Tunisia Moves towards Fair Elections
Posted on June 09, 2011
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 on May 31, 2011
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”.
Read moreDoes BBC mean "Bow Before Cameron" on AV?
Posted on April 25, 2011
On May 5th, British voters will participate in their second-ever national referendum, deciding whether to replace plurality voting for House of Commons elections with the alternative vote (AV). The referendum outcome remains up in the air, but we already know two losers: prime minister David Cameron, who has shown he cannot be trusted, and the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), the famed news source.
Read moreParity law adopted in Tunisia
Posted on April 21, 2011
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.
Read morePresidential Visits: Current Electoral College Rules Distort Attention
Posted on April 20, 2011
Wonder why you never get to see the President? One reason may be that you don't live in a swing state. We know that presidential candidates concentrate their general election time and resources in the few states that can make or break their election. But it turns out that it's not so different once they get elected; a disproportionate amount of time is spent in those same states. One solution to this problem would be the National Popular Vote plan for president.
Read moreLocal elections in France: Revealing rehearsal before 2012 presidential elections
Posted on April 08, 2011
On March 20 and 27, French voters elected their local representatives. These representatives (general counselors) are chosen town-by-town, and gather by departments and elect their president to represent their fellow voters at the regional level. In other words, French local elections are a relatively minor step in the electoral calendar that will bring France to vote for its president in May 2012.
Read moreArab Spring of Nations: what's next? -- Yemen: Troubles despite serious negotiations
Posted on April 01, 2011
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.
Read moreArab Spring of Nations: what's next? -- Tunisia: between hope and political instability
Posted on March 25, 2011
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.
Read moreArab Spring of Nations: what's next? -- The Egyptian Paradox
Posted on March 22, 2011
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.
Read moreExperts advise Proportional representation for successful transition in Arab world
Posted on February 25, 2011
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.
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