Election Watch

Election Results (March–June 2010)

Colombia: In the first-round presidential election on May 30, Juan Manuel Santos of the Social Party of National Unity (Party of the U) won 47 percent of the vote, while Antanas Mockus of the Green Party won 21.5 percent. A runoff is scheduled for June 20. In March 14 elections to the 166-seat Chamber of Representatives, the Party of the U, which had supported incumbent president Alvaro Uribe, won 26 percent of the vote and 47 seats. The Conservative Party (PC), which also had supported Uribe, won 21 percent and 38 seats. The Liberal Party (PL) won 19 percent and 37 seats; the Radical Change party (CR) won 8 percent and 15 seats; and the Party of National Integration (PIN) won 7 percent and 12 seats. In concurrent elections to the 102-seat Senate, Party of the U won 26 percent and 28 seats; PC won 21 percent and 22 seats; PL won 16 percent and 17 seats; and PIN, CR, and the Alternative Democratic Pole party each won 8 percent and 8 seats.

Czech Republic: In May 28 elections to the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies, the Czech Social Democratic Party, led by Jiří Paroubek, won 22 percent of the vote and 56 seats, while the Civic Democratic Party of Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek and President Václav Klaus won 20 percent and 53 seats. The TOP 09 party (Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09), led by Karel Schwarzenberg, won 17 percent and 41 seats; the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia won 11 percent and 26 seats; and the Public Affairs party won 11 percent and 24 seats.

Dominican Republic: In May 16 elections to the 183-seat Chamber of Deputies, the Dominican Liberation Party of President Leonel Fernández won 55 percent of the vote and 105 seats; the Dominican Revolutionary Party won 42 percent and 75 seats; and the Social Christian Reformist Party won 1 percent and 3 seats.

Ethiopia: Parliamentary elections were held on May 23; results will be reported in a future issue.

Guinea: A presidential election was scheduled to be held on June 27.

Hungary: In elections to the 386-seat National Assembly on April 11 and 25, the Young Democrats Alliance (Fidesz), led by Viktor Orbán, won 263 seats, while the ruling Hungarian Socialist Party (MSzP), led by Attila Mesterházy, won only 59 seats. The far-right Movement for a Better Hungary (Jobbik) won 47 seats, and Politics Can Be Different (LMP), a left-leaning ecological party, won 16 seats.

Iraq: In March 7 elections for the 325-seat National Assembly, the Iraqi National Movement (al-Iraqiya) won 26 percent of the vote and 91 seats, while the State of Law Coalition, headed by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, won 25.6 percent and 89 seats. The Iraqi National Alliance won 19 percent and 70 seats; the Kurdistan Alliance won 15 percent and 43 seats; and a reformist Kurdish party, the Movement for Change (Gorran), won 4 percent and 8 seats. For more information, see Adeed Dawisha’s article on pp. 26–40.

Mauritius: In May 5 elections for the 62 elected seats in the National Assembly, the Alliance of the Future coalition, led by Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam’s Mauritius Labour Party, won 49.7 percent of the vote and 41 seats. The Alliance of the Heart coalition, led by Paul Bérenger’s Mauritian Militant Movement, won 42 percent and 18 seats.

Philippines: Presidential and legislative elections were held on May 10. Benigno (“Noynoy”) Aquino III of the Liberal Party won the presidential race with 42 percent of the vote. Joseph Estrada of the Force of the Filipino Masses (PMP) won 26 percent, and Manny Villar of the Nacionalista Party won 15 percent. Results of the legislative elections will be reported in a future issue.

Poland: A presidential election was scheduled for June 20; results will be reported in a future issue.

Slovakia: Parliamentary elections were scheduled for June 12; results will be reported in a future issue.

Sri Lanka: In April 8 and 20 elections to the 225-seat Parliament, President Mahinda Rajapakse’s United...