Snap Elections in Kazakhstan

The Jamestown Foundations’ Eurasia Daily Monitor covers the snap elections recently called in Kazakhstan. In May 2007 President Nazarbayev pressed through constitutional changes that increased the number of members in each chamber of the Kazakh legislature, shortened the presidential term from seven-years to five years, removed term limits on the first president of Kazakhstan, which just so happens to President Nazarbayev.

According to the new constitutional changes, the lower chamber (Majilis) will be elected according by a PR voting system. While this new system may facilitate the creation of new political parties, the Kazakh legislature is still beholden to the whims of the president as he can disband it at any time and many of the Majilis’ powers have been transfered to the Senate and the Senate will assume all of the Majilis’ responsibilities when it is dissolved by the president. Kazakhstan has requested that the OSCE send an observation mission for the elections.

In an odd move, the Majilis petitioned the president to dissolve itself so that it may stand for election according to the new system. The next election is scheduled for August 18 and 20, catching opposition groups and parties by surprise and will be unable any resemblance of a challenge to Nazarbayev’s  Nur Otan Party which enjoys access to state resources. The developments in Kazakhstan are a good illustration of seemingly democratic reforms which actually bolster  incumbent executives and do little to resolve deeper systemic issues.

Pakistani Chief Justice Wins Important Ruling

The  Pakistani Chief Justice Chaudhry received an important win in is ongoing legal struggle against President Musharraf. Musharraf dismissed the chief justice in May under charges of misconduct; the chief justice has vigorously fought the charges. In a ruling yesterday, the court dismissed a large portion of the Musharraf government’s evidence and ordered a sweep of all court buildings and all justices’ homes for listening devices and other spy equipment. Reportedly, the government’s evidence file contained information gather by the Pakistani intelligence service.

In two related items, there are new reports that President General Musharraf may officially decide to step down as head of the army in October before he stands for reelection. Musharraf has served as both president and head of the army since the coup in 1999, it is constitutional to hold both positions in Pakistan. Also, the US may reportedly back the return to power of former Prime Minister Bhutto. Bhutto, the first female prime minister of a Muslim country, may be a way for a negotiated transition for Musharraf who may seek to stay on as president with Bhutto returning to seek the prime minister position.

“Foreigners Should Remove Mugabe”

A Catholic Archbishop in Zimbabwe stated publicly that Britain or other foreign powers should intervene in the increasingly dismal situation in Zimbabwe to remove Robert Mugabe. The declaration is a ratcheting up of rhetoric from the Catholic church in Zimbabwe which released a letter in May criticizing the regime. After the previous letter, Mugabe warned the Catholic church that it would be in a precarious situation if it become too political. We’ll see what type of response Mugabe follows up with.