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Capital In Question Leads To A Presidential Crisis In Bolivia

posted by Anna-Maria Müller at 22h00 GMT on Sep 10

 AP - on BBC News

Almost two years after Evo Morales gained 54 percent of the votes to become President of Bolivia he faces his toughest crisis: For over a century La Paz and Sucre have shared the title of Bolivia's capital. Now this situation is at stake, with proposals to transfer executive and legislative government to Sucre. With raising tensions among protesters, police and military forces as well as limitations in freedom expression, many are concerned about the new un-democratic movement in the young democracy of Bolivia.

Read more about the democratic Bolivian revolution BBC News online, from AP and Jurist.

Join the debate in our forums: What would make you start a revolution? and follow our documentary Looking for a Revolution, which shows how Evo Morales, the first indigenous leader in Bolivia became President.

Elections In Sierra Leone

posted by Anna-Maria Müller at 22h00 GMT on Sep 10

 AP on BBC News

On Saturday Sierra Leoneans voted on the run-off poll after the first round of presidential elections did not presented a clear winner. Although violence and tension in Sierra Leone increased during the campaign, the polls are widely accepted as free and fair. Due to preliminary results, the opposition leader Ernest Berewa won the poll in a tight race.

Read more about the election on BBC News online, as well as on the Mail and Guardian, on iol and on Al Jazeera. Join the debate in our forums: Why bother to vote?

Elections In Morocco With Weak Turnout Rate

posted by Anna-Maria Müller at 22h00 GMT on Sep 10

 Jalil Bounhar/AP

According to preliminary results only 37 percent of the 15 million voters in Morocco participated in the elections for a new parliament on Sunday. It seems that Morocco's conservative Istiqlal (Independence) party, already a member of the governing coalition, won most of the seats in the parliament, although claims exists that the some of the vote were obtained by fraud. In general international experts and monitors agree that the campaign and the poll itself was transparent and fair.

Read more about the elections in the young democracy of Morocco on BBC News online, as well as on the The Guardian and on Al Jazeera. Join the debate in our forums: Why bother to vote?

Japan's Prime Minister Guarantees Afghanistan Assistance With His Job

posted by Anna-Maria Müller at 22h00 GMT on Sep 10

 AFP - on BBC News

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe put his position at stake on Sunday, when he announced his resignation if Japan will not extend its military assistance in Afghanistan. Japan currently discusses the option of extending Japan's support of the US-led mission in Afghanistan, which requires an re-enactment of a bill to do so. If not, the Japan's military assistance will expire in November. The new bill is not in favor of the opposition, the Democratic Party of Japan, who argues, that Japan should only engage in UN peacekeeping missions. Some experts also claim the military assistance is unconstitutional. A poll published on Tuesday also revealed, that the Japanese population is split over this matter, as the International Herald Tribune reports today.

Read more about the situation on BBC News online. Join the debate in our forums: What is wrong with democracy? and learn more about the political circus in Japan with our documentary Campaign! The Kawasaki Candidate!

Ireland On Its Way To Reconciliation

posted by Anna-Maria Müller at 22h00 GMT on Sep 10

On a meeting at the Somme Heritage Centre at Conlig Ian Paisley, leader of Northern Ireland, shakes hands with Irish President Mary McAleese.

Read more about the historic handshake on BBC News online, as well as in the New York Times. Join the debate in our forums: What does democracy mean to you?

 

 
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