election

400 dead: "All violence in Nigeria is driven by economics"

Sophie Team Observers — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:22:34 +0100

Image posted on citizen journalism portal Sahara Reporters.

Riots sparked by local elections have left around 400 people dead in the city of Jos, central Nigeria. While Western media blame the conflict on a rift between Christians and Muslims, one of our Nigerian Observers says it all boils down to economics.

Nigeria is broadly divided between a Muslim north and a Christian south, but suffers little conflict between the two religions. The violence that broke out on Friday morning is said to have been sparked after the Hausa ethnic group heard that their ANPP (All Nigeria People's Party) candidate had lost the local government chairmanship race to the ruling PDP (People's Democratic Party). The ANPP is a largely conservative party with a Muslim support base from the north, while the current party in power is more liberal and supported broadly by Christians, based in the south. When the Hausa group, who are considered settlers in the Jos area, heard of their defeat, they began burning tyres, which resulted in retaliation from Christian gangs. Two days of violence ensued before the Nigerian army managed to gain control over the city and impose a strict curfew. It's not the first time Jos has erupted into violence - so why the sporadic outbursts?

The German Obama?

Sophie Team Observers — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:18:39 +0100

"Hopefully". Image posted on Flickr by Cenk Özbakir.

When an ethnic Turk was elected leader of the Green Party in Germany on Saturday, the international press immediately christened him "The German Obama". But a German with Turkish parents tells us, "I hadn't even thought about comparing them".

After months of mounting media hype, Obama's election two weeks ago left the international press somewhat deflated. No wonder then, when Cem Özdemir, a German politician with Turkish parents, was voted joint-leader of the German Green Party, the papers immediately compared him with US President-elect Barack Obama. It was even rumoured that his campaign team had set up a Facebook group under the name "Yes We Cem".

With a population of almost three million, the Turkish community is the largest minority in Germany. Özdemir, who was born and brought up in the southwest of the country, is the first from any minority group to lead a political party - and one that is relatively successful: between 1998 and 2005 the Green Party formed a part of the coalition government. If it were to happen again, Özdemir would become an MP. However, despite "Cemamia", the 42-year-old is not impressed. In an interview with Germany's Bild am Sonntag, he dismissed comparisons with Obama as "inappropriate".

Daydream nation: Jerusalem goes to the polls

Sophie Team Observers — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:55:55 +0100

Deemed too scary for public consumption, ultra-Orthodox candidate Meir Porush was presented by his PR team in cartoon form.

Israel went to the polls Tuesday for its municipal elections. One of our Israeli Observers gave his, somewhat disillusioned, perspective on the vote.

UPDATE (12/11/08 - 10AM): Nir Barkat won with 52.4% of the votes while Meir Porush received 43.4%.

Crisis chaos hits Ukraine hard

Sophie Team Observers — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:53:57 +0200

Exchange rates displayed in Kiev. Photo: Olaf Koens.

After the financial crisis hit Western Europe, it snowballed towards the east, forcing heavily indebted states like Ukraine to take strict measures to avoid economic collapse.

The former Soviet state has already nationalised two of the country's banks and asked for a $15 billion (€11.6bn) bailout from the International Monetary Fund. In recent weeks, the national currency has tumbled 12%, while demand for raw material exports from the country continues to fall. The effects are even being felt on the street, after several banks put a €150-equivalent cap on daily withdrawals from ATMs.

The country's already unstable political situation worsened after President Viktor Yushchenko was forced to recall the parliament that he had dissolved two weeks ago. Parliamentary elections have since been postponed until 14 December.

CORRECTION: although there was talk amongst ministers of nationalising some of the country's banks, thanks to a comment we received on the French version of this post, we have since found out that this has not actually happened. One bank was placed under the administration of the central bank, but this was not directly related to the current crisis. UPDATE: on Sunday the IMF agreed to loan $16.5bn (€5.2bn) to the country.

The bizarre lottery of an Argentinean candidate

Sophie Team Observers — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:46:17 +0200

A Peronist local election candidate is organising a tombola to fund his campaign. First prize: breast implants.

Jorge Robador came up with the unusual idea in order to finance his electoral campaign. And he's got it all planned out. If the lucky winner of first prize is male, then he can offer the breast enhancement operation to his wife, or receive the equivalent in cash. The tickets cost 30 pesos each (around €7) and are on sale in a kiosk opposite the church in the main square of Rioja, the capital of the province with the same name. Ticket holders just have to wait for 20 December, when the grand draw takes place. One of our Observers in Buenos Aires explains that in Argentina, it's not as crazy as it sounds.

Canadian PM accused of stealing a speech on Iraq

Sophie Team Observers — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:17:43 +0200

Canadian web users are in hysterics about Prime Minister Stephen Harper's latest slip-up, just two weeks before the national party elections. The news is out that as an MP in 2003 leading the opposition, he copied, almost word for word, a speech on Iraq from Australian prime minister John Howard.

Canada is in full election swing. Tonight the leaders of the five major parties will come face to face for a televised debate in French, and tomorrow in English. The favourite, current prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party Stephen Harper, will have to defend himself against an attack launched by one of the Liberal Party leaders, Bob Rae. Rae has accused him, supported by video evidence, of stealing a pro-Iraq war speech from former Australian prime minister John Howard. Today his aide took full responsibility for the blunder and resigned. He admitted that the speech had been plagiarised but said that it was his fault, and that Harper was unaware of the transgression.

Posted on YouTube by "liberalvideo".

The transcripts from both tapes can be found on the Liberal Party's website.

Elections in Belarus – not much transparency, but plenty of biscuits, vodka and champagne

Ségolène Team Observers — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:02:01 +0200

A billboard denouncing the political censorship of the opposition in Belarus. Posted on Flickr by "Kshysieq's".

