Suchergebnisse

Examines the Oct. 15, 2000 local elections in Albania; focuses on the Socialist Party and Democratic Party, pre-electoral mistrust, conflict over electoral commissions and lists, the Greek-Albanian rivalry, fraud allegations, and other issues.

"Am 21. April werden in Nigeria Präsident, Senat und Repräsentantenhaus sowie am 14. April die Gouverneure und die Parlamente von 36 Bundesstaaten gewählt. Das komplizierte Wahlsystem wird - sehr wahrscheinlich - eine rasche Ermittlung des Wahlsiegers verzögern. Dennoch sind schon jetzt einige Aussagen möglich: Die Wahlvorbereitung, obgleich besser als 2003, war erneut von zahlreichen Unzulänglichkeiten geprägt. Den Parteien fehlen sowohl ideologisch-programmatische Differenzen wie auch dauerhafte organisatorische Strukturen im Land; sie sind reine Wahlkampforganisationen im Interesse einzelner reicher Politiker oder kleiner Cliquen. Einen starken Nachfolger für den international angesehenen Präsidenten Olusegun Obasanjo wird es nicht geben. Seine Partei, die regierende People's Democratic Party, wird erneut als stärkste Kraft erwartet. Gelingt die Wahl, wäre es der erste legitime Machtwechsel Nigerias - zumindest auf der personellen Ebene." (Autorenreferat)

Kathrin Kummerow asks MEP Helga Trupel about opportunities & difficulties when mobilizing the voters for the EU-elections 2009. Trupel relies mainly on the principal advantages of the European Union, such as stable peace & growth in economic wealth, & political aims such as solving the economic crisis. Personal conversations & events in the own electoral district offer an opportunity for politicians to mobilize voters & convince them to take part in Europe. It is also important not to take the achievements of the European Union for granted & think it needed no more political support. To give offices to outstanding personalities would important to the EU, as eg., having Jean-Claude Juncker as the President of the European Commission. Doing this might be an opportunity for instilling a so far missing emotional relation between citizens & the EU. Adapted from the source document.

Examines the status of the core structure of the Green Party & offers directions for reform to ensure the party's continued electoral success. The professionalization requirements of Joschka Fischer's (1998) model that may have contributed to the Green Party's reentry into the Bundestag (lower house) are discussed, focusing on how this model of success can be carried to the level of party reform. Various approaches being considered by the party are assessed for their professionalization potential. It is argued that Greens need to reform the party with a balancing committee structure that coordinates a differentiated Presidium, Commission on Principles, & a "Green Academy." The work of such an academy in the context of scientific & intellectual discourse is described, & subjects of study are identified. It is concluded that such an institution will help the Greens better understand the many dimensions of the political situation in which they operate. 11 References. T. Arnold

In 2009 the Bundeswahlausschuss, a government committee responsible for approving the inclusion of small parties in the election process, decided to exclude several small parties from the poll. It was argued that they lacked importance & "seriousness." Whereas it is not true that this decision was the reason for the Organization of Security & Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to send a team to monitor the elections to the Bundestag in September 2009, it does give cause, together with the explanatory statement, for serious concern about the role of the Bundeswahlausschuss in the democratic process. This a fortiori holds true since the decision cannot be challenged before the German Constitutional Court. The structure of the commission, its competences, & its lack of democratic responsibility have to be reassessed according to the principles of constitutional law, especially the equality principle for political parties as laid down in Art. 21 (1) of the Grundgesetz. In this light, the German electoral law (Bundeswahlgesetz) fails to meet the democratic standards set up by the constitution. Adapted from the source document.

In der Volksabstimmung vom 23. August 2011 sind die vorgeschlagenen Verfassungsänderungen abgelehnt worden. Durch diese Änderungen sollten die Präsidentschafts- und Parlamentswahlen im Oktober vereinfacht werden. Drei der vier vorgesehenen Verfassungsänderungen zielten auf die anstehenden Wahlen: Verschiebung des Wahltermins, Änderung des Wahlsystems und der Residenzklausel für Präsidentschaftskandidaten. Mit der Ablehnung dieser Verfassungsänderungen sind die Wahlen selbst nicht gefährdet. Doch lassen der Ausgang der Volksabstimmung und eine Reihe anderer Faktoren, darunter offene Verfassungsfragen, befürchten, dass das nur schwach stabilisierte Land wieder in instabile Zeiten zurückfallen könnte. (GIGA)