A scholarly journal from the Centre for Baltic and East European Studies (CBEES) Södertörn University, Stockholm.
82 articles tagged with election were found.
On 4 October 2014, Latvia held the parliamentary elections that brought a hope of stability as the ruling coalition government won a comfortable majority. It is likely that the coalition negotiations, also this time, will lead to formation of the so-called minimal wining coalition. However, the parliamentary situation is complicated due to the arrival of two smaller parties on the Latvian political scene.
Clearly, even in this extraordinary election, as so often happens, the voters assessed alternatives rationally rather than emotionally. Peace and prosperity come first. Yet this election was more a test of personal confidence than of specific issues.
In 2004, eight Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) and two Mediterranean countries entered the European Union (EU). Hailed by some as the “New Europe”, the CEECs seemed to have finally affirmed their European identity. Ten years later, one is naturally tempted to examine whether the CEECs’ EU membership has indeed made them more “European”.
The European Parliament elections in Lithuania this year were held jointly with the second round of the presidential elections which were won by a landslide majority (57.9%) by the incumbent president Dalia Grybauskaitė supported by the conservative and liberal parties in opposition. The dual-track election campaign have been used by the opposition parties to leverage the popularity of President Grybauskaitė and make gains at the EP elections.
The final run-off, between the country’s prime minister, Robert Fico, and an independent candidate, Andrej Kiska, has ended with a spectacular victory for the latter. As a result, Slovakia shall, for the first time in modern history, have a president who hadn’t been a member of not just the communist, but any political party in his life.
The presidential elections of October 27th changed the political landscape of Georgia and showed signs of a mature democracy. The elections marked the end of Mikheil Saakashvilli’s ten year presidency. Giorgi Margvelashvili of the Georgian Dream (GD) won the presidential elections. It was a well administrated election, and the transition of power were peaceful.
On October 9 presidential elections were held in Azerbaijan. As a result of the criticized 2009 amendment to the constitution the two-term limit for the presidency was removedand the incumbent, President Ilham Aliyev, could stand as candidate fora third time. Nobody was surprised when he won again.
If not something dramatically happens during the last week before the election there will be some tuff government negotiations after the votes have been counted. Probably Markel will continue as chancellor but it is very unsecure which other parties she will form government with. An alternative chancellor could be Gabriel for a red – red – green coalition.
The elections to the Parliament of the Non-Represented, a grassroots non-citizens’ initiative, took place at the same time as the residents of Riga were called to vote for a new City Council. Looking at these two very different June elections it is clear that the post-ethnic Latvia hailed by Harmony Center/GKR’s members is still far to come. The ethnic card, far from being obsolete, is still used for electoral purposes.
There is no ‘winner’ on these legislative elections and no clear alternative to the status quo after 2009. Even if there is certain stabilization on the political scene (no newcomers in Parliament on these elections), the negative public attitude towards the mainstream parties and their lack of legitimacy may provoke further protests and the lack of clear majority in Parliament may undermine the stability of the new government.
Baltic Worlds covers; the Baltic Sea Region, Eastern Europe, Russia, Caucasus and the Balkan area.
Issue 2020:1, Special Issue: Women and “the People” 
Issue 2019:4 Special Section: Remembering and reimagining rural communities 
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