Election Watch

Election Results
(September-December 2002)

Bahrain: The first legislative elections since 1973 were held on October 24 and 31. No political parties are allowed, hence only independent candidates were elected. Secular candidates secured a total of 21 out of the 40 seats. Half of registered voters were women, and overall turnout was 53 percent.

Bosnia: In October 5 tri-presidential elections, the 3 seats in the collegial presidency, previously occupied by reformists, went to nationalist candidates: Sulejman Tihic of the Bosnian Muslim Party of Democratic Action (SDA), Mirko Sarovic of the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS), and Dragan Covic of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). In concurrent elections to the 42-seat House of Representatives, the SDS won 5 of the 14 seats reserved for the Serb Republic, and the SDA won 10 of the 28 seats reserved for the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Party for Bosnia-Herzegovina won 6 seats, HDZ won 5, and the Democratic Socialist Party won 4 seats.

Brazil: In an October 27 presidential runoff, Luis Inácio "Lula" da Silva of the Workers' Party (PT) won 61 percent of the vote, thereby defeating José Serra of the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB). In the first round, held on October 6, Lula won 46 percent, and Serra 23 percent. In concurrent legislative elections, PT obtained 91 of 513 seats, and the Liberal Front Party (PFL), 84. The Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement (PMDB) won 74; PSDB, 71; and the Brazilian Progressive Party, 49. The remainder was split among 14 other parties. In balloting for 54 seats in the 81-seat Senate, PFL won 14, PT won 10, PMBD won 9, and PSDB won 8.

Czech Republic: In two rounds of elections for 27 of 81 Senate seats, the Civic Democratic Party won 9 seats; the Czech Social Democratic Party won 7 seats; and the Christian Democratic Union and the Freedom Union won one seat each. The remaining 9 seats were taken by independents. The turnout was 24 percent in the first round held on October 25–26, and 30 percent in the second round on November 1–2.

Ecuador: In October 20 elections for the 100-seat National Congress, the Social Christian Party won 18 percent; New Country Movement, 16 percent; New Party for National Action (PRIAN), 10 percent; Ecuadorian Rolodist Party, 10 percent; and the Popular Socialist Party/Multinational Pachakutik United Movement (SPS/MUPP-NP), 8 percent. In presidential balloting held on the same date, no candidate garnered more than 50 percent of the vote. In a runoff held on November 24, Lucio Edwin Gutierrez Borbua of the SPS/MUPP-NP won 55 percent, defeating Alvaro Noboa of the PRIAN, who won 45 percent.

Equatorial Guinea: Presidential elections were scheduled for December 15. Results will be reported in a future issue.

Jamaica: In elections to the 60-seat House of Representatives held on October 16, Prime Minister P.J. Patterson's social-democratic People's National Party won 35 seats, while the conservative Jamaica Labour Party won the remaining 25. Observers called the elections troubled but fair.

Kenya: Presidential and legislative elections were scheduled for December 27. Results will be reported in a future issue.

Kiribati: Legislative elections were held on November 29. Results will be reported in a future issue.

Latvia: In October 5 parliamentary elections, the New Era party gained 26 out of 100 seats, the coalition For Civil Rights in a United Latvia gained 24, and the People's Party gained 21. A governing coalition was formed by New Era, the Union of Greens and Farmers (12 seats), the Christian Latvia First Party (10 seats), and the Fatherland and Freedom Alliance (7 seats). The new prime minister is New Era's Einars Repse, formerly head of Latvia's central bank.

Lithuania: Presidential elections were scheduled for December 22. Results will be reported in a future issue.

Macedonia: In September 15 general elections, the Together For Macedonia coalition--formed by social and liberal democrats and led by Branko Crvenkovski--won 60 of 120 seats. The incumbent government [End...