15 June 2021

What to make of the Upper Hunter by-election

The aftermath of the May by-election for the seat of Upper Hunter in New South Wales Legislative Assembly has provided the political parties plenty to think about.

6 June 2021 - Education, Politics, Law and Order

Mexico's largest, deadliest and most polarised election

Mexico is getting ready for its 2021 midterm election, the largest in the nation’s history. 94 million Mexican voters will head to the polls to cast their ballots to elect 21,368 public officials on June 6.

17 May 2021 - Politics, Election, Labour Party, Scottish National Party (SNP)

Scotland's elections and the independence movement

Supporters of Scottish independence from the United Kingdom will be buoyed by the results of elections to the Scottish Parliament on May 6.

7 May 2021 - Politics, Election

Hong Kong electoral reform and the mirage of 'one country, two systems'

In 2020, the Hong Kong Government barred 12 opposition candidates from running in the Legislative Council Elections postponed to 2021, whilst the National People’s Congress Standing Committee of China disqualified four sitting, elected legislators.

12 May 2021 - Politics, Election

Samoa's election: Democratic progress or facade?

The democratisation paradigm in the Pacific is an ongoing topic of discussion within the political arena. It is a significant point of debate and analysis at the local, regional and international level.For Samoa, its 2021 election results seem to have indicated a seismic shift in the evolution of its democracy. But is the change real or a facade?

15 April 2021 - Politics, Foreign Policy, Race

Palestine's elections: Why they matter

Last February, President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), issued a decree-by-law, declaring that parliamentary elections will take place on 22 May, and presidential elections on 24 July of this year.

22 April 2021 - Politics, National Security

Myanmar – yesterday, today and a new tomorrow

A lot has been written about Myanmar since the military takeover in the hours before dawn on 1 February. Much of it has been about the violence on the streets, which after a weekend when at least 114 people were shot dead is understandable.

10 April 2021 - Gender, Election, Race

Dutch elections 2021: Diversity and fragmentation

Gender, racial, ethnic, and religious diversity popped up as key issues during the 2021 Dutch election campaign. This was new.

23 March 2021 - Election, Law and Order

The WA election and Indigenous incarceration

It is shamefully true that Western Australia (WA) has the highest rate of Indigenous incarceration in Australia.

30 March 2021 - Politics, Election

Parliamentary fragmentation in PNG: is it getting worse?

Papua New Guinea has many parties in parliament. PNG’s average of 19.6 parties elected at each election between 1997 and 2017 is higher than many other countries with multi-party systems. (For example New Zealand has had on average five parties in its parliament in the same period.)

24 March 2021 - Immigration, Race

Under-representation of Asian Australians in politics

The ideal of a liberal democratic political system is that its institutions should broadly reflect the make-up of the governed society. For a multicultural and migrant country such as Australia, this means that its elected legislatures should contain public representatives from a variety of backgrounds, commensurate to their numbers within the population.

26 February 2021 - Election

After Myanmar's coup: Can the military hold a new election?

Elections hold a controversial place in politics in Myanmar.In 2010, after decades of military rule, first under the guise of socialism and then through martial law, the military chose to reintroduce multi-party elections and to honour the results of the election.

2 March 2021 - Election

WA Election: A likely Liberal wipeout

Sixteen days out from the March 13 Western Australian state election, the leader of the Liberal Party, Zak Kirkup, conceded that the party would lose.

31 December 2020 - Politics, Election

Elections, democracy and the pandemic year

As 2020 draws to a close, Ghana's opposition has said it will challenge the result of December 7's election. In one of West Africa's most stable democracies, opposition supporters now claim that the incumbent's victory was rigged and are petitioning the supreme court to overturn the result.

23 November 2020 - Election

Why Hong Kong democrats are sharing Trump's lies

The United States presidential election matters far beyond its national borders, because the leadership of the most powerful country in the world always has a major bearing on global politics. A Biden presidency will change the international landscape over the coming four years.

2 December 2020 - Election

Palaszczuk rewarded for Covid effort at Queensland election

Labor’s comfortable win in the 31 October Queensland election might be seen as a product of ‘status quo politics’ in a time of crisis.

14 December 2020 - Election

PNG's elections: too popular for their own good

Growing candidate numbers in Papua New Guinea (PNG) have always intrigued me. I hail from a small island called Lou, roughly 20km southeast of the main Manus island.

1 December 2020 - Election

Proposed changes to Indonesian election law threaten diversity

Proposed revisions to Indonesia’s 2017 Election Law are being closely watched by civil society groups. They are concerned that the changes will concentrate power in the hands of elites at the national level, limit women’s representation in politics, and sideline issues like gender equality, labour rights, anti-corruption efforts, indigenous peoples, and the environment.

16 November 2020 - Election

The Republicans after Trump

In a post-election poll for the University of Melbourne’s US election webinar series we asked the several hundred people in the audience if President Donald Trump’s defeat would mean the death of “Trumpism”.

10 November 2020 - Election

Resounding win for Aung San Suu Kyi sees opponents sidelined

Myanmar’s national elections on November 8 consolidated majority rule under Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), but it also exposed numerous simmering faultlines.

14 November 2020 - Election

The Trump transition

There are no formal constraints on what a defeated US president can or cannot do in the interregnum between losing the election and his successor’s inauguration.

4 November 2020 - Election

The legacy of Trump

Shortly after Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017, I had a conversation with a colleague who specialises in international relations.

9 November 2020 - Politics, Election

PNG: Where voter turnout is too high

Voter turnout is high in Papua New Guinea. In 2017, approximately 90% of the estimated voting-age population cast a vote, despite PNG not having compulsory voting.

4 November 2020 - Election

Can Joe Biden win from home?

Two past elections point to the possible outcome of the 2020 US election. In 1896, Republican William McKinley defeated his Democratic opponent William Jennings Bryan with a front porch campaign.

