finland includes the government and electoral structure as
well as the names of the eight presidential candidates and their parties.
ElectionGuide – Finland
gives a profile of the country including government structure, electoral
system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
U.S. Department of State – Background
note: Finland provides information on the geography, people, government,
economy, historical highlights, the President, Cabinet, judicial systems,
administrative divisions, military, political parties, the names of principal
government officials, relations with the Soviet Union and Russia, multilateral
relations, U.S.-Finland relations, travel and business information.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Finland is the official web site for Finland’s Presidential election
2006. Here you will find information on the candidates, the Finnish Presidency
as an institution, previous presidential elections and country information.
News Commentary
- BBC News article Finns
narrowly re-elect Halonen dated 29 January, Tarja HALONEN discusses
the second term win by the country’s first female President. Also discussed
is her opponent, foreign policy position including Halonen’s desire
for closer ties with NATO.
Palestinian Territories
Election type: Parliamentary
(Legislative Council)
Election date: 25 January
2006.The last Legislative Council election was held on 20 January
1996.
Prime Minister: Ismail
HANIYA (Hamas Party)
Number of registered voters:
1 341 671 (as at 13 August 2005 – a combination of Gaza and West
Bank figures)
Compulsory voting: No
This is the first time the Islamic
resistance movement Hamas has contested a parliamentary election. Their
clear majority win against the mainstream Fatah Party was unexpected.
The CIA World Factbook has three
entries which are helpful when examining the situation in the Palestinian
Territories. They are: CIA World Factbook
– Israel, CIA World Factbook
– Gaza Strip, and CIA World Factbook
– West Bank. These entries provide maps and sections covering, background
history, geography, the people, the government structure, the economy,
communications, transport, the military and trans-national issues.
CNN World/Election
Watch – Palestinian Territories includes the government structure,
the electoral system, the main parties contesting the race and some interesting
facts about this election.
ElectionGuide
– Palestinian Territories gives a profile of the country including
government structure, electoral system, population, events of significance,
past election information and current election information when available.
News Commentary
- BBC News article of 26 January 2006 entitled
Who are Hamas?
takes an in-depth look at the makeup of Hamas.
- BBC News article entitled, Q & A: Hamas
election victory discusses the implications for Palestinians
of Hamas forming a government; the implications for Israel and international
diplomacy; who will become the Hamas Prime Minister and the position
of the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
- Council on Foreign Relations article entitled,
Implications of the Palestinian
elections dated 26 January 2006 looks at why Hamas won,
the size of the victory, is this the fist time a U.S.-designated terror
group has won a majority in an elected government, are there similar
groups currently in world governments, how will this affect relations
between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, Palestinian international
relations with other countries, E.U. and U.S. aid to the Palestinian
Authority, possible violence, control of militants and the role of President
Mahmoud Abbas.
- Council on Foreign Relations article entitled
Hamas’ Leaders
dated 10 February 2006 discusses past and present Hamas leaders,
Hamas in the Palestinian Territories and Syria.
- A New York Times article entitled Palestinian
reports unity deal with Hamas dated 12 September 2006 says
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has reached a tentative
agreement with Hamas to form a national unity government as a way of
ending the Palestinian Authority's international isolation.
Canada
Election type: Parliamentary
Election date: 23 January
2006. Last House of Commons election held 28 June 2004.
Prime Minister: Stephen
HARPER (Conservative Party of Canada)
Number of registered voters:
22 699 291 (as at 30 November 2005)
Compulsory voting: No
CIA
World Factbook - Canada provides a map and sections covering, background
history, geography, the people, the government structure, the economy,
communications, transport, the military and trans-national issues.
CNN World/Election
Watch - Canada includes the government structure, the electoral system,
the main parties contesting the race and the fact that snap elections
were called after the minority government of Prime Minister Paul Martin
(Liberal Party) lost a vote of confidence on 29 November 2005 in
the House of Commons.
