Election Day has come and gone and all has been peaceful here in Kurdistan. However, in Arab Iraq bombs killed about 30 people and large sections of Anbar Province were excluded from voting as it was too dangerous to set up polling stations.
Around 9pm the streets became crazy with party supporters blaring horns and waving flags. Apparently all the party election monitors had declared that their party had done well in the polls and supporters reacted as always with an unholy racket that went on until well after midnight.
In reality the results wont be known for at least another two weeks.
By and large though, the process has been democratic and fair. It is very likely that the Maliki Shiite government will be re-elected and this will no doubt set off another round of violence in the 'other' Iraq.
Much of the problem of Middle Eastern politics is that politicians almost never resign and hold on to power as long as possible. In Western democracies the public get tired of the same faces. No matter how well a politician does, the voters just biff them out because they are sick of hearing the same voices. Here the governing party doles out favours to its supporters (better known as corruption) and if the senior politicians go, a hell of lot of people stand to loose big time. So everyone does their best to keep their side in power and keep the cash flowing to their pockets. Until this changes, the middle east will remain chaotic.
While this election may be over, the KRG still hasn't formed a government since the September 2013 election.
Around 9pm the streets became crazy with party supporters blaring horns and waving flags. Apparently all the party election monitors had declared that their party had done well in the polls and supporters reacted as always with an unholy racket that went on until well after midnight.
In reality the results wont be known for at least another two weeks.
By and large though, the process has been democratic and fair. It is very likely that the Maliki Shiite government will be re-elected and this will no doubt set off another round of violence in the 'other' Iraq.
Much of the problem of Middle Eastern politics is that politicians almost never resign and hold on to power as long as possible. In Western democracies the public get tired of the same faces. No matter how well a politician does, the voters just biff them out because they are sick of hearing the same voices. Here the governing party doles out favours to its supporters (better known as corruption) and if the senior politicians go, a hell of lot of people stand to loose big time. So everyone does their best to keep their side in power and keep the cash flowing to their pockets. Until this changes, the middle east will remain chaotic.
While this election may be over, the KRG still hasn't formed a government since the September 2013 election.
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