Smacks Ahoy!

The results are in: New Zealand voters overwhelmingly back smacking as part of good parental correction, and do not believe it should be made a criminal offense. So the debate over corporal punishment will continue for the foreseeable future, though Prime Minister John Key of the center-right National Party recently stated,

"My view is the law is working as was intended but I think the very strong message that comes through from this referendum is that New Zealand parents don't want to see themselves or their neighbours or anybody else criminalised for lightly smacking a child."

Key made known his distaste for the wording of the referendum from the start, and many "Yes" supporters said the question was leading, accounting for the lopsided result of the vote. So decide for yourself,

Once again, the question, as posed by main-in ballot:

Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?

And the result:

Yes------------201 541------------11.98%
No-----------1 470 755-----------87.40%

Election News Snapshot - Afghanistan

Despite threats from an increasingly insurgent Taliban, voters turned out for today's Presidential election in Afghanistan, albeit at lower levels than the first go-round in 2004. Early predictors indicate another victory for current President Hamid Karzai, though he probably will not pull enough of the vote to avoid a runoff. His likely opponent in a second round would be Abdullah Abdullah, the candidate representing the United National Front - a hodgepodge of parties mainly representing the multi-ethnic Northern tribes. Karzai is an independent, although his main support comes from the majority Pashtun South. The disparate backgrounds of the two leading candidates lent an ethnic tinge to the campaign that would have dominated headlines had it not been for the brutal Taliban offensive.

End of Democracy in Niger?

Though results have not yet been released, chances are today's Constitutional Referendum in Niger will pass, giving President Mamadou Tandja new sweeping powers, including unlimited terms in office. Opposition leaders, such as former Prime Minister Mohamadou Issoufou called on "sincere democrats and patriots" to boycott the election, and the Associated Press reported that turnout was very low. The referendum will also turn the National Assembly into a bicameral legislature, likely abolishing the post of Prime Minister, making the President both Head of State and Head of Government.

New Zealand's "Smacking" Referendum Starts Today

The question, as posed to Kiwi voters by mail-in ballot, will be:

Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?

Voters will have until the 21st of August to respond, and the results will be non-binding. The referendum arose out of the 2007 passage of a bill removing the legal protection of corporal punishment from the criminal code. Opposition groups feared this bill would criminalize what they believe is a matter of conscience for parents. A 'Yes' vote on the question would likely preserve the status quo, while a 'No' vote would probably once again raise the debate in Parliament.

Major Upset in Moldova

Parliamentary elections held yesterday in Moldova saw the Party of Communists (PCRM) lose control over the body in the second legislative contest this year. President Vladimir Voronin, whose term has officially expired, dissolved Parliament after April elections when he failed to garner enough support for his chosen successor. Presidents in Moldova are elected by Parliament, and the results of the elections in April left Voronin and the PCRM one vote shy of the 61 necessary to approve a President. The results of this election will give four opposition parties a combined 53 seats against the Communists' 48, as long as PCRM-defector Marian Lupu's center-left Democratic Party agrees to join the opposition coalition. On the upside, Moldova may see its first real change in leadership in years, leading to more openness towards Europe; on the downside, no party has nearly enough votes to select a new President, which may trigger a constitutional crisis and further political turmoil.

First Returns Slow out of Guinea-Bissau

The small West African nation of Guinea-Bissau held the run-off for its Presidential election yesterday, with results yet to be released. Malam Bacai Sinha of the ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) has been widely favored since the first round over opposition leader Kumba Iala of the Party for Social Renewal (PRS). The election was made necessary after the assassination of President Joao Bernardo Vieira in March. I will be scouring the news services for the first reports, and I will post them here as I come across them.

Failed Election in Kyrgyzstan

In a nation once hailed as a "beacon of democracy" in central Asia following 2005's Tulip Revolution which propelled Kurmanbek Bakiyev to power, yesterday's Presidential election unfortunately failed to meet international standards of freedom and fairness. Opposition leaders, including top challenger Almazbek Atambayev of the Social Democratic Party, accused Bakiyev of "ballot-stuffing" and "election monitor...intimidat[ion]." Atambayev had officially pulled out of the election just before polls opened due to a perceived government-controlled media blackout of the opposition. This election has reflected increasingly un-democratic behavior from Bakiyev, who seemed to be basing his decision earlier this year about allowing US troops to remain at Manas Air Base on whether the Russians or Americans would offer the most lucrative package. Thankfully the opposition has decided to take the high road and challenge the results through legal means. If the best mass protests can get you is a Bakiyev, maybe that's not always the route to go.