15 October 2020 - Election, Race

The battle for the racial future of America

During an election campaign as chaotic as this one, where a sitting President has contracted the very virus he is accused of mismanaging, it is easy to forget the discussions that have dominated recent months and, in fact, the entire presidency of Donald Trump.

3 November 2020 - Foreign Policy, Election

Trump or Biden: The implications for Asia

It is hard to find in post-war American history a greater divide between two presidential candidates on foreign policy than in 2020.

30 October 2020 - Election

Preferences to decide Queensland's election

As the two major Queensland party leaders are donning Hi-Vis jackets and pledging millions of dollars in north Queensland, it’s more likely the minor parties that will decide the outcome of the 2020 Queensland election.

20 October 2020 - Election

Labour danger: The challenges for Jacinda Ardern

Political landslides are dramatic occasions which attract international attention as they suggest profound shifts in party positions and public views.

29 October 2020 - Election

The US Senate: Lessons from South Asia

Elected representatives serve as a check on direct forms of rule. Constitutional rights serve as a check on majoritarian forms of rule.

22 October 2020 - Foreign Policy, Election

Will the next president restore US leadership in Asia?

The American presidential election will be held while international perceptions of the US, particularly in Asia, are at historic lows.

28 October 2020 - Election

Reading Myanmar’s 2020 elections

An expected victory by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) in Myanmar’s November 8 elections will be significant, but the elections themselves, and the country, are beset with challenges.

22 September 2020 - Election

Why America's Midwest is the place to watch this election

With the 2020 US presidential election less than two months away, there is little doubt Donald Trump will lose the country’s popular vote, and likely by a wider margin than he did in 2016 (when he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by nearly 3 million votes).

15 September 2020 - Election

As the US elections near, global democracy is at stake

In 50 short days (US time), US voters will head to the polls in a democracy that, many experts agree, is in real trouble. “[A] close election could drive the [country] into a deep, prolonged constitutional crisis, and perhaps into civil violence,” says one political analyst.

13 August 2020 - Politics, Election, Race

Sri Lanka: Constitutional reform likely after landslide election victory

The 2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election has overwhelmingly consolidated the power of the Rajapaksa family.

17 August 2020 - Election, Race

Kamala Harris: The first doesn’t have to be the only one

This week, Joe Biden selected Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate for the 2020 US election.  As a woman of Jamaican and Indian descent, Senator Harris’s selection is historic. The first woman of colour selected for a major party nomination is an unfortunate novelty in the American political landscape.

17 August 2020 - Politics, Election

Hong Kong's cancelled elections

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam last month postponed the city’s slated Legislative Council elections in September by a year, claiming that it is necessary amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

21 August 2020 - Election

The Northern Territory: A COVID-19 election

In a sense, the current NT Legislative Assembly elections will be decided around events that occurred seven months after the triumphant victory of the Country Liberal Party (CLP) in 2012. The CLP, then led by Terry Mills, had won that election, to general surprise.

29 August 2020 - Election

Kremlin propaganda machine moves into gear in Belarus

Elections can be dicey moments for the neo-authoritarian governments in post-Soviet space.

28 September 2020 - Foreign Policy, National Security, Election

Trump, Biden and NATO: Where to next?

To study transatlantic relations is to permanently have a sense of déjà vu. Since the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, the history of alliance has been a history of crises among allies.

1 October 2020 - Politics, Election

Dodging disease and death in the first US presidential debate

Yesterday, I was on a Zoom call with one of my research students. We’d been talking about how each of us was faring during lockdown and I quipped that aside from the hovering stench of disease and death, I’m actually quite okay.

14 October 2020 - Foreign Policy, Election

Biden and Australia

On the current balance of probabilities, Joe Biden will win the 3 November US presidential election. We need to address the implications of this for our foreign relations.

6 October 2020 - Election, Infrastructure/Transport, Energy

The ACT elections: Labor's to lose

On October 17th, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) goes to the polls to elect its 10th Legislative Council.

8 October 2020 - Election

NZ general election: Centre-right support languishes

Next week, New Zealanders will go to the polls to elect the 53rd Parliament, and the 9th since we adopted proportional representation at the national level. But really the election kicked off on the 3rd October, when advance voting began.

30 September 2020 - Politics, Election

Improving the roll key to fair elections in PNG

Papua New Guinea’s roll of voters registered in national elections (the common or electoral roll) has been plagued with problems since at least the 1987 elections.

29 September 2020 - Politics, Election

Dynastic politics: Indonesia's new normal

Dynastic politics is a new normal in Indonesia’s democracy.Power transfer from elected officeholders to their own family members has grown dramatically over the past 15 years.

18 September 2020 - Election

Victoria’s local elections start in earnest with new challenges - not just from Covid-19

Nominations for candidates in Victoria’s council elections opened this week, as candidates and voters alike face the 24 October elections in unprecedented circumstances.

12 September 2020 - Election

New Caledonia gears up for second independence referendum

Although delayed by a month by Covid-19, voters in New Caledonia will next month return to the polls for the second of three possible votes on whether the Pacific island territory should become independent from France.

3 September 2020 - Election

Bougainville's election and the road to independence

Polling has just wrapped up in Bougainville for a milestone election on the road to potentially becoming the world’s newest independent nation.

17 August 2020 - Election

Singapore's GE2020: A post-mortem

Singapore's ruling PAP won yet again in the 2020 election. But it wasn't the “strong mandate” that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had hoped for.

17 August 2020 - Election

Indonesia's local elections and the pandemic

Early this year, Indonesia was planning elections for regional heads in nine provinces, 224 districts and 37 municipalities on 23 September. Then Covid-19 happened.

23 December 2019 - Election

The tectonics of the British election

It was a stunning victory for Boris Johnson and the Tories in the UK’s general election, giving the party its biggest seat haul since 1987 – but what does the result tell us about 21st Century politics?

