[WEEKLY WORLD WINDUP] ELECTION FEVER: SWINE FLU’S NASTY COUSIN?

Hey folks,

So it seems that right now in the world we have several failures, successes and spectors of… elections. Now some people, particularly on the Left I think, have lost faith or never had it in such a process. I, on the other hand, am a buzzing democratic-type, in spite of myself and my socialistic tendancies. It’s quite odd to be so civic-minded really at my age, or so it seems. Most Twenty-somethings are a little less willing to be engaged with the political process than I am I suppose, but still I think that the same age group is largely underestimated in Canada. I mean, what can the youth of an aging nation truly do? A lot! Otherwise, organizations like the CFS (Canadian Federation of Students) would not have as large an effect as it does in lobbying government. Woah! Last time I reference my true student ‘agenda’ here! haha. No, but I am keeping my student union work off the blog as it’d just be weird for me trying to talk about politics and lobby for my own causes at the same time.

Anyway folks, lets head down the rosy path of the elections which I’ve been, like most of the world, keeping tabs on this month.
Iran is the place to start as it is after all the current hotbed of an election, with riots and clashes on going. Right now, the central conflict lies between Ahmadinejad, the former President pre-election and the one which has now claimed victory, and Mousavi, former Prime Minster from the period of the Iran-Iraq War. Now, those aren’t the only two candidates… but lets face it, those are the two that people are paying attention to, with Rezai and Karroubi’s only importance being if they chance to steal votes from the other two… Oh wait, that is important. Hmm…

Well, lets be serious then. In depth analysis of this issue will sound quite hollow, so lets just go with what we know here. Mr. Ahmedinejad is generally a polarizing figure, both in and outside of Iran. As such, he persues an agressive, if not utterly foolhardly forigen policy of agitating the world community to the highest degree he can. Really, that isn’t a bad move as it plays well with his conservative base and the Mullahs who really run the country. Mr. Mousavi, though slugging the country through a war and all, actually is a more liberal voice within Iranian politics these days, I mean not as far as Karroubi… but still. He was for many, including former president and reformer Khatami, the best choice for many in this regard. Equally, his tendancy towards a consilicatory policy abroad, moderate nuclear progress (as that’s never going away) and his support for the urban growth of Iran make him an attractive candidate.

However, these are the final results:

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: 62.6%
Mir Hossein Mousavi: 33.8%
Mohsen Rezai: 1.7%
Mehdi Karroubi 0.9%

Turnout: 85%

Err, what? With the aggressiveness of this campaign and the level of intense debate, truly THAT wide of a win for Ahmadinejad seems, well out of the question. However, we must also take into account the rural voting and the strength of the tradtional establishment… yet, for there to be the same breakdown even in blatant Mousavi strongholds… Oi, I just hope the violence which is following won’t be violently suppressed.

On a brighter note, it seems like neighbouring Lebanon is doing quite well.From every report I’ve read, the March 8 Group, including Hezbolla, seem to be taking their lose to the ruling March 14 Coalition quite well. I mean, really for a country that was held in civil and external strife for a lot of the past sixty years, that is actually pretty great news.

However, let’s get frank here.

Brad: “Hey Frank!”
Frank: “Wha?”
Brad: “Just wanted to make you feel appreciated there.”
Frank: “Thanks, however I don’t appreciate the bias take you have on this…”
Brad: “Oh, how is that?”
Frank: “Well, speaking from a pro-Western standpoint, of course you’d see this defeat of March 8 as a good thing.”
Brad: “Hmm, that is a good point. March 14 IS heavily backed by the U.S. and most of the West. But the same can be said for March 8 and their Iran-Syria backers.”
Frank: “Good counterpoint. So really, what we have to keep in mind is that there ARE outside forces at play here which manipulate the Lebanese people on both sides, even if you clearly prefer the less aggressive March 14.”
Brad: “Thanks Frank!”

Anyways, overall at least we have the accepting of the democratic processes by the opposition, so far, in spite of losing their governmental veto. What that truly means is that, even if there is a dash of cynical manipulation and a chance for violence, there has been a move towards peaceful discontent which really is just apart of politics itself.

Now, to move back a bit closer to home, there is the EU elections and though I did refer to them before, I must still express some puzzlement at the move right, but not as much as one might expect. I mean sure, the puzzlement with me really is “Why even move to the Right at all?” but really, if you look beyond my ideology, you can see why. In central-Western Europe, the right-wing is doing relatively well, a la Germany, for itself long before this period of economic hardship. While in England, as I ranted before… Well, Labour has utterly blown it. So there is no other choice. Now, for areas like Italy, I can’t say that this kind of a move is a shock. Not because, as some unintelligent boob would jump: “ZOMG Fascists!” — But because there has always been a rich tradition of diversity within Italian politics since the Second World War, including Hardline right-wingers like Mussolini’s granddaughter, but equally as many hard left and moderates of all stripes.
And now, at last… Home as per Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, clicking my shoes the whole way.

Yeah, I know this is a weekly ‘world’ round-up, but I wanted to give a quick preview of a possible topic which will be coming up in the next day or so. The next Canadian election. Right now, government could in theory (ha!) fall. Now while I’m cynical it shall happen, I still want to mention it. Expect a post on it within the next while, if it occurs or not.
Anyways, I think you know what’s coming next, so I hope you had a good weekend and for this post, today and your coming week…

Enjoy folks,
- Brad.