Vanuatu
Hopes that elections in October 2012 would bring parliamentary stability to Vanuatu after years of MPs changing parties and allegiances look set to be disappointed as October’s elections brought in a fractured parliament. The accuracy of the electoral roll was called into question as many considered the 192,000 people registered too high a number, taking into account Vanuatu’s adult population, which was estimated at approximately 160,000 in 2011. Turnout on some islands was as high as 88 percent, particularly impressive since it is often the only time that people from outlying islands travel to more central polling stations. The lowest turnout was in the main towns of Port Vila and Luganville, where only half of those registered on the roll actually voted. The Union of Moderate Parties (UMP), which received 12 percent of votes, won fi ve seats, the Vanua’aku Party (VP) won eight seats with 11.3 percent of votes, and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) won 8 percent of votes. The fragmented nature of Vanuatu’s political spectrum meant that 33 of the remaining 52 parliamentary seats were shared out between 13 parties. Sato Kilman of the PPP was elected as prime minister by the Vanuatu parliament three weeks after his party narrowly won the popular election and survived a no confi dence vote in December by 27 to 23. He leads an uneasy coalition.
Venezuela
Hugo Chávez, leader of the left-wing United Socialist Party of Venezuela, was returned to power in what will be his fourth term in offi ce as president of Venezuela. The 58-year-old veteran of politics fought off his younger rival Henrique Capriles, 40, in a tightly contested election with 55.3 percent and 44.1 percent of the vote respectively. Turnout was high at 80.7 percent, which was bolstered by votes from around 100,000 Venezuelans registered around the world. Voters were encouraged to use social media instead of going to the traditional polling stations if they wished. The contrasting politics of socialist Chávez and right-wing Capriles, leader of the Justice First party, engendered strong feelings on both sides, and the authorities were cautious after violence erupted at a campaign rally in the week preceding the election and at a voting rehearsal in September. Chávez was due to be sworn in for his new term on 10 January 2013, but renewed health complications relating to his ongoing cancer treatment puts his leadership in jeopardy. He has recommended Vice President Nicolás Maduro as his successor should new leadership be necessary.
South Korea
Presidential elections in South Korea on 19 December saw the election of the country’s first female leader, Park Geun-hye. Moon Jae-in of the Democratic United Party won 48 percent of the vote, narrowly losing to Park’s Saenuri Party, which won 51.6 percent of the vote. The highest turnout in 15 years of 75.8 percent refl ected a deep division among South Korea’s electorate who were polarised over two main issues: memories of Park’s father, Park Chung-hee, who headed a harsh regime during the 18 years until his assassination in 1979; and divided opinions about the candidates’ capability to deal with North Korean relations. In a New Year address, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stated his desire for an end to tensions between the two countries with the eventual aim of reunification. These peaceful overtures have been cynically received by South Korea and international observers as similar statements in the past have resulted in little change.
China
At the close of China’s outgoing President Hu Jintao’s ten years in office, 2,200 delegates met in November for a week-long congress to select the country’s new leaders. Xi Jinping, who has served as vice president since 2008, was chosen as the new leader of China’s Communist Party. He will take over officially as president in the spring of 2013, although has already taken up the position of General Secretary. A new 205-strong Central Council was selected of which only ten are women, three fewer than in the last Central Council. The inner circles of government, the Politburo, consisting of some 25 members and the most exclusive group, the Standing Committee, will be Xi Jinping’s closest advisers. The decision making process is shrouded in mystery as political jostling takes place in secret. The results are only known when the newly elected leaders emerge on to the stage in an order that indicates their position. Whereas Xi Jinping had long been tipped as the new general secretary and president, there was uncertainty about the future of the armed forces’ leadership. It was announced, however, that the incoming president would also take over from Hu Jintao as head of the army, to become, at 59 years old, the youngest person to hold this position for over 30 years.