11 December 2019 - Election

Working class likely to deliver for Boris Johnson

The polls are pointing to a decisive Conservative victory in the UK election, clearing the way for Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, courtesy of Labour’s working class base.

11 December 2019 - Election

Q+A roundtable on Tues 17 Dec: Britain has voted … now what?

14 August 2019 - Politics, Election

India: Transparency & Accountability in Political Funding

While political funding is a necessary component for political parties to play their role in the democratic process, transparency and openness in financing of political parties is the cornerstone of a well-functioning democracy.

15 August 2019 - Election

Much remains to be done in order to make the world’s largest democracy also the world’s greatest

This paper elaborates upon three of the several challenges faced by the most powerful electoral management body in the world - the Election Commission of India (ECI), and how it proceeded to solve them.

30 October 2019 - Economy/Jobs, Election

The future of post-Brexit Britain

As the UK heads toward an election, much of the focus remains on Brexit negotiations; but there needs to be more thought given to the long term, especially when it comes to trade.

20 November 2019 - Politics, Election

Fear and security swing Sri Lankan vote

In a country riven with ethnic divisions and political violence, Sri Lankans in Saturday’s presidential election chose the strong arm of an authoritarian.

25 October 2019 - Immigration, Election

Why immigration wasn’t a major issue in the Canadian election

Canada’s federal election result was surprising in that unlike other recent elections in Western liberal democracies, this outcome was entirely expected.

25 October 2019 - Election, Environment, Energy

Canada's first climate change election

Canada’s federal election may well have been the country’s first 'climate change election'.

6 December 2019 - Immigration, Election

The British Election: Party promises and immigration policies

While Brexit looms over the UK’s general election, the main parties manifestos show us that this election is likely to be a turning point for immigration policy

20 November 2019 - Politics, Election

The sound and fury of the British general election

On 12 December, the United Kingdom will return to the polls for the third time in just four years. The parliament that this election produces will finalise Brexit. Or at least, that’s the idea.

2 December 2019 - Election, Environment

How the UK is better handling climate politics

Watching the UK election campaign, Australians may look at how climate politics has played out there and wonder why it had to be so toxic down under.

24 September 2019

A message from Her Excellency Harinder Sidhu, Australia's High Commissioner to India

As democracies, it makes sense to work together.

14 August 2019 - Election

The current challenges to electoral democracy go beyond good election administration

The International IDEA Global State of Democracy Indices data supports that procedural democracy (particularly elections) is in good health in India and Australia, consistently outperforming global and regional averages.

29 August 2019 - Election

Making India's democracy bigger and better

India is the world’s largest democracy, with 908.7 million voters enrolled at the time of the 2019 general election. It is tempting to round off to ‘900 million’, but this would be to ignore 8.7 million voters – the population of Switzerland.

20 August 2019

Electoral Democracy in Australia: Crisis, Resilience and Renewal

Viewed from the outside, and especially against a global trend of rising authoritarian populist parties and political forces, and governments opposed to key tenets of liberal democracy, Australia appears as a relatively resilient outlier.

29 July 2019 - Politics, Election

Democracy before Dollars: The problems with money in Australian politics & how to fix them

There is a deep paradox at the heart of representative democracy: it is a form of rule by the people that distances itself from the people.

15 August 2019 - Election

“Trust is hard-earned but easily lost”: The challenges of technology in elections

One of the greatest challenges for any Election Management Body (EMB) is the incorporation of constantly evolving information communication technology into established election practices.

2 May 2019 - Politics, Foreign Policy, Election, Policy

Australian foreign aid is at an all-time low and should be dramatically increased

In this election campaign, there are some very distinct trajectories for foreign aid: from continuing the policy of cutting and diminishing aid, to rebuilding aid as an asset in Australian diplomacy, trade and security.

28 May 2019 - Politics, National Security, Election

Jakarta riots reveal Indonesia's deep divisions

The violent riots that shook Jakarta last week led to at least six deaths, over 700 injured and more than 200 arrests.

24 May 2019 - Politics, Election, Policy

Jakarta bruised, but Prabowo’s wrecking likely to fail

The violent protests against the official announcement ofJoko “Jokowi” Widodo’s re-election as Indonesian president this week mark the culmination of a months-long campaign by losing candidate Prabowo Subianto to discredit the poll.

5 June 2019 - Politics, Election, Policy

The political challenge of a divided electorate

The Australian federal election result not only defied predictions by pollsters through to most commentators, it highlighted a number of emerging fault lines in Australian politics that have been fomenting for some time.

28 May 2019 - Politics, Election, Policy

India Enters a New Political Era

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi scored a surprisingly emphatic win in the national election.

24 May 2019 - Election, Policy

NaMo and ScoMo: Business as usual

The re-election of the Modi government with an increased majority is good news for Australia.

20 May 2019 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Election, Environment, Policy

Voter aspiration delivers for Coalition

Labor was meant to waltz into national government, or least win a workable majority.

17 May 2019

Get with the (political) programming

With candidates dropping left, right and centre (both in the political sense and as the saying goes), you might be beginning to switch off from the 2019 Federal Election Campaign.

15 May 2019 - Politics, Immigration, Election

Protection or punishment for refugees: What are the election policies

Among Australia's political leaders, and members of the major parties, there remains a worrying failure to openly discuss Australia's obligations under the Refugee Convention.

15 May 2019 - Education, Election

Why early childhood education is everyone’s business

Early childhood education and care has received significant attention during the 2019 election campaign, due mainly to major Australian Labor Party announcements about funded three-year-old preschool for all children and a $4 billion overhaul of the childcare subsidy system.

17 May 2019

The last election where anyone cares?

This federal election may be remembered as the climate change election or the battle of the tax cuts. It may even be remembered as the election where the parties learned they need to actually read their candidates’ social media feeds before endorsing them.

16 May 2019

Improving Australia’s health system beyond the election

Australia has one of the best performing health systems in the world.

