Elections coming up

[London Man]

This month we have:
Liechenstein
Central African Republic

[frenger]

Today we have:
Tajikistan, Parliament 1st round
Kyrgyzstan, Parliament

Tomorow:
Burundi, referendum on the new constitution

In March
March 6 2005: Moldova, Parliament
March 8 2005: Micronesia, Parliament
March 11 and March 13 2005: Liechtenstein, Parliament
March 13 2005: Central African Republic, President 2nd round
March 17 2005: Tonga, Parliament
March 24 2005: Tajikistan, Parliament 2nd round
March 27 2005: Transnistria, Parliament
March 29 2005: Somaliland, Parliament
March 31 2005: Zimbabwe, Parliament
March 2005: Central African Republic, President (1st round) and Parliament
March 2005: Guinea Bissau, President

[Jake]

I'm dying to here the results of the voting in Tonga

[Hitchabrut]

Nauru is the funniest of all. Its too small to be divided into towns, so its divided into districts, none of which have more than a few thousand people. And the PM's name is Ludwig Scotty

[Notre Dame rules!]

The results from Zimbabwe will be a real nail-biter too.  Let's see, Mugabe's Party wins, the oppositon candidates get murdered, and Jimmy Carter declares it a free and fair election.

[jimrtex]

In March
March 27 2005: Transnistria, Parliament
March 29 2005: Somaliland, Parliament

Is the Transnistrian parliament a regional parliament
recognized under the Moldovan constitution, or is it
a separatist group?

I assume the Somaliland election is by a separatist
group as well.

[WMS]

In March
March 27 2005: Transnistria, Parliament
March 29 2005: Somaliland, Parliament

Is the Transnistrian parliament a regional parliament
recognized under the Moldovan constitution, or is it
a separatist group?

I assume the Somaliland election is by a separatist
group as well.

Transnistria is a rather nasty separatist state. However, my Stratfor sources don't expect them to survive the year, now that Ukraine is no longer pro-Russian and can cut off their outside support from Russia.

Go here to see my post on Somaliland. I told y'all they were a rough republic! Let's see if there's any such elections in the rest of Somalia, huh?

[frenger]

Burundi, referendum on the new constitution

Results

[MHS2002]

Moldova Results

Another good site

One of the people I live with in DC is actually from Moldova. He voted in DC this past Sunday.

[ilikeverin]

Look at the newest news from Somaliland!

Somaliland bans use of plastic bags
1 Mar 2005
NAIROBI,  (IRIN) - Authorities in the self-declared republic of Somaliland on Monday banned the use of all types of plastic bags, information minister, Abdillahi Duale, told IRIN.

"The bags have not only become an environmental problem, but also an eyesore," he said on Tuesday from the Somaliland capital, Hargeysa.

The Somaliland cabinet, he added, made the decision to ban the bags, which had been nicknamed "the Hargeysa flower", following an assessment of the damage they caused to the environment. The ban marked the end of a 120-day grace period that the government had given to the public to get rid of their stocks.

The bags were mostly used to carry groceries and other goods. They were often discarded and litter most streets and landscapes across Somaliland. Many of them ended up being blown around and deposited on trees or shrubs, posing a danger to livestock because the animals that feed on the leaves in the shrubs often ingest the bags accidentally.

The Ministry of Trade and Industries announced the decision in a decree titled: "Banning importation, production and use of plastic bags in the country".

Duale said it would be accompanied by an awareness campaign to inform the public about the danger of plastic bags. "We will use both the print and broadcast media to reach as many people as possible," he added.

He said people should use reusable, environmental-friendly baskets and containers, such as sacks made of straws, reeds and sisal. "These are the kind of containers that our people traditionally used" before the arrival of the plastic bags, Duale said.

Duale said all the country's seaports, airports and other border points had been instructed to enforce the ban. "We are determined as a government to enforce this ban, no matter what," he said.

A week ago, researchers in Kenya recommended that thin plastic bags, widely used across the country for carrying shopping, be banned because they pollute the environment and are a potential health hazard.

In a report released during the 21-25 February meeting of the Governing Council of the UN Environment Programme in Nairobi, the researchers also recommended that taxes on the manufacture of thicker plastic bags be hiked to discourage their use.

