March 23, 2006
MILEAGE MAY VARY:
Ukraine's new, bumpy path: Its embrace of democracy contrasts with Belarus, this week's elections show. (Fred Weir, 3/24/06, The Christian Science Monitor)
In contrast to the tight government control that largely squelched opposition forces in Belarus ahead of last weekend's elections, Kiev's main square is a veritable bazaar of competing voices. Nearly 50 rival political parties are heading into the final leg of parliamentary polls slated for Sunday. The roughly 2,000 foreign observers here have noted no serious irregularities, and Ukrainian experts say these are the freest and most open elections in the country's history."There is absolute transparency, and an equal playing field for all parties," says Alexander Chernenko, an analyst with the Committee of Ukrainian Voters, a grass-roots monitoring group. "There is no fear, no coercion. People feel this is irreversible."
That Belarus feels compelled to have elections just to convey some faint patina of legitimacy suggests that its path is irreversible too. Posted by Orrin Judd at March 23, 2006 6:35 PM
Right.
Just how many fruitcake dictators in recent history have had "elections" demonstrating 90% support for their continued rule?
Posted by: Ali Choudhury at March 23, 2006 7:01 PMNone that are still in power.
Posted by: oj at March 23, 2006 7:07 PMChavez was smart - he reversed the algorithm in the voting machines and 'claimed' 58% of the vote. I don't remember what the numbers were in Mugabe's last election, but I think he listed his party's total in the 60s.
Whether there is ever another election in VZ while Chavez is alive - well, color me skeptical. And as for Zimbabwe, Mugabe will be dead soon, one way or the other. But he should be dead tonight.
Posted by: ratbert at March 23, 2006 10:35 PMrat:
It's unlikely he's that smart and, yes, Mugabe's days are numbered.
Posted by: oj at March 24, 2006 12:05 AM