Wikipedia International leaders to keep an eye on as the year unfolds As all fans of flat or National Hunt racing will know, the “Ten To Follow” is an integral part of the beginning of any season. A selection of horses that are worth keeping an eye on over the new season and that are thought likely to progress is presented for the perusal of the reader. Closer to home, the Politicalbetting Ten To Follow is run by Peter the…
Will Netanyahu/Obama be any better for the peace process than Olmert/Bush? The lockstep between American and Israeli politics was graphically illustrated earlier this week, with IDF forces leaving Gaza as Obama was being inaugurated in Washington, Israel having “made hay while the sun shone” during the dying days of the Bush administration. From a purely Israeli viewpoint, the Gaza operation has probably been deemed more successful than the disastrous Lebanon war of 2006, but from my personal perspective, if Israel…
Why hasn’t Dominic Grieve been a bit more high profile? It’s not often that a new government in Europe leads one to the Conservative frontbench, but another Grand Coalition will take office in Austria early next week, and as with the previous government, it’s headed up by a Social Democrat Chancellor while the conservative People’s Party holds the remaining big posts of Finance, Foreign Affairs and the Interior Ministry. With the “comparative politics hat” firmly affixed, a UK equivalent of…
A guest article from Shneur Odze On 11th November there were local elections for directly elected mayors and local councillors. They were largely expected to prove a gauge for the general election in February. However commentators have been searching to see if any indicators exist. I feel there are one or two. For the past 35 years there has been a token protest party which changes at every general election, starting with Dash the original centrist party led by Israel’s…
Wikimedia Commons A guest article from Balakirev With oil prices in a slump, the rouble tumbling and domestic stock exchanges closing for days at a time, it’s tempting to imagine that the swaggering Russia visible over the past year or so is about to be replaced by a staggering Russia. Well, not quite and certainly not yet. But there are strong signs that it has finally sunk in with Moscow’s leadership that it is not immune from the swirling economic…
Nationals could oust Helen Clark’s Labour in New Zealand With the election in Japan now being postponed, next Saturday’s election in New Zealand might now be one of the last significant elections of the autumn, with Romania and Ukraine still to come. The Nationals have led in the opinion polls since the middle of 2006, although their lead over the Labour government of Helen Clark really took off in the first few months of 2007. In the middle of this…
Talent show host’s party takes second place in Lithuania Following live election results in the likes of Austria and Canada is one thing, but it has to be admitted that Lithuania isn’t generally one of the 25 or so countries that I try to keep an eye on. However, it caught my attention that the party securing second place in the first round of the country’s general election a fortnight ago (the run-off round is today), the National Resurrection Party,…
Click graphic for CBC results coverage Live coverage of Canada 2008 election results Welcome to live coverage on PB of the results from Canada, following PM Stephen Harper’s decision to call a snap election. Leading or elected: Conservatives 144 Liberals 74 BQ 50 NDP 38 Independent 2 Greens 0 Conservative minority government CBC Toronto Star Elections Canada Coverage via C-Span Double Carpet