9 May 2019 - Election, Policy

What you need to know about the major parties’ policies on personal income tax

Personal income tax, the taxes levied on individuals’ income from wages and capital, collected $206 billion in 2017-18. This represents roughly a half of total Commonwealth tax revenue, and 11% of national income.

16 May 2019 - Election, Policy

When it comes to contraception and abortion access, the choice is stark

The Coalition does not see access to sexual and reproductive services as either an election issue, or a priority for their next term; while the ALP is promising to wade into this currently disjointed, uneven and inequitable space.

13 May 2019 - Politics, Election, Environment, Policy

How do the major parties compare on climate action?

As the federal election approaches, debate over the climate policies of the major parties continues – along with a lot of misinformation over how to evaluate the relative merits and shortcomings of what each party is offering.

16 May 2019 - Economy/Jobs, Election, Policy

How are the major parties responding to misconduct in the financial services sector?

Following 68 days of public hearings, 134 witnesses and more than 10,000 public submissions, the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry in February released 76 recommendations to clean up the wide-ranging and shocking misconduct it had uncovered.

13 May 2019 - Election

What are the top issues on voters' minds?

What are the main issues of concern for Australians in the lead-up to May 18?

15 May 2019 - Economy/Jobs, Election, Policy

Slow wage growth: The deciding factor in Election 2019?

The slow rate of wage growth is one of the most widely talked-about features of the Australian economy in the lead-up to the 2019 Federal election.

12 May 2019

Why housing is a major public health issue for Australians with disability

Access to adequate, safe, secure, accessible and affordable housing is a fundamental human right. But in Australia right now, housing disadvantage is impossible to ignore, and the situation is particularly alarming for disabled Australians.

10 May 2019 - Election, Environment, Policy

The opportunities and risks of decarbonising our transport

With the Federal Election campaign now in full swing, the debate on the regulation of transport greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has been light on detail and polarised.

13 May 2019 - Election, Policy

Major parties staying silent on social media regulation

In the lead up to the announcement of this Federal election, a white supremacist launched attacks on mosques in Christchurch, killing 51 people and injuring another 49.

12 April 2019 - Election, Policy

Vote Compass is a civic engagement application developed by a team from Vox Pop Labs, in association with the University of Melbourne and the ABC.

8 May 2019 - Politics, Immigration, Election

Don’t write off One Nation’s election chances

One Nation is Australia’s own contribution to the growing ranks of nationalist right-wing parties in developed democracies.

6 May 2019 - Politics, Election

The battle of the slogans

The Australian federal election campaign its heading into its end phase and voters have been bombarded by political advertising on their TVs, social media feed, and even texts on their phones.

7 May 2019 - Election

Australia needs fixed four-year parliamentary terms

Australian democracy would operate much more effectively if we had fixed four-year terms at federal level.

30 April 2019

Reforming Our Democracy

Imagine a federal parliament in which MPs don’t bark at their opponents on the other side of the table, but instead address the chamber from a lectern next to the Speaker.

1 May 2019 - Election

Competition policy: An election issue?

Competition policy rarely features at election time.

17 April 2019 - Politics, Election

What key quality should Australia’s next PM have?

There are many characteristics of good political leadership – strength, courage, wisdom, judgment, responsiveness.

24 March 2017 - Politics, Foreign Policy, National Security, Election, National Front, Republicans, En Marche, Socialist Party

Russia’s meddling in the French elections: How and why?

The French people will soon elect their next president. It could be the National Front’s Marine Le Pen, the candidate Russia may actively be trying to get elected.

10 March 2017 - Politics, Social Policy, National Front, Republicans, En Marche, Socialist Party

Why France is taking Europe to the crossroad

The future of democracy in Western Europe is rapidly approaching a crossroads.

30 April 2019 - Politics, Election, Policy

Leader sloganising passed off as a debate

The first of what could be three campaign debates between the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Labor Leader Bill Shorten last night was never going to have a big impact on the May 18 federal election.

2 April 2019 - Politics, Election

Oligarchs, money and religion: Indonesia’s Election

On 17 April, Indonesians go to the polls for the first-ever simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections.

23 April 2019 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Election, Social Policy

Modi’s BJP Faces an Uphill Battle in India’s Most Populous State

In an interview with India’s state-run Doordarshan television network on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “I can say this publicly that the BJP will perform better than last time in Uttar Pradesh.”

18 April 2019 - Politics, Election

Jokowi set to win: Experts respond

After a long, bitter, but largely uneventful campaign, counts released on the night of the election suggest that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will be re-elected, with about 55 per cent of the vote.

15 April 2019 - Politics, Election

Indonesia goes to the polls: rematch or replay?

Indonesia goes to the polls on 17 April, with the same presidential candidates as five years ago: the incumbent, Joko Widodo (known as Jokowi), a self-made former furniture exporter and former governor of Jakarta, and Prabowo Subianto, a former general who was once a son-in-law of Soeharto, the authoritarian former president who ruled for three decades until 1998.

20 February 2019

Six things you should know about the Indonesian Elections

The upcoming Indonesian elections will be the single largest election day in the world as up to 193 million Indonesians vote for a president, vice president and legislatures across the country

16 April 2019 - Politics, Election

India’s alliance politics

In 2014, the BJP rode the Modi-wave to come to power. With the Modi magic waning, and no wave in sight, 2019 elections will be a story of alliances and partnerships.

2 April 2019 - Election

A quick guide to India's 2019 election

India is the world's biggest democracy! Indeed, the 2019 election will be the largest democratic exercise in human history.

1 February 2019 - Politics, Election

Could low voter turnout save Indonesian democracy?

Ahead of the Presidential Election on 17 April, many Indonesian voters have begun publicly declaring an intention to not cast a vote, or golput.

5 April 2019 - Politics, Election

Australia Votes 2019: The Budget Reply

Budget replies are traditionally bland bookends to the main event.