ElectionGuide
– Canada gives a profile of the country including government structure,
electoral system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
On the Canada
Votes 2006 web site you will find election results, ridings,
candidates, leaders, parties, issues, analysis and commentary.
News Commentary
Israel
Election type: Parliamentary
Election date: 28 March
2006. Last election held 28 January 2003.
Prime Minister: Ehud
OLMERT (Kadima Party). Traditionally, the prime minister is the leader
of the largest party. The direct election of the Prime Minister, instituted
in 1996, was abolished in 2001.
Number of registered voters:
5 014 622 (estimated as at March 2006)
Compulsory voting: No
CIA World Factbook
- Israel provides a map and sections covering, background history,
geography, the people, the government structure, the economy, communications,
transport, the military and trans-national issues.
CNN World/Election
Watch - Israel includes the government structure, the electoral system,
the main parties contesting the race and the fact that the entire country
is considered one electoral district.
ElectionGuide
– Israel gives a profile of the country including government structure,
electoral system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
pulled out of the Likud Party on 21 November 2005 and formed the
new Kadima Party. Several days later Shimon Peres withdrew from the Labour
party to join Sharon in a bid for a new government. This represents a
huge realignment in Israeli politics, with the former right and left joining
to form the new more centrist Kadima Party.
In January 2006 Ariel Sharon
suffered multiple strokes and currently remains in a coma.
According to the Israel
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, following the disbandment of the 16th
Knesset on 8 December 2005 by President Moshe Katsav, elections for
the 17th Knesset are to be held on 28 March 2006. This
web site provides background on the election process, election day information,
such as parties, candidates, voter turnout, publication of results, final
results and the forming of a government.
The official Elections for the
17th Knesset web site provides information about the election
process in Israel, the Central Elections Committee, legislation regarding
the government, the Knesset and the running of elections, the candidates
and parties and, election results when available.
News Commentary
Siegman: Some major surprises
in Israeli election - this is an interview with CFR’s Israel/Palestine
expert Harry Siegman. He says that this is the most significant defeat
of the Likud Party in thirty years and discusses the possible make-up
of the new government.
Kadima
wins, moderately – this article by CFR editorial staff discusses
acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Kadima party winning the most Knesset
seats and the likelihood that it will follow the path set by its founder,
Ariel Sharon.
Samoa
Election type: Parliamentary
Election date: 31 March
2006. Last election held 3 March 2001.
Prime Minister: Sailele
Malielegaoi TUILAEPA (Human Rights Protection Party)
Number of registered voters:
79 284
Compulsory voting: No
CIA World Factbook
- Samoa provides a map and sections covering, background history,
geography, the people, the government structure, the economy, communications,
transport, the military and trans-national issues.
CNN World/Election
Watch - Samoa includes the government structure, the electoral system,
the main parties contesting the race and the fact that Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA,
leader of the Samoa Christian Party, is the first female leader of a political
party in Samoa.
ElectionGuide
- Samoa gives a profile of the country including government structure,
electoral system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
Samoa’s ruling Human Rights
Protection Party (HRPP) remains in Government, extending their 24 year
incumbency.
The official Samoan election
web site, Samoa Election 2006 gives information on
electorates, candidates, members of Parliament and early results (as at
31 March).
News Commentary
Thailand
Election type: Parliamentary
(House of Representatives). Elections for the Senate will be held on 19 April
2006.
Election date: 2 April
2006. By-elections on 19 April 2006 and 23 April 2006. Last
election held 6 February 2005.
Prime Minister: * Military
coup overthrows care-taker Prime Minister Thaksin SHINAWATRA (Thai Rak
Thai Party) on 19 September 2006. Coup leader: Gen Sonthi
Boonyaratglin.
Number of registered voters:
45 232 145 (as at 2 April 2006)
CIA
World Factbook - Thailand provides a map and sections covering, background
history, geography, the people, the government structure, the economy,
communications, transport, the military and trans-national issues.