Japan
Parliamentary elections in Japan, which saw a turnout of 59.3 percent, ushered in the Liberal-Democrat Party with 28 percent of the vote, gaining 294 of 480 seats. The Restoration Party won 20.5 percent of the vote and 54 seats; the outgoing Democratic Party of Japan around 15.5 percent and 57 seats; and the New Komeito Party around 12 percent of the vote and 31 seats. The incoming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has already held the post once before – between 2006 and 2007 – but was forced to leave office due to ill health. His Liberal Democrat Party is no stranger to power either, having led the country for much of the post-war period up to 2009. The accession of the right-wing, pro-nuclear Liberal-Democrat Party to office came as a surprise to some observers in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. Commentators have observed that this unexpected result may be due to a lack of cohesion among anti-nuclear voters.
Kuwait
Kuwaitis went to the polling stations for the second time in 2012 on 1 December, after a series of collapsed assemblies due to conflict between the elected parliament and the hand-picked cabinet dominated by the emir’s family. The lead-up to the election saw mass protests, particularly among the young, backed by the opposition in objection to new polling rules. In October, the number of votes per citizen was cut from four to one by the ruling emir. The opposition protest that the new system will prevent their candidates taking a majority, skewing the vote towards pro-government candidates. Activists continue to call for broader reform, including greater accountability and a reversal of the ban on political parties. On election day, opposition figures refused to stand. The widespread boycott saw a record low turnout of 39.7 percent.
The country was asked to choose between 302 candidates, of which 14 were women. Kuwaiti women received the right to vote in 2005, although the last parliament contained no women. The boycott resulted in all seats taken by pro-government candidates, with over half of them new to the 50-seat National Assembly. The results provoked rising tensions, with activists reporting clashes between men and security forces in tribal areas outside Kuwait City centre. December 3 saw the emir accept the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Jabir Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. However, on 5 December, the emir reappointed the prime minister and asked him to form a new government.
United States
Under the keen eyes of an international audience, the incumbent Barack Obama won the United States election of 6 November with 50.9 percent of the vote, taking 26 states and the District of Columbia for a total of 332 electoral votes. After an intensely contested race, Republican candidate Mitt Romney won 47.3 percent of the vote and 24 states, accounting for 206 electoral votes. Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party took 1 percent of the vote, while the Green representative Jill Stein took 0.4 percent. The Democrats retained control of the Senate after elections to 33 of the 100 seats, with a majority of 55 (including two independents caucusing with them) against the Republican’s 45. The House of Representatives remains under Republican control, with a majority 243 of the 435 seats against the 201 held by the Democrats, and much of the House remaining unchanged. The results see the continuation of a divided US government, with a Democratic president and Democratic control of the Senate conflicting with the Republican House of Representatives. Preliminary figures indicate that fewer voters turned out than during the last election of 2008. The most significant drop in voters was seen in the East Coast states, still recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy. However, the election did see a high number of early and mail-in ballots, with more than 32 million people, across 34 states and the District of Columbia, voting either by mail or in person before polls opened on Election Day.
Burkina Faso
President Blaise Compaoré’s Congress for Democracy and Progress (CPD) was re-elected in Burkina Faso’s December elections with 70 out of 127 parliamentary seats. The parliamentary elections saw Compaoré’s allies winning a further 27 seats, giving the leader a strong majority in the house. The CPD’s main rivals, the Union for Progress and Change (UPC) party, led by Zepherin Diabre, won 19 seats, and the Alliance for Democracy and Federation African Democratic Rally won 18. Turnout was 45.6 percent and observers reported a largely free and fair election. There has been some controversy, however, regarding votes in the country’s most densely populated region, Kadiogo province, where the announcement of the results was delayed. The UPC has criticised the results saying that votes were missing from some polling stations and were too numerous at others. Changes to the Burkina Faso constitution in 2000 mean that a president may only serve two five-year terms in office. For Compaoré, who has held the presidency since 1987, this rule came into force at the end of his 2000-2005 term.