3 April 2019 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Election

Australia Votes 2019: The Budget

10 April 2019 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Foreign Policy, Election

Indonesia-Australia trade deal could help sandbag relationship against elections, politics

Announcing the March 2016 reactivation of negotiations on the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), Indonesia’s then-Trade Minister Tom Lembong called for the two governments to take bold steps and “rejuvenate the animal spirits that we know drive economies”.

11 April 2019 - Politics, Election

An Australian’s Guide to India’s Elections

“You can’t tell the players without a program,” hawkers used to shout at sports stadiums.

17 May 2018 - Politics, Election

Malaysia’s remarkable election outcome

Against all but the most optimistic expectations, on May 9 voters in Malaysia’s 14th General Election voters emphatically rejected the long-serving Barisan Nasional (BN - National Front) government of Prime Minister Najib Razak in favour of the Opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH - Alliance of Hope) coalition, led by former PM Mahathir Mohamad.

8 November 2018 - Politics, Election

2018 midterms: The suburbs turn

Presidential proclamations of victory aside, the results of Tuesday’s US midterm elections have fundamentally shifted the balance of power in Washington.

4 May 2017 - Politics, Election, National Front, En Marche

Macron and Le Pen clash in ferocious debate

The two remaining candidates in the French presidential election Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen have gone head-to-head in the final televised presidential debate, with just days until the final vote.

1 June 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Foreign Policy, Immigration, National Security, Election, Conservative Party, Labour Party, Scottish National Party (SNP)

What will the British election mean for Brexit?

Britain’s next leader will have the difficult task of deciding on concrete outcomes for populist platitudes in relation to ‘Brexit’.

20 December 2018 - Election, Social Policy, Population Growth

Who can best tackle the housing affordability problem in Victoria?

Main points

9 July 2017

The future of the European Union beyond 2017

This year, European leaders marked 60 years since the Treaty of Rome, one of the foundations of the European Union (EU), by both acknowledging the EU’s achievements and admitting the many challenges facing the EU.

5 May 2017 - Politics, Election, National Front, Republicans, En Marche, Socialist Party, Unsubmissive France

Does Le Pen have a chance of becoming France's next president?

It’s just days before the final vote to decide who becomes the next French President. The result could radically alter the future of the European Union.

25 March 2019 - Politics, Election

NSW election likely to be false hope for Morrison government

Drawing national conclusions from a state election can be a difficult task, especially from a contest in which sporting stadiums was the major issue of debate.

20 April 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Foreign Policy, Election, Policy

Brexit: How Australia could benefit AND fight European populism

The Brexit process ending the UK’s membership in the European Union has officially started.

4 October 2018 - Politics, Election

US midterms: What you need to know

For the first time since Donald Trump’s election as President in 2016, Americans go to the polls for a nation-wide election on November 6.

9 May 2018 - Foreign Policy, Election

Resolving Timor-Leste's political crisis

The people of Timor-Leste are heading to the polls this week for the second time in ten months.

10 March 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Foreign Policy, National Security, Policy

Brexit: Over and Out

In 1973 the United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community, now the European Union.

14 September 2017 - Politics, Immigration, Election, Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), The Left, Alliance ‘90/The Greens, Alternative for Germany

Four things you need to know about the German election

The most likely outcome of the German federal election on September 24 is that Angela Merkel – the longest serving leader in the Western world – will win an historic fourth consecutive term as Chancellor.

4 May 2017 - Politics, Election, National Front

Is fear blinding voters to the consequences of Marine Le Pen?

French voters face a stark choice for president on May 7: Do they elect pro-globalist, pro-immigration centrist Emmanuel Macron, or do they elect nationalist authoritarian Marine Le Pen?

20 March 2019 - Foreign Policy, Election

Why Australia needs to understand the 2019 Indian election

Australia’s ability to form a new and deeper relationship with India has long been marred by limited political and cultural understanding.

20 April 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Foreign Policy, Immigration, National Security, Election, Social Policy, Policy, Race, National Front, Republicans, En Marche, Socialist Party, Unsubmissive France

The French presidential elections will settle whether or not the Brexit-Trump phenomenon is contagious

After the shock Brexit result in Britain in June 2016 and Donald Trump’s unexpected triumph a few months later, in November, what are the chances of the right-wing Front National’s Marine Le Pen completing a populist trifecta in the French presidential elections?

11 March 2019 - Election, Policy, Infrastructure/Transport, Energy

India is now officially 99% electrified, but electricity remains high on the political agenda

For Indian politicians looking to woo voters, promises to provide ‘bijli, sarak, pani’ (power, roads, water) have long been important.

25 September 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Immigration, Election, Policy, Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), Christian Social Union (CSU), The Left, Alliance ‘90/The Greens, Alternative for Germany, Free Democratic Party

The German election result and what it means for Australia

Dr Angela Merkel will lead Germany as its Chancellor for an historic fourth consecutive term.

23 August 2018

The West's Age of Retreat

When future historians look back at our current times how will they define it?

3 September 2018 - Politics

Surviving Australian politics: Four reforms to stop ousting a leader

Australian politics looks increasingly like a reality TV show, so what can be done to bring stability and end the constant Canberra coups?

24 April 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Foreign Policy, Immigration, National Security, Election, Social Policy, Policy, National Front, Republicans, En Marche, Socialist Party, Unsubmissive France

French voters will chose between wildly different visions for France

It was a divisive and unpredictable campaign, but the first round results are now clear.

16 July 2018 - Politics, Election

Federal By-Elections Quick Guide

On 28 July, five Federal by-elections will be held. We take a quick look at the electorates, the major candidates, and the likely outcomes. Hover or click over an electorate name (in orange) for more information.

6 June 2017 - Politics, National Security, Election, Conservative Party, Labour Party, Scottish National Party (SNP)

The British election: After the terror

The British Prime Minister has confirmed the UK’s General Election will go ahead following Saturday night's terror attack in London that saw three attackers kill seven people and injure 48 others. Speaking outside Downing Street following the attacks, Theresa May said that “violence can never be allowed to disrupt the democratic process.”