Known as Europe's last dictatorship, Lukashenko's Belarus was promised better relations with the West if they could demonstrate fair elections on Sunday. They didn't, and YouTubers say they've got the proof.

In return for freer and fairer elections, the EU and the US promised Belarus economic benefits and an ease on sanctions including lifted travel restrictions for the country's leaders. The test came on Sunday, when parliamentary elections were held in the former Soviet republic. But when the results came in, the incentive seemed to have made very little difference. Not one single opposition member managed to secure a place in parliament, with all 110 seats going to loyalists of current president Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994 and considered "Europe's last dictator" by the United States.

Anti-dictatorship protests soon followed in the capital of Minsk, and several videos showing alleged electoral fraud sprung up on YouTube. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) condemned the election as "undemocratic", which they largely blamed on a lack of transparency. Our Observer says it may also have had something to do with the sumptuous tidbits and vast quantities of alcohol on offer at the polling stations, somewhat detracting from the voting itself.

"Phoque" or "fuck" - when it comes to culture, Canadians don’t speak the same language

Sophie Team Observers — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:44:01 +0200

Language gaps and cultural misunderstandings are an integral part of daily life for Canadians dealing with their fellow countrymen from the other side of the French - British divide. This rather amusing sketch about the issue is also a serious warning about the future of Canadian culture, which according to the clip, faces near-extinction.

Under Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the Canadian government has cut 45 million euros worth of funding for cultural programmes over the past six months. Around fifteen programmes, considered out-dated or misused, have been axed. The latest blow came on 8 August when it was announced that two major funds would be withdrawn, leaving the cultural scene in Canada looking fragile.

However, investing in culture is a lucrative business. At least that's the message a group of Canadian celebrities are trying to get across. Since singer Michel Rivard, comedian Benoit Brière and humorist Stéphane Rousseau posted this video on YouTube 19 September, its been watched almost a million times.

The film tackles the great linguistic divide in Canada, something that both sides, despite frustrations, find rather funny. The video is a massive online hit, and arrives in time for the 14 October national party elections. Our Canadian Observers react to the sketch.

Posted on YouTube on an account called "Culture en péril" (culture in peril), and translated by "Tupperfan".

McCain’s Move: Bold or Bonkers?

Ségolène Team Observers — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:02:20 +0200

Ed Mazza is The Observer's regional editor for the United States. From now on, he will be following the 2008 election online, and posting daily roundups of the latest from the campaigns and the blogosphere.

When John McCain suspended his campaign yesterday to return to Washington and focus on the economy, supporters cheered. This was exactly the kind of bold, unexpected move their "maverick" was known for, they reasoned. But supporters of Barack Obama were quick to point out that their candidate doesn't seem to have a problem focusing on the economy and the campaign simultaneously.

McCain also called for a postponement of Friday night's debate, the first scheduled meeting between the pair. Obama has said he'd like the debate to go on as scheduled.

Again, McCain supporters say it shows a man who won't settle for business as usual. But his opponents, especially some bloggers, have gone as far as calling the war hero cowardly. Ken Layne of "Wonkette" filed a McCain story under the tag "cowards" and collected his favorite Web responses, such as this one: "In honor of McCain trying to get out of Friday's debate, here's a recipe for chicken pancakes."

The conservative "Blogs for Victory" called the move "bold" and "a brilliant stroke." Similarly, "California Yankee" writes that McCain is "again putting ‘Country First' even as the Dems continue to put party first."

"This Modern World" created a doctored version of the McCain-Palin campaign poster, with "TIME OUT" written beneath it. Below that is a footnote, "How can you expect us to debate foreign policy when we've spent all week trying to figure out the economy?"

On the other hand, "Classical Values" mocks Obama's decision to stay out on the campaign trail. "Evidently he doesn't think his presence will help. I'm inclined to agree."

Many political blogs - especially the more liberal ones - are having a field day with the early reports from a taping of the CBS "Late Show With David Letterman." McCain was scheduled to be a guest, and then cancelled when he suspended his campaign.

Letterman apparently was not impressed. The host, according to the Drudge Report, told his audience "You don't suspend your campaign. This doesn't smell right. This isn't the way a tested hero behaves. I think someone's putting something in his metamucil."

Metamucil is a fiber supplement commonly used by senior citizens, among others.

The Web site also quoted Letterman as saying, "What are you going to do if you're elected and things get tough? Suspend being president? We've got a guy like that now!"

McCain used Letterman's show to announce his candidacy back in February, 2007.

And finally, blogger Chris Cilizza of the Washington Post points out that the move "comes as two new national polls -- including one conducted by the Washington Post -- show McCain slipping in the head-to-head matchup against Barack Obama."

Only time will tell if it helps him regain the momentum he had after the Republic convention.

Will the war in Georgia help boost "commander-in-chief" McCain?

Sophie Team Observers — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:20:59 +0200

Haditha, Iraq, 16 March 2008. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Erin A. Kirk.

The sudden outbreak of war between Russia and Georgia last Friday was a glaring opportunity for the American presidential candidates to prove their worth in foreign policy. Despite it being one of McCain's strong points, both a Democrat and a Republican tell us that it was Obama who came out on top this time.

The Republican Party has always shown strong support for the small former Soviet state of Georgia, which might explain why, when the Russians responded to Georgian-initiated military action in the breakaway region of South Ossetia, President Mikheil Saakashvili called on the US for help. Unfortunately, the US was busy saving the rest of the world, but French President Nicolas Sarkozy was available and stepped in to broker a peace deal yesterday.

McCain and Obama couldn't miss out on the chance to show their electorate what they would do if their long-term enemy, Russia, started invading Europe. On Monday, McCain spoke about "severe long term consequences" for the country. Later in the day Obama followed suit, with a slightly less threatening speech.