CNN
World/Election Watch - Thailand includes the government structure,
the electoral system, the main parties contesting the race and the fact
that Prime Minister Thaksin SHINAWATRA called snap elections (3 years
early) after thousands of protesters rallied in February to ask for his
resignation following the controversial sale of his family’s telecommunications
conglomerate Shin Corp to Singaporean investors. His critics claim that
the sale was engineered so that Prime Minister SHINAWATRA and his family
might avoid paying capital gains tax.
ElectionGuide
- Thailand gives a profile of the country including government structure,
electoral system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
News
Commentary
- A Council on Foreign Relations article of 4 April 2006 entitled
Thai
poll raises new questions says Thai Rak Thai Party candidates
failed in 39 constituencies because they did not receive 20 per
cent of votes as required by law. Although the Election Committee of
Thailand has not announced the final election result, it has said that
by-elections will be held in 39 constituencies on 9 April 2006.
Applications for candidates commenced on 5 April. Thai electoral
officials called for a third round of elections, after voting on 23 April
2006 failed to fill several seats in Parliament.
- An article dated 3 May 2006, entitled Thailand: Constitutional
crisis lingers on discusses the multitude of court cases filed
by citizens in an effort to nullify the general election of 2 April
2006.
- An article dated 9 May 2006 entitled Thai
Constitution Court nullifies April 2 polls, says Thailand's
Constitutional Court has ruled that the election held on 2 April
and its by-elections in late April were against the constitution and
has ordered a new poll. The date of the next election has not been announced
and care-taker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has not as yet stated
whether he will run as a candidate.
- An ABC Radio Australia article of 16 May 2006 Thai
Election Commission proposes October for new polls says the
proposed new election date is 22 October 2006, and gives a summary
of events thus far.
- Thai
courts reject proposed date for new elections dated 17 May
2006 says Thailand’s 3 most important courts (the Supreme, Constitutional
and, Supreme Administrative Court) have rejected the newly proposed
election date of 22 October, saying that if the current election
commissioners do not resign, free and fair elections cannot be guaranteed.
- A news article dated 30 May 2006 entitled Thailand
sets election date for October 15
says the new election date of 15 October has been approved by Cabinet
and that the main opposition party has agreed to stand.
- A Sydney Morning Herald article entitled Thai
poll back on track
dated 27 July 2006 says that two of the five Election Commissioners
have resigned after the April election. The court found the Commissioners
guilty of allowing unqualified candidates to run in the April 23 by-elections.
The remaining three Commissioners (supporters of caretaker Prime Minister
Thaksin) refused to resign. After one night in jail, the remaining three
Commissioners decided to tender their resignations.They have been jailed
for four years.
- According to an article entitled Military
overthrows Prime Minister in first coup in Thailand in 15 years,
on 19 September 2006 Thailand's military overthrew popularly elected
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra after mounting criticism that he had
undermined democracy. The military said it would soon return power to
a democratic government but did not say when.
- A Council on Foreign Relations article of 19 September 2006, entitled
Like
old times in Bangkok provides full details of the coup, including
photographs.
- Q
& A: Thailand's coup impact discusses why the coup happened,
what it means for Thailand, what it means for the region and for the
Thai economy.
- The military council installs Surayud Chulanont as Prime Minister
on 1 October 2006. According to a China Daily article entitled Thai
king oks post-coup Cabinet, a post-coup Cabinet has been announced,
with top jobs given to economists, high-profile civil servants and two
retired military officers who are expected to govern until elections
in October 2007.
Solomon Islands
Election type: Parliamentary
Election date: 5 April
2006. Last election held 5 December 2001.
Prime Minister: Manasseh
SOGAVARE (Social Credit (Socred) Party)
Number of registered voters:
342 119 (as at March 2006)
Compulsory voting: No
CIA World Factbook
– Solomon Islands provides a map and sections covering, background
history, geography, the people, the government structure, the economy,
communications, transport, the military and trans-national issues.
ElectionGuide – Solomon
Islands gives a profile of the country including government structure,
electoral system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
This election is the first since
the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands
(RAMSI) arrived in 2003 to restore peace, law and order and good governance
to the islands.