21 September 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Foreign Policy, Immigration, National Security, Election, Policy, Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), Christian Social Union (CSU), The Left, Alliance ‘90/The Greens, Alternative for Germany, Free Democratic Party

Will Germany be a stabiliser in turbulent times?

Some have claimed that the German political scene this year is boring. But perhaps we need less excitement and greater predictability in an era of Brexit and Trump.

2 August 2018 - Politics, Election

The international community failed to support the rule of law in Cambodia

This election has seen the most significant subversion of Cambodian democracy since the 1993 UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) launched the country’s electoral system.

21 November 2018 - Economy/Jobs, Election

Business as usual: US midterm elections & Trump’s trade agenda

Many expect the Democrats’ midterm victory in the House of Representatives will give them a powerful tool to oppose some of President Trump’s most unpopular initiatives, from immigration to healthcare, and launch new investigations into foreign meddling in the last presidential election.

4 November 2018 - Politics, Election

2018 midterms: When two tribes go to war . . .

A spectre is haunting America – the spectre of tribalism.

24 August 2017 - Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), Christian Social Union (CSU), Alternative for Germany

Merkel won't be hurt by refugee issues

Angela Merkel, the leader of the Germany’s ruling centre-right CDU/CSU coalition, is widely expected to win a fourth (and final) term as German Chancellor in parliamentary elections on September 24.

9 June 2017 - Politics, Foreign Policy, National Security, Election, Policy, Conservative Party, Labour Party, Scottish National Party (SNP)

Disaster for Theresa May and the Conservatives; uncertainty for the UK

No matter how Tory partisans try to spin it, the UK election results are a disaster for Prime Minister Theresa May and the incumbent Conservative government.

23 November 2018 - Politics, Election, Environment, Energy

Energy prices and emissions: Compare policies ahead of the Victorian election

Key points

4 October 2017 - Politics, Election

Catalan independence referendum response challenges unified Spain

In spite of multiple attempts by Spain’s Madrid-based conservative central government to block it, on October 1st Catalonia’s independence referendum went ahead.

25 June 2018 - Politics, Election

Economic inequality, not age, is the real driver behind Hong Kong’s independence movement

Hong Kong will soon mark 21 years since the transfer of sovereignty from the United Kingdom to China.

15 November 2018 - Politics, National Security, Election, Policy

How will social media shape India’s next election?

This article is part of the Indian Election Series – a partnership between the Australia India Institute and the Melbourne School of Government’s Election Watch project.

27 September 2018 - Politics, Election

Elections in Brazil: Is Democracy itself on the ballot?

Brazilians head to the polls on 7 October for a general election unlike any the country has ever seen.

8 May 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Foreign Policy, Immigration, National Security, Election, Environment, Social Policy, Policy, National Front, En Marche

Europe has a chance to save itself and France will play a key role

Democracy has won.

23 November 2018 - Gender, Politics, Election

Gender composition of Victorian Parliament

Women currently make up 39.8 per cent of Victoria’s Parliament – 77 men compared to 51 women.

6 July 2018 - Politics, Election

Mexicans voted overwhelmingly for change. Will they get it?

Sunday’s Mexican general election was not only the biggest in Mexico’s history, with over 3,400 positions at stake, but it may be the greatest shock to the political status quo since the Mexican Revolution ended in 1920.

13 October 2018 - Gender, Politics, Election, Social Policy

October Surprises and the false hope of the midterms

“October surprise” is a an American political term used to describe something – perhaps a natural disaster or a strategically-timed data leak - that emerges in the run up to an election. It’s something that likely impacts polls and possibly even the vote count.

7 October 2018 - Politics, Election

Podcast: A deep look at the most anticipated US midterms in living memory

On 6 November, Americans head to the polls for the first time since President Trump's election in 2016.

19 September 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Foreign Policy, Immigration, National Security, Election, Policy, Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), Christian Social Union (CSU), The Left, Alliance ‘90/The Greens, Alternative for Germany, Free Democratic Party

Huge challenges face the next German Chancellor

Germany’s newly-elected Chancellor will face significant challenges that will require difficult and divisive choices after the election this Sunday.

1 April 2019 - Politics, Election

Who is Sandiaga Uno?

Multi-millionaire  businessman Sandiaga (“Sandi”) Salahuddin Uno has been the surprise star of the 2019 presidential election campaign.

25 September 2017 - Politics, Election, Policy, Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), Christian Social Union (CSU), The Left, Alliance ‘90/The Greens, Alternative for Germany, Free Democratic Party

Merkel weakened, far right enters German parliament

As the dust settles on the German election, it seems the political instability seen throughout the West has now arrived in Germany

7 April 2017 - Politics, Election, Policy, National Front, Republicans, En Marche, Socialist Party

France's presidential campaign: A strategy of fear versus a strategy of opportunity

What a strange election campaign it has been so far.

17 August 2018

Can Imran Khan thaw hostile Pakistan-India relations?

Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaf (Pakistan Movement for Justice) recently became the single largest party in the Pakistani parliament, after disputed elections on July 25.

3 September 2017 - Foreign Policy, Immigration, National Security, Election, Policy, Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), Alliance ‘90/The Greens

German-Turkish tensions high ahead of elections

Germany’s special relationship with Turkey - NATO allies, partners in a key refugee deal and major trade partners - is routinely referred to as being in crisis.

12 March 2019 - Election

India’s elections a struggle for the country’s soul

Indian elections are big. Big in numbers and big in significance.  The national election coming up in May will have more than 800 million eligible voters and promises to be a crucial round in a struggle over the soul of India.

9 June 2017 - Politics, Election, National Front, Republicans, En Marche, Socialist Party, Unsubmissive France

Could Macron's 'En Marche' win big?

