TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian authorities on Monday announced preliminary results from parliamentary and local elections in which only candidates loyal to the country’s authoritarian leader were allowed to compete and the opposition called for a boycott. The vote further cemented the 30-year rule of President Alexander Lukashenko, who declared his intention to seek another five-year term in a presidential …
Read More »Tag Archives: Global elections
How will Prabowo Subianto, an ex-general who’s never held elective office, lead Indonesia?
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Foreign leaders congratulated Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto on his apparent victory in Indonesia’s presidential election, while rights activists called him a threat. But how he’ll govern remains uncertain after a campaign in which he made few concrete promises besides continuity with the popular outgoing president. The 72-year-old ex-general has never held elective office. He’ll lead a …
Read More »Families of Indonesian activists tortured by soldiers 25 years ago shocked at general’s election win
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Families of Indonesian activists who were kidnapped and tortured by the military 25 years ago demanded justice in a protest Thursday and expressed shock over the apparent presidential victory of Prabowo Subianto, whom they blamed for the atrocities. Currently the defense minister under outgoing President Jokowi Widodo, Subianto claimed victory in the presidential election on Wednesday, …
Read More »Election ballots and boxes carried across Indonesia by motorcycle, boat, horse and on foot
Iconic white ballot boxes and ballots to let the nearly 205 million eligible voters of Indonesia choose candidates in this Wednesday’s election have been carried across the world’s largest archipelago by motorcycle, boat and even horse — as well as on foot. The journey can be tough. The boxes and ballots must sometimes be hand-carried up mountains, across rivers and …
Read More »A defense minister and 2 former governors are vying for Indonesia’s presidency
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian voters on Wednesday were making their choice of who will succeed popular President Joko Widodo, who is serving his second and final term. It is a three-way race for the presidency among current Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and two former provincial governors, Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo. Subianto, who is widely seen as the front-runner, …
Read More »Pakistan’s election left no clear winner. So who is likely to govern and what happens next?
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s parliamentary elections left no clear winner. Allies of imprisoned ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan won the most seats in the lower house of parliament in the elections last Thursday. It was a shock outcome given the obstacles: His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party could hold no campaign rallies, had no polling agents on election day and faced internet restrictions. …
Read More »17 people detained after attack at Istanbul election campaign event, official says
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish authorities detained 17 people in connection with an attack at an Istanbul campaign event for upcoming municipal elections, Turkey ‘s interior minister said Sunday. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya provided no details on the assailants’ affiliation or motive for the attack that critically injured a woman. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at an election rally Sunday condemned …
Read More »Pakistan’s ex-PM Sharif says he will seek a coalition government after trailing jailed rival Khan
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — The former prime minister of Pakistan expected his party would claim an easy victory in the country’s parliamentary elections, sending him to the top job for a fourth time. Instead, Nawaz Sharif faces a difficult path to power. Independent candidates backed by his imprisoned rival, Imran Khan, were leading in the vote count Friday, a surprisingly …
Read More »Pakistan’s disillusioned voters wonder if new polls will change a country mired in political feuding
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan is holding parliamentary elections this week but many voters are disillusioned and wonder if the balloting can bring any real change in a country mired in political feuding, a seemingly intractable economic crisis and resurgent militancy. Forty-four political parties will compete on Thursday for a share of the 266 seats in the National Assembly, or the …
Read More »El Salvador’s Bukele has everyone’s attention as he seeks reelection in spite of the constitution
SAN SALVADOR (AP) — Love him or hate him, all eyes are on Nayib Bukele. To many, El Salvador’s president is a national hero who took on the country’s violent gangs with an unrelenting hand. To others, the populist is a 21st century autocrat who has committed mass human rights abuses and has altered the rules of the game to …
Read More »