Content Categorized with "Middle East and Africa"
21 - 30 of 60 results
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Egypt Caretaker Government Passes Electoral Draft Law Amid Parties' Vehement Objections
- Posted: July 8, 2011
- Author(s): Jais Mehaji, Arab Spring Series
- Categories: Fair Voting/Proportional Representation, Middle East and Africa, Elections Worldwide
After Egyptians successfully overthrew Hosni Mubarak back in February, the military government which took over in the interim has pursued a difficult transition to democratic rule. Parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place in September, and political parties and citizens alike have been very vocal about how they will be conducted -with one key conflict being the democratic opposition seeking a fully proportional representation voting system and the caretaker government wanting to keep half of seats elected by winner-take-all elections.
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What Turkey's Elections Revealed
- Posted: June 20, 2011
- Author(s): Jais Mehaji
- Categories: Middle East and Africa, Elections Worldwide
On June 12, Turkey held national elections of great significance. Turkey is a potential new member of the European Union (EU) and often cited as a model for Egypt in its moves toward democracy while balancing elections, a large Islamic population and a strong, largely secular military. The election showed both Turkey’s promise and problematic features that nations like Egypt should avoid.
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Egypt Inching its way down to Democracy
- Posted: June 16, 2011
- Author(s): Jais Mehaji, Arab Spring Series
- Categories: Fair Voting/Proportional Representation, Middle East and Africa, Research & Analysis, Elections Worldwide
Although the Arab Spring movement started in Tunisia, as I discussed earlier this week, the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt was the year’s most stunning development. As the most influential and populous nation in the Arab world, Egypt, both in times of war and peace, has often played a leadership role in the region. The political changes happening in Egypt will certainly reverberate strongly in the region. Now it is turning to the even-harder task of establishing an enduring democracy, which if successful, will set a standard for its neighbors.
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Tunisia Moves towards Fair Elections
- Posted: June 13, 2011
- Author(s): Jais Mehaji, Arab Spring Series
- Categories: Reforms, Middle East and Africa, Elections Worldwide
This post examines the democratic prospects for post-revolutionary Tunisia, as its government delays election date to October.
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Democratization and Conflict in the Arab World: Challenges, opportunities and dangers- We were there!
- Posted: May 31, 2011
- Author(s): Wael Abdel Hamid, Arab Spring Series
- Categories: Middle East and Africa, Home, FairVote, Elections Worldwide
On May 4 , the United States Institute of Peace (USIP)in Washington, D.C. hosted an exceptional conference, organized with Georgetown University, entitled “Democratization and Conflict in the Arab World: Challenges, opportunities and dangers”. The aim of the conference was “to offer concrete, policy-relevant insights that will be of benefit to political leaders in the Arab world, as well as to policy makers and activists in the United States working in the areas of human rights, democratic change and the rule of law”.
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Parity law adopted in Tunisia
- Posted: April 21, 2011
- Author(s): Wael Abdel Hamid, Arab Spring Series
- Categories: Middle East and Africa, Home, FairVote, Elections Worldwide
After the political revolution that struck their country earlier this year, Tunisians are now experiencing a genuine revolution of the mind. In an earlier blog post, I worried about the length of time the Tunisian interim government was taking to implement key measures .However, recent developments have eased my fears considerably.
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Arab Spring of Nations: what's next? -- Yemen: Troubles despite serious negotiations
- Posted: April 1, 2011
- Author(s): Wael Abdel Hamid, Arab Spring Series
- Categories: Fair Voting/Proportional Representation, Middle East and Africa, Home, FairVote, Elections Worldwide
The Arab world is still in trouble. Revolutionary nations Tunisia and Egypt are struggling for a successful, peaceful and democratic transition. Other peoples, especially in Yemen, Jordan and Bahrain, are still fighting for change. In a blog series introduced on March 22 , I am focusing on what's going on in Arab countries at the center of change.
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Arab Spring of Nations: what's next? -- Tunisia: between hope and political instability
- Posted: March 25, 2011
- Author(s): Wael Abdel Hamid, Arab Spring Series
- Categories: Middle East and Africa, Home, FairVote, Elections Worldwide
The Arab world is still in trouble. Revolutionary nations Tunisia and Egypt are struggling for a successful, peaceful and democratic transition. Other peoples, especially in Yemen, Jordan and Bahrain, are still fighting for change. In a blog series introduced on March 22 , I am focusing on what's going on in Arab countries at the center of change.
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Arab Spring of Nations: what's next? -- The Egyptian Paradox
- Posted: March 22, 2011
- Author(s): Wael Abdel Hamid, Arab Spring Series
- Categories: Middle East and Africa, Home, FairVote, Elections Worldwide
The Arab world is still in trouble. Revolutionary nations Tunisia and Egypt are struggling for a successful, peaceful and democratic transition. Other peoples, especially in Yemen, Jordan and Bahrain, are still fighting for change.
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Experts advise Proportional representation for successful transition in Arab world
- Posted: February 25, 2011
- Author(s): Wael Abdel Hamid
- Categories: Middle East and Africa, Home, FairVote, Elections Worldwide
2011 is a period of changes for the Arab world as many revolts have burst within its main countries, starting with Egypt and Tunisia. As these nations move toward their first truly free and fair elections, it will be important to implement reforms in order to ensure a peaceful and democratic transition in their societies. On this subject, political experts agree that forms of proportional representation would be a good option for Egypt in particular and, for Arab democracies in general - just as proportional voting was important in such nations as South Africa, Brazil and every nation in Eastern Europe as they moved toward free and fair elections in the 1980s and 1990s.