Riots erupted in the capital,
Honiara on Tuesday 18 April 2006 following the news that controversial
politician Snyder Rini had been elected Prime Minister. Mr Rini was accused
of corruption by his opponents. On 26 April 2006, Mr Rini resigned
ahead of a no-confidence vote. Five government Ministers defected to the
opposition leaving Mr Rini without the numbers to defeat the proposed
motion of no-confidence. Mr Rini remained caretaker Prime Minister until
new Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was elected by the Solomon Islands
Parliament on 4 May 2006.
News Commentary
- A BBC News article entitled Fears of fresh
Solomons violence dated 20 April 2006 gives background
to the rioting in the Solomon Islands and discusses the possibility
of more unrest following the swearing-in ceremony of Snyder Rini.
- A discussion of events surrounding the resignation of Snyder Rini
may be read in a Radio Australia report of 26 April entitled New Solomon Islands
PM quits.
- A Xinhua News article dated 4 May 2006 entitled Sogavare
sworn in as Solomon Islands PM says Manasseh Sogavare was sworn
in as Prime Minister on 4 May 2006 just hours after being elected
by a parliamentary vote and that the new Prime Minister has pledged
to tackle problems facing his country, including the root causes of
ethnic tension and, corruption.
Italy
Please note: Italy is
having two elections in 2006. Parliamentary elections are being held on
9 April 2006 and, Presidential elections are being held on 8 May
2006.
Election type: Parliamentary
Election date: 9 April
2006. Last election held 13 May 2001.
Prime Minister: Romano
PRODI (The Union Party)
Number of registered voters:
50 million (estimated as at March 2006; this number includes about
46.5 million domestic voters and 3.5 million Italians living overseas).
Compulsory voting: No
CIA World Factbook
- Italy provides a map and sections covering, background history,
geography, the people, the government structure, the economy, communications,
transport, the military and trans-national issues.
CNN World/Election
Watch – Italy
ElectionGuide - Italy
gives a profile of the country including government structure, electoral
system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
Italian Elections 2006 (from
FT.com) provides an in depth look at the elections including, editorial
comment, analysis, opinion and related stories.
Overseas constituency:
for the first time, Italian citizens around the world, including those
who have never lived in Italy have the right to vote in an Italian election.
Previously Italians living overseas had to go to Italy to vote. Some seats
are overseas, including Australia. The overseas constituency consists
of four zones:
- Europe
- North and Central America
- South America
- Africa, Asia, Oceania, Antarctica
News Commentary
- According to a BBC News article dated 19 April 2006 entitled
Italy confirms Prodi poll
victor, the supreme court has declared centre-left Romano Prodi
the winner after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (House of Freedoms
Party) challenged the election results. The parliament will need to
elect a new President (scheduled for 13 May 2006) before the government
can be sworn in.
- A CBC News article of 11 April 2006 entitled The Italian election: hopelessly
split? analyses the election outcome, the structure of Italy’s
electoral system, the possibility of political instability, the key
players and the main issues of the campaign.
Italy
Election type: Presidential.
The President is elected by the Parliament.
Election date: 8 May
2006. Last election held 13 May 1999.
President: Giorgio NAPOLITANO
Voting: A total of 1,010
voters, comprising 630 members of the lower house, 322 senators and 58
regional representatives vote to elect the President.
ElectionGuide
– Italy gives a profile of the country including government structure,
electoral system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
News Commentary
- An ABC News article dated 9 May 2006 entitled Italy’s Parliament
fails to pick President says no candidate received the
two-thirds majority required for election. Voting was set to resume
on Wednesday, 10 May 2006. It is the function of the President
to give the mandate to form a government to Romano Prodi, the centre-left
leader who won recent elections. Current president Carlo Ciampi’s term
expires in mid-May, and has indicated he will leave the task of mandating
the government to his successor.
