elections

Nepal; a nice little earner for the Maoist ruling class - in Lenin's footsteps

Ret Marut — Mon, 12 May 2008 17:31:17 +0000

But as the result became clear Maoist leader Prachanda told journalists “I will be declared the acting President of this country very soon…which will be followed by occupying the post of the all powerful President of New Nepal…this is the peoples’ mandate…no force on earth can disobey this mandate”.

Maoists win the election in Nepal

Ret Marut — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:40:58 +0000

The result so far is for the 240-seats first-past-the-post vote for the Constituent Assembly. Results for the decisive 335-seat proportional representation part of the Assembly will take longer, but the Maoists are expected to do well in this too.

Venezuela: on the dark side of the moon

Ed — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:09:34 +0000

Venezuela has landed on the dark side of the moon. The recently opened 21st century seems to be escaping us for good. We will not have a chance to face it with any prospect of success.

Reforms take away what is gained through the struggle

Ed — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:49:13 +0000

Once again we must consider the dilemma of whether to participate or not in the electoral contest (referendum), this time with the difference that it is not a case of choosing a candidate but rather constitutional norms for the government of collective life. This situation requires careful reflection.

The 'No Land, No House, No Vote' campaign still on for 2009

imbokodo — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:46:43 +0000

The No Land, No House, No Vote Campaign Still on for 2009

by M'du Hlongwa

We are the restless majority - S'bu Zikode

imbokodo — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:26:16 +0000

[i]This article by S'bu Zikode appeared in Durban's elite bourgeois newspaper, the Mercury, in July 2006. After Abahlali baseMjondolo put twenty thousand people on the streets in support of a boycott of the February 2006 local government elections in the face of major militarised state intimidation the middle classes began to concede some space to the voices of the militant poor.

Nicolas Sarkozy: A mandate for class war

Freedom — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:41:00 +0000

He managed to convince 53% of the population that he represents change and this message has dutifully been repeated in the media over here. Yet he is basically the chosen successor to the incumbent party so, surely, it makes far more sense to say the French were looking for “more of the same” rather than the Royal victory would have been the mandate for “change.”

Dawning of a new era

martinh — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 23:52:46 +0000

The Dawning of a New Era

Vitrolles - the logic of the ballot box

martinh — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 23:45:42 +0000

This article was translated and abridged from Le Monde Libertaire for Black Flag #211 in 1997. Vitrolles is a town in France whose council was won in elections a few months prior by the fascist Front National. It was the fourth city run by the FN at the time - the others were Toulon, Orange and Marignane.

VITROLLES: THE LOGIC OF THE URNS

Introduction: Why an Everyday manifesto?

Steven. — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 14:26:57 +0000

In practical terms this means that instead of appealing to our leaders for change, or forming political parties to take state power, we make the changes we want – ourselves – and from the bottom up.

20. The Seventies: Under Control?

Steven. — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 11:34:32 +0000

In the early seventies, the system seemed out of control—it could not hold the loyalty of the public. As early as 1970, according to the University of Michigan's Survey Research Center, "trust in government" was low in every section of the population. And there was a significant difference by

Bangladesh: general strike

libcom — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 11:33:43 +0000

It was called by the opposition to protest against government manipulation of the voters list, comes alongside threats of a general election boycott early next year. Sunday is a normal working day in Bangladesh.

Living in an election year - A cartoon manifesto

libcom — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 01:09:07 +0000

A comic made in the run-up to the 2004 US election, where the two candidates - Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore - stood for pretty much exactly the same policies. Instead of voting, the comic calls on workers to organise together and fight for our own interests.