A month after a truly extraordinary battle for the French presidency between centrist Emmanuel Macron and far right Marine Le Pen, the French people are going to the polls again for two rounds of voting in legislative elections.

27 April 2017 - Politics, Foreign Policy, Election, Policy, Conservative Party, Labour Party, Scottish National Party (SNP), UK Independence Party (UKIP)

Q&A: The UK Election and the Brexit big picture

Earlier this month, British Prime Minister Theresa May announced that voters in the UK would be going to the polls again for the third time in three years.

23 November 2018 - Health, Election, Policy

Victorian election: What are the major parties offering on mental health?

Main points

25 July 2018 - Politics, Policy

Australian democracy needs a ‘Department of the Opposition’

One of the criticisms that is often made about opposition parties is that they don’t represent an alternative government. Rather, they just criticise whatever it is that the government is trying to do, without actually providing a better alternative. This state-of-affairs has been expressed by the former Labor Government led by Julia Gillard, when it referred to the (then) Opposition as the ‘No-alition’.

20 February 2019 - Education, Economy/Jobs, Politics, Election, Policy, Population Growth

What Role Will ‘Generation Timepass’ Play in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections?

This article is part of the Indian Election Series – a partnership between the Australia India Institute and the Melbourne School of Government’s Election Watch project.

25 February 2019 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Election, Social Policy, Policy

Positive discrimination in relation to caste is a big Indian election issue

It's often said that in India, you don’t cast your vote, you vote your caste.

25 February 2019 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Election, Policy

Old habits die hard in Indonesia’s presidential clash

Indonesia’s presidential election – Joko “Jokowi” Widodo versus Prabowo Subianto II – is trundling toward its 17 April denouement, an event less exciting for its potential drama and more for its status as the end point of a long and, thus far, insipid contest.

19 April 2017 - Politics, Foreign Policy, National Security, Election, Policy, National Front, Republicans, En Marche, Socialist Party, Unsubmissive France

How terrorism is impacting on the French presidential elections

With the recent terrorist attacks in Stockholm and London, and with Syria and North Korea dominating national and international news in France, the forthcoming French elections are bound to take place in a very particular context.

3 May 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Foreign Policy, Immigration, National Security, Election, Environment, Social Policy, Policy, Race, National Front, En Marche

Explainer: Le Pen vs Macron - What do they stand for?

Political newcomer Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen will go head-to-head in the final vote of the presidential election on Sunday 7 May.

15 September 2017 - Politics, Election, National Front, Republicans, En Marche

Four reasons Le Pen probably won't become French President

The National Front's Marine Le Pen has been one of the front-runners in opinion polls throughout the French presidential election campaign and her anti-EU anti-Islam platform has grabbed attention around the world.

20 November 2018 - Politics, Election

Victorian election: Which party has the best slogan?

Every election, political parties create a new slogan to set the tone for their campaigns and attract voters. It's both a war cry and call-to-action and seeks to represent as many constituents as possible.

13 March 2017 - Politics, Foreign Policy, Immigration, Election, Policy, Race, Party for Freedom, People's Party for Freedom and Democracy

Four things to watch in the Dutch election

This week, on March 15, Dutch voters will be the first in Europe to go to the polls this year.

1 March 2019 - Economy/Jobs, Election, Social Policy, Policy

Can a Minimum Income Guarantee Program deliver better days for Indians?

Recently India’s Congress party, the chief rival to the ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), proposed to introduce a minimum income guarantee (MIG) program should it win power in the April-May 2019 general elections.

1 March 2018 - Politics, Election

Will Berlusconi make a comeback?

It’s anyone’s guess.

10 March 2017 - Politics, Immigration, Election, Policy

What you need to know about Germany

When Germany goes to the polls in the second half of 2017, there is a chance that the status quo will prevail.

16 March 2017 - Politics, Election, Party for Freedom, People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, Minor Parties

The Dutch election is the opposite of Trump-like populism

The Dutch elections have produced a bittersweet victory for center-right incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his VVD Party.

19 June 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Election, Policy, National Front, Republicans, En Marche, Socialist Party

France clearly ‘On the Move’

Emmanuel Macron launched his political party En Marche! – now La République en Marche! (The Republic on the Move!) – less than 18 months ago.

22 January 2019 - Politics, Election

Both candidates land blows in first Indonesian presidential debate

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and his running mate Ma’ruf Amin squared off against Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno last night in the first of five presidential debates.

14 November 2018 - Politics, Election

How India runs the biggest and best elections in the world

This article is the first in the Indian Election Series – a partnership between the Australia India Institute and the Melbourne School of Government’s Election Watch project.

19 November 2018 - Election, Policy, Infrastructure/Transport

Victorian election: Labor has promised to make ‘wage theft’ a crime if re-elected, but is it feasible?

The systematic and serious underpayment of wages or other statutory entitlements is currently not a criminal offence in Victoria, or anywhere else in Australia.

22 November 2018 - Politics, Immigration, Policy, Population Growth

Melbourne's population spike

The pace of population growth in Melbourne is a significant theme in the 2018 Victorian election campaign, with the major parties promising various policies to ease pressure on services, reduce traffic congestion and radically increase public transport capacity.

5 September 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Election, Environment, Policy, Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), Alliance ‘90/The Greens, Alternative for Germany

Merkel's strong stance on climate change is uncontroversial in Germany

All major parties in Germany – except the Euroskeptic, anti-refugee Alternative for Germany Party (AfD) – accept the reality of human-induced climate change.

22 November 2018 - Election, Policy, Law and Order

Victorian election: How are the major parties addressing the law & order paradox?

21 April 2017 - Politics, Election, National Front, Republicans, En Marche, Socialist Party, Unsubmissive France

Explainer: How is the French president chosen and who’s expected to win

The French Presidential election will be held in two rounds.