Prof Wangari Maathai, the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner and the Kenyan assistant minister for environment, has linked plastic bag litter with malaria. She said, the bags, once discarded, fill with rainwater, offering ideal breeding grounds for malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

[ENDS]

from http://www.xisbiga-udub.com/udub_w_4.htm

(Actually, looking around, these Somalilanders look pseudo-decent and pseudo-sane, unlike the rest of Somalia.  Cool ^_^)

[Notre Dame rules!]

What do you know, the Commies won in Moldova.  If they work really hard, and collectivize everything in sight, maybe just maybe, Moldova will leap in front of Albania as second poorest country in Europe.

[WMS]

Moldova Results

Another good site

One of the people I live with in DC is actually from Moldova. He voted in DC this past Sunday.

Rooting...for...Communists...over...centrists...argh! Foreign policy can make strange bedfellows (i.e., Pro-Western Communists vs. Pro-Russian centrists).

[Notre Dame rules!]

I would have voted for the Christian Democrats, though with only about 10% of the vote, they wont even be a very loud minority.

[WMS]

Look at the newest news from Somaliland!

Somaliland bans use of plastic bags
1 Mar 2005
NAIROBI,  (IRIN) - Authorities in the self-declared republic of Somaliland on Monday banned the use of all types of plastic bags, information minister, Abdillahi Duale, told IRIN.

"The bags have not only become an environmental problem, but also an eyesore," he said on Tuesday from the Somaliland capital, Hargeysa.

[snip for space]

[ENDS]

from http://www.xisbiga-udub.com/udub_w_4.htm

(Actually, looking around, these Somalilanders look pseudo-decent and pseudo-sane, unlike the rest of Somalia.  Cool ^_^)

Yay! I've always had a soft spot for Somaliland. ^_^

How...normal a story. Let's see the rest of Somalia stabilize things to that point! And have ELECTIONS, at that! Bloody UN/Arab League refusing to let anyone recognize them...*grumble*

[WMS]

I would have voted for the Christian Democrats, though with only about 10% of the vote, they wont even be a very loud minority.

Probably the same here. But still, what an odd choice for me to have to make...

[frenger]

Moldova Results

Another good site

One of the people I live with in DC is actually from Moldova. He voted in DC this past Sunday.

There was a janitor at my school who was from Moldavia. He was also a Red Army veteran. I dunno what happened to him.

I'd probably have voted for the Centrists, because i prefer then to the pro european union commies and pro romenian christian dems.

[frenger]

What do you know, the Commies won in Moldova.  If they work really hard, and collectivize everything in sight, maybe just maybe, Moldova will leap in front of Albania as second poorest country in Europe.

They were the ones who had the power.
And BTW; the only funtionf of Moldavia is to make other poor european countreis feel good about themselves.

[frenger]

I'd post the results for Micronesia, but they don't have parties, so it doesnt really matter.

[ilikeverin]

Look at the newest news from Somaliland!

Somaliland bans use of plastic bags
1 Mar 2005
NAIROBI, (IRIN) - Authorities in the self-declared republic of Somaliland on Monday banned the use of all types of plastic bags, information minister, Abdillahi Duale, told IRIN.

"The bags have not only become an environmental problem, but also an eyesore," he said on Tuesday from the Somaliland capital, Hargeysa.

[snip for space]

[ENDS]

from http://www.xisbiga-udub.com/udub_w_4.htm

(Actually, looking around, these Somalilanders look pseudo-decent and pseudo-sane, unlike the rest of Somalia. Cool ^_^)

Yay! I've always had a soft spot for Somaliland. ^_^

How...normal a story. Let's see the rest of Somalia stabilize things to that point! And have ELECTIONS, at that! Bloody UN/Arab League refusing to let anyone recognize them...*grumble*

I think I shall put the Somaliland flag in my signature

[WMS]

Look at the newest news from Somaliland!

Somaliland bans use of plastic bags
1 Mar 2005
NAIROBI, (IRIN) - Authorities in the self-declared republic of Somaliland on Monday banned the use of all types of plastic bags, information minister, Abdillahi Duale, told IRIN.

"The bags have not only become an environmental problem, but also an eyesore," he said on Tuesday from the Somaliland capital, Hargeysa.

