Full Coverage: Democracy

29.04.2005 Do you get frustrated when politicians refuse to take action for global justice or climate change until other countries agree as well - and of course nothing ever happens? Some election candidates have adopted the principle of Simultaneous Policy which commits them to work with other governments to overcome this impasse.

29.04.2005 The royal prerogative is a medieval procedure which allows the Prime Minister to exercise certain powers without reference to Parliamant - such as going to war on Iraq. Tony Blair must be wishing today that he had not dumped Labour policy to control use of the prerogative in 1994.

28.04.2005 WASHINGTON, D.C., Apr 27 (OneWorld) - Voters from across the country lobbied Capitol Hill Wednesday as part of an unusual movement to support their senators' right to make endless speeches.

27.04.2005 A new ad will be airing on radio stations in twelve key U.S. cities this week as Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Senate get closer to what could be a major confrontation over the use of the filibuster. The U.S.'s major lawmaking body could be shut down over a Republican attempt to eliminate the 200-year old political tactic that has ensured no party can wield absolute power over the other.

27.04.2005 A bargaining session Monday in Nigeria, where both parties agreed to form a government of national unity, did little to pre-empt violence in the tiny West African country of Togo Tuesday once the ruling party was declared the winner of the weekend's elections. The opposition has urged the country's five million people to resist, and tensions remained high overnight.

27.04.2005 YouGov polls have attracted interest in the election as they adopt new media communication tools. In this poll commissioned by the Make Poverty History campaign, the results suggest overwhelming preference for more action on poverty - which is baffling because the mainstream media are saying that war and world poverty are not electoral issues.

27.04.2005 As Robert Mugabe celebrates the 25th anniversary of independence in Zimbabwe, concerns are rising that endorsement of the recent election results by President Mbeki of South Africa may dampen donor support for the entire continent.

26.04.2005 The King’s dismissal of government and seizure of direct power has been welcomed in some quarters as an opportunity to re-establish control over the country and bring an end to the violence between government forces and Maoist insurgents. But in doing so it is possible the King has built a rod for his own back if his ambitious 3 year plan is unsuccessful.

26.04.2005 Confusion seems to be reigning in Togo after Sunday's hastily organized presidential election, which was supposed to determine a legitimate successor to Gnassingbe Eyadema, Africa's longest-serving ruler who died in office in February. But both sides have claimed fraud, and while the parties nominally agreed to a government of national unity Monday, Tuesday's announcement that Eyadema's son won the poll has sparked fresh violence.

25.04.2005 If long-term political change is to take root in the Middle East, political parties are certainly important. But so too are labor unions; social welfare organizations; and professional, cultural, and educational associations; all of which empower individuals to express their hopes and aspirations in a variety of fora that can then feed into the political process. Former U.S. Undersecretary of Defense Dov S. Zakheim lays out a culturally respectful path to democracy in a deeply religious part of the world.

22.04.2005 Friends of the Earth is disgusted that both Conservative and Labour ignore climate change in the election campaign. But does this represent instead a failure of environmental campaigners to jolt the electorate out of its materialist mindset?

22.04.2005 Togo's last and only president served 38 years until he died in office earlier this year. While his son is expected to win Sunday's election--although allegations of fraud are already circulating--the country's citizens all appear to be eagerly anticipating any change after decades of economic and political stagnation.

21.04.2005 The campaign planned by GONG for the Local Elections 2005 is directed at informing the citizens on the electoral processes for the local and regional self-government.

21.04.2005 Your tax payments could be invested in a national mailshot and election broadcast for the far-right BNP party which is fielding just sufficient candidates to qualify. If you are not happy with the idea, there is a protest at the BBC this afternoon or you can telephone the BBC complaints number.

20.04.2005 It's a tough task to change the culture of disillusionment amongst black and ethnic minority voters. But a coalition of activist groups led by Operation Black Vote is determined to get across the message the every vote counts.

19.04.2005 Officials of Zimbabwe's ruling party, ZANU-PF, are allegedly denying access to government-supplied maize meal to suspected supporters of the main opposition party. Many rural Zimbabweans are dependent on government stocks this year after a particularly poor harvest due to erratic rains.

19.04.2005 Retired Colonel Daniel Smith examines the difference between the Bush administration's foreign policy "spins" and the hard reality, concluding that those who govern must be accountable under the law and should not defend questionable means or excuse high-level policymakers from accountability.

18.04.2005 Nepal's King Gyanendra, who took absolute power in the country February 1--many say at the expense of his people's basic freedoms--will tour Asia over the next two weeks. The question of democracy versus counter-terrorism strategies will be front and center as the king tries to win over his international colleagues, says one analyst.

18.04.2005 Zimbabwe’s recent parliamentary election--considered a fraud by most western governments--has compromised the standing of other African leaders who are trying to convince the international community that Africa is moving towards better governance in return for debt relief, increased aid, and better terms of trade, say political analysts.

14.04.2005 Citizens Forum Tuzla conducted a poll on the knowledge of citizens about their municipality, the local communities they live in and the role of local self-government. The poll was conducted on a sample of 3,500 citizens.