The European Union faces a difficult decision in responding to Cambodia’s general election later this month. The ballot is assured to be unfree and unfair, but should Brussels respond punitively, potentially impacting its relations with the ASEAN bloc and a potential new Cambodian leader, or play nice in order to gain leverage amid a once-in-a-generation… Continue reading What Should The EU Do After Cambodia’s July 23rd General Election?
The Kuomintang has nominated popular New Taipei City mayor Hou Yu-ih as its official candidate for the presidential elections in 2024. Who is he and what are his chances? On May 17th, the standing committee of the Kuomintang (KMT) announced its official candidate for the 2024 presidential race. It went to Hou Yu-ih, who just… Continue reading Popular mayors and presidential races in Taiwan: A portrait of KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih
Changes to election laws will give Prime Minister Hun Sen added room for maneuver as he prepares to hand power to his son, Hun Manet. On June 23, Cambodia’s National Assembly approved a hastily-drafted amendment to the country’s election law that will prohibit anyone who doesn’t vote in next month’s general election from running as a candidate… Continue reading Is Cambodia’s new election amendment actually about ‘pardoning’ exiled opposition leaders?
Thai elections usually produce undesirable results for the powerful monarchy-military alliance, whose policy agenda is rarely on the same path as the voting patterns of the Thai electorate. May’s general election was no different, but it was far from usual. For the past twenty years, Thai voters have thrown their support behind politicians and political… Continue reading Can Thailand move forward past its historic 2023 election?
The persistent internal political deadlock in Bulgaria diminishes even further prospects for focusing policy attention on major international questions, specifically concerning the Indo-Pacific. Sofia risks becoming a weak link in Western strategies for countering the Chinese authoritarian threat. Bulgaria’s domestic political stalemate, characterized by multiple ineffectual elections incapable of producing a stable regular government, is… Continue reading Bulgarian elections and the Indo-Pacific: Worlds apart