[snip for space]

[ENDS]

from http://www.xisbiga-udub.com/udub_w_4.htm

(Actually, looking around, these Somalilanders look pseudo-decent and pseudo-sane, unlike the rest of Somalia. Cool ^_^)

Yay! I've always had a soft spot for Somaliland. ^_^

How...normal a story. Let's see the rest of Somalia stabilize things to that point! And have ELECTIONS, at that! Bloody UN/Arab League refusing to let anyone recognize them...*grumble*

I think I shall put the Somaliland flag in my signature

Yay! ^_^ I wonder how their elections will go later this month?

[Notre Dame rules!]

What do you know, the Commies won in Moldova.  If they work really hard, and collectivize everything in sight, maybe just maybe, Moldova will leap in front of Albania as second poorest country in Europe.

They were the ones who had the power.
And BTW; the only funtionf of Moldavia is to make other poor european countreis feel good about themselves.



Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking too.

[ilikeverin]

Look at the newest news from Somaliland!

Somaliland bans use of plastic bags
1 Mar 2005
NAIROBI, (IRIN) - Authorities in the self-declared republic of Somaliland on Monday banned the use of all types of plastic bags, information minister, Abdillahi Duale, told IRIN.

"The bags have not only become an environmental problem, but also an eyesore," he said on Tuesday from the Somaliland capital, Hargeysa.

[snip for space]

[ENDS]

from http://www.xisbiga-udub.com/udub_w_4.htm

(Actually, looking around, these Somalilanders look pseudo-decent and pseudo-sane, unlike the rest of Somalia. Cool ^_^)

Yay! I've always had a soft spot for Somaliland. ^_^

How...normal a story. Let's see the rest of Somalia stabilize things to that point! And have ELECTIONS, at that! Bloody UN/Arab League refusing to let anyone recognize them...*grumble*

I think I shall put the Somaliland flag in my signature

Yay! ^_^ I wonder how their elections will go later this month?

I hope they go well.  I wonder what party I should be supporting...

[WMS]

Yay! ^_^ I wonder how their elections will go later this month?

I hope they go well.  I wonder what party I should be supporting...

I wonder what parties they have, anyway? I wonder if I can find a good source on that, since not being 'officially recognized' they don't get as much attention...
*edit* From Electionworld:
# Main political parties: Kulmiye Nabad, Midnimo iyo horumar (Solidarity)
# Ururka Caddaalada iyo Daryeelka (For Justice and Development)
# Ururka dimuqraadiga ummadda bahawday (For Unity, Democracy and Independence)

I wonder what differences there are between them? There's no ideological tags assigned to them.
*second edit* here has a little bit more:
Party abbreviations: SNM = Somali National Movement (Isaaq clan-family, secessionist, anti-Siad Barre, est.1981); UDUB = Ururka Dimuqraadiga Ummadda Bahawday (Allied People's Democratic Party, est.2001 by Egal) [WMS note: it appears SMN turned into UDUB]*end 2nd edit*

Now this was a close Presidential race:
President: 14 april 2003 (. %)    %
Dahir Riyale Kahin -
Ururka dimuqraadiga ummadda bahawday (UDUB)  42.1%
Ahmed M. Mahamoud Silanyo -
Kulmiye Nabad, Midnimo iyo horumar ('Solidarity')    42.1%
Faysal Cali Warabe -
Ururka Caddaalada iyo Daryeelka (UCID?)               15.8%

Interesting: a planned bicemeral parliament, one elected chamber and one chamber for traditional leaders.

[ilikeverin]

Hmm... I don't think I'd support SNM, because they're clan oriented.  UDUB might be better (they're the People's party, so that suggests a leftist party, but ya never know).

We need to make our own little Somaliland fanpage and have all the parties on it

(The bicameral idea sounds awesome for them... it's an example of how to make democracy 'apply' to such a turbulent area)

[WMS]

Hmm... I don't think I'd support SNM, because they're clan oriented.  UDUB might be better (they're the People's party, so that suggests a leftist party, but ya never know).

We need to make our own little Somaliland fanpage and have all the parties on it

(The bicameral idea sounds awesome for them... it's an example of how to make democracy 'apply' to such a turbulent area)

I think SMN and UDUB are the same group. ^_^

Perhaps. Adding to the Wikipedia entry might be a good idea, too.

And yes, while one of the chambers of the parliament may not be popularly elected, it is still a lot better than most of the Third World in that regard. Maybe we'll get more information when the election happens. ^_^