Romano Prodi's centre-left Union
coalition proposed Giorgio Napolitano, an
80-year old former communist, as its consensus candidate after a day of
negotiations with Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right bloc. Napolitano was
the agreed candidate after Romano Prodi’s previous candidate Massimo D'Alema
was strongly opposed by Sylvio Berlusconi.
During the first three rounds
of voting, the new head of state must receive a two-thirds majority in
order to be elected. This means no candidate is likely to be elected before
the fourth round, when only an absolute majority will be required. Outgoing
President Carlo Ciampi needed just one day to be elected in 1999 but it
took 16 rounds of voting to elect his predecessor, Oscar Luigi Scalfaro,
in 1992.
- According to an article dated 10 May 2006 entitled Berlusconi’s nightmare
now president, outgoing Prime Minister Berlusconi describes
newly elected President Giorgio Napolitano as one of ‘them’ – a former
communist, saying ‘they have occupied all the top posts of the country.
This is not the will of the people’.
Fiji
Election type: Parliamentary
Election date: 6-13 May
2006. Last election held 25 August to 1 September and 19 September
2001.
Prime Minister: Prime
Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000)
Number of registered voters:
468 772
Compulsory voting: Yes
CIA World Factbook
- Fiji provides a map and sections covering, background history, geography,
the people, the government structure, the economy, communications, transport,
the military and trans-national issues.
ElectionGuide – Fiji
gives a profile of the country including government structure, electoral
system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
Elections 2006 – Fiji Islands is the official
elections web site where there is information on Fiji’s electoral system,
voting, political parties, press releases as well as current and past
election results.
News Commentary
- According to a news article dated 6 May 2006 entitled Long
delays mar start of Fiji election Saturday’s election got off
to an embarrassing start when ballot papers arrived late resulting in
long queues with some voters being turned away and asked to return later.
Racial tension and possible violence are also discussed.
- An article of 16 May 2006 entitled Fiji
elections neck-and-neck as counting continues says both
Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase and opposition leader Mahendra Chaudhry
are confident of winning a majority in the 71-seat parliament. Of the
votes counted so far, the Government has won 20 seats and the Opposition
has 19.
Cyprus
Election type: Parliamentary
Election date: 21 May
2006. Last election held 27 May 2001.
Head of Government:
President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (Democratic Party). The president is both
the chief of state and head of government.
Number of registered voters:
470 000 (est. 2006)
Compulsory voting: Yes
CIA World Factbook
- Cyprus provides a map and sections covering, background history,
geography, the people, the government structure, the economy, communications,
transport, the military and trans-national issues.
ElectionGuide - Cyprus
gives a profile of the country including government structure, electoral
system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
News Commentary
- A Council on Foreign Relations article dated 19 May 2006 on entitled
Cyprus' Elections
provides information on Cyprus' current status, the significance of
these elections, the main issues, the parties, registration of Turkish
Cypriots, Turkish and Greek positions in this election and the impact
on Turkey's potential membership of the European Union (EU).
- A BBC news article dated 21 May 2006 entitled Cyprus
ruling coalition wins poll says that for the first time in
decades, some 270 of the ethnic Turks living in the Greek-held part
of Cyprus have been allowed to vote and contest the election. Voters
have endorsed leaders who are against reuniting Cyprus with it's Turkish
north.
Tuvalu
Election type: Parliamentary
Election date: 3 August
2006. Last election held 25 July 2002.
Prime Minister: Apisai
IELEMIA was sworn in on 14 August 2006 (Previous: Maatia TOAFA since 11 October
2004)
Number of registered voters:
Compulsory voting: No
CIA World Factbook
- Tuvalu provides a map and sections covering, background history,
geography, the people, the government structure, the economy, communications,
transport, the military and trans-national issues.
ElectionGuide - Tuvalu
gives a profile of the country including government structure, electoral
system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
News Commentary
- According to a Pacific Magazine article Tuvalu:
election results bring changes
dated 4 August 2006, the general election has brought some sweeping
changes to the Tuvaluan Fale i Fono (Parliament), with only seven of
the previous members being re-elected, and eight new members coming
in. Although Prime Minister Maatia Toafa retained his seat in Nanumea,
there is some question as to whether he can hold on as Prime Minister,
as all six of his cabinet ministers lost their seats.