5 May 2017 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Immigration, National Security, Election, Environment, Social Policy, Policy, National Front, En Marche

Europe holds its breath as France chooses its President

If Emmanuel Macron becomes France’s new President on Sunday, his victory will give the European Union a reprieve, a chance to reset its priorities after the battering from Brexit and the apparently inexorable surge of xenophobia and economic nationalism.

19 June 2017 - Politics, Immigration, Election, Policy, Conservative Party, Labour Party, UK Independence Party (UKIP)

Why Labour voters didn't become Tories or 'Red-Kippers'

In the space of a few short weeks of a General Election campaign, the British Conservative Party led by Prime Minister Theresa May went from a 17 seat majority and a 21 point lead over Labour in opinion polls; to just scraping over the line to form a minority government.

10 March 2017 - Politics, Immigration, Election, Policy, National Front, Republicans, En Marche, Socialist Party

What you need to know about France

In the aftermath of the election of US President Donald Trump and the UK’s Brexit referendum, many observers are keeping a watchful eye on how presidential elections play out in France in late April and early May.

26 October 2018 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Election

Heading into the midterms, economic inequality is still shaping American politics

It may not be easy to see in an era dominated by intense culture-war conflict and the controversial actions of President Trump, but the United States is a country that is increasingly struggling with income and wealth inequality, despite its economic might and overall prosperity as a nation.

13 November 2018 - Education, Politics, Election, Policy

What are the main parties promising on education ahead of the Victorian election?

Main points

26 June 2018 - Politics, Election

A political watershed for Mexico?

On 1 July, voters in Mexico head to the polls for what might be the most significant general election in the last century.

2 August 2018 - Politics, Election

Can Prime Minister Khan really deliver a ‘new’ Pakistan?

As the cricket superstar-turned-philanthropist takes the top job in one of the world’s most populous countries, he faces pressing issues both at home and overseas.

2 November 2018 - Politics, Election

Podcast: What will American politics look like after the midterms?

On 6 November, Americans head to the polls for the first time since President Trump's election in 2016.

1 March 2018 - Politics, Election

Understanding Italy's electoral system: It's complicated

15 March 2018 - Politics, Election

The SA Election: Further evidence of the decline of the two major parties

South Australians go to the polls this Saturday and the Liberal and Labor parties may struggle to collectively win 60% of the primary vote.

22 November 2018 - Politics, Election, Policy

We shouldn’t necessarily trust electronic voting and counting

As Victorians vote in another state election, many will again wonder why they can’t vote online. If we bank, shop, and communicate in so many ways online, why can’t we vote online?

10 March 2017 - Politics, Election, Policy

Liberal democracy: Why we may be losing it

Is the election of Donald Trump simply the way democracy works, or is the whole liberal democratic system under threat from a wave of citizen disenchantment?

23 November 2018 - Politics, Election, Policy, Infrastructure/Transport

Victorian election: What the major parties are offering on infrastructure

After decades of under investment in public transport, we welcome the attention that the major parties are giving to new rail projects.

29 July 2018

What we've learned from 'Super Saturday's' federal by-elections

Key points:

12 March 2019 - Immigration, Policy

Bridging the divide on refugee policy

Australia’s refugee policies are rarely outside the political and public discourse.

14 March 2017 - Politics, Immigration, Election, National Front, En Marche, Party for Freedom

Europe looks back, but don't panic (yet)

The European Union stands on the threshold.

31 January 2019 - Politics, Election, Policy

Farm loan waivers: How India’s political parties are racing to the bottom

This article is part of the Indian Election Series – a partnership between the Australia India Institute and the Melbourne School of Government’s Election Watch.

22 January 2019 - Politics, Election

Candidates make unconvincing commitments to human rights in first debate

On 17 January, Indonesia’s presidential candidates faced each other in the first of five televised debates as the country heads toward elections in April.

21 May 2018 - Politics, Election

Timor’s election: free, fair and .. Facebook

The Timorese people and their leaders should feel confident in the professionalism and transparency of their election processes.

23 November 2018 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Election, Policy, Population Growth

Victoria’s growing population has economic benefits, but there are downsides

The Victorian economy is performing well, with activities and jobs buoyed by strong population growth.

18 May 2018 - Election, Policy

Video: Melbourne Lord Mayoral By-Election Youth Forum

On 7 May, 2018 the Melbourne School of Government and The Age co-hosted a Melbourne Lord Mayoral By-Election Youth Forum to discuss issues affecting young people studying, living and working in the City of Melbourne.

17 December 2018 - Economy/Jobs, Politics, Election

India’s ruling BJP has major setback in state elections

The results of the recently-concluded state elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh are a massive blow for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

21 November 2018 - Politics, Election

Victorian election: What the opinion polls say

Two Victorian opinion polls were released late Thursday.

30 March 2017 - Politics, Election

Is populism pushing Europe's left-wing parties into long-term decline?

As right-wing populism continues to rise in some European countries, support for social democratic parties in many European countries has been in retreat in recent years.

19 December 2017

Stay tuned for more independent analysis of elections in 2018

We'll be covering the Victorian election, the US midterms and many more in the Asia Pacific region and beyond.

27 May 2018 - Social Policy, Policy

Anwar Ibrahim’s political rebirth and Malaysia’s approach to LGBT+ rights

Malaysia’s recent historic election has propelled Anwar Ibrahim – the long-standing political leader who has twice been jailed on sodomy charges – into the political limelight.

26 June 2017 - Politics, Foreign Policy, National Security, Election, Policy, National Front, Republicans, En Marche, Socialist Party, Unsubmissive France

Macron: Europe's new 'strongman'

The overwhelming win by the party of Emmanuel Macron in the French legislative elections has put a definite halt to the wave of populism in Europe and reinforced French commitment to the European Union.

18 May 2017 - Politics, Election, Policy

PODCAST: Trump, Brexit and the future of democracy

The international political landscape in 2017 is coloured by Brexit, the advent of the Trump administration in the United States, and several elections in Europe.