- According to the Australian
Department of Foreign Affairs, former opposition MP, Mr Apisai Ielemia
was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Tuvalu (replacing caretaker Prime
Minister Maatia Toafa) on 14 August 2006 after being elected by a majority
of 8 the 15 members of the new Tuvalu Parliament. Mr Apisai Ielemia
is also the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Labour.
Sweden
Election type: Parliamentary
Election date: 17 September
2006. Last election held 15 September 2002.
Prime Minister: Prime
Minister Goran PERSSON - Social Democratic Party (since 21 March
1996)
Number of registered voters:
7 076 394 (as at 14 September 2003)
Compulsory voting: No
CIA World Factbook
- Sweden provides a map and sections covering, background history,
geography, the people, the government structure, the economy, communications,
transport, the military and trans-national issues.
ElectionGuide - Sweden
gives a profile of the country including government structure, electoral
system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
News Commentary
- Fredrik Reinfeldt's conservative Alliance for Sweden has a narrow
win over the Social Democrats, who have held power in all but nine years
since 1932 according to a BBC News article entitled Analysis:
Sweden changes direction
dated 18 September 2006.
- A news article entitled Swedish
opposition wins election
dated 18 September 2006 says the incoming Prime Minister vows to
cut taxes and trim back the welfare state in order to increase employment.
The number of seats won and percentage of votes are also included.
Austria
Election type: Parliamentary
Election date: 1 October
2006. Last election held 24 November 2002.
Head of Government: Chancellor
Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (since 4 February 2000)
Number of registered voters:
6 030 877 (as at 25 April 2004)
Compulsory voting: No
CIA
World Factbook - Austria provides a map and sections covering, background
history, geography, the people, the government structure, the economy,
communications, transport, the military and trans-national issues.
ElectionGuide
– Austria gives a profile of the country including government structure,
electoral system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
News Commentary
- An International Herald Tribune article entitled Austria's
elections show some still riveted by right-wing says final
results are not due for another week, with the incumbent Austrian People's
Party government of Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel losing his majority,
but with the opposition Social democrats also not having a majority.
A coalition between the parties is a possibility.
United States of America
Election type: Parliamentary
Election date: 7 November
2006 (mid term). One third of the Senate and the whole of the House of
Representatives is to be elected. 36 states will also elect governors.
Head of Government: President
George W. Bush
Number of registered voters:
210 421 000 (as at Nov 2004)
Compulsory voting: No
CIA
World Factbook - USA provides a map and sections covering, background
history, geography, the people, the government structure, the economy,
communications, transport, the military and trans-national issues.
ElectionGuide
- USA gives a profile of the country including government structure,
electoral system, population, events of significance, past election information
and current election information when available.
The
Green Papers - midterm election 2006. This site provides facts, figures,
tidbits and commentary on the campaigns leading up to the election.
News Commentary
- CNN AmericaVotes 2006 provides
election results with the latest wins by the Democrats, the makeup of
the new congress, comments by President Bush.
- The Constitutional Rights Foundation's site Election
Central provides links to election information by state and
nationwide, as well as polls, maps, opinion and results.
Pitcairn Islands
Election type: Parliamentary
Election date: 24 December
2006. Last election held 24 December 2005 (elected members serve
one-year terms).
Head of Government: Governor
Richard FELL (since 15 December 2004)
Number of registered voters:
not known. Population is 47 (as at 2003).
Compulsory voting: No
CIA
World Factbook – Pitcairn Islands provides a map and sections covering,
background history, geography, the people, the government structure, the
economy, communications, transport, the military and trans-national issues.
ElectionGuide
– Pitcairn Islands gives a profile of the country including government
structure, electoral system, population, events of significance, past
election information and current election information when available.
News Commentary
For copyright reasons
some linked items are only available to members of Parliament.
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