Presidential Candidate and Putin Critic Arrested

The mayor of the Russian city of Arkhangelsk was dragged from his apartment in his underwear in the middle of the night by masked  federal police officers and charged with corruption. He is one of more than a dozen Russian mayors who have been arrested on various sets of charges. These moves are seen by Russia watchers as a strategy by the Kremlin to strengthen the vertical power structure controlled by the Putin’s inner-circle. The mayor remains one of the last positions directly elected by the population that can appeal to a broad single electorate. Last year the Kremlin altered the Russian constitution so that the president appoints regional governors instead of being directly elected. Reportedly, after the 2007 Duma elections the Russian legislature will seek to change the constitution again to make the mayor’s position subject removal by the governor’s whim.

Hamas Installs Its Own Judicial System

This week Hamas announced that it would form a three-member committee to begin  hearing legal cases and  resolving disputes in Gaza. The committee will be made up of a Islamic law scholar, a military lawyer, and a the head of the main prison in Gaza. Hamas leadership indicated that this was a band-aid solution until a more permanent institution could take over. After the violence broke out in the Palestinian territories, President Abbas ordered the Fatah aligned judges and police staff to stop cooperating with Hamas.

Mugabe Lashes Out at the Critical Catholic Church

As Mugabe’s government cracked down on opposition groups this spring, the Zimbabwean Catholic Bishops Conference released a public statement deploring Mugabe for ignoring his Catholic faith when dealing harshly with the opposition groups and governing the country. This week the state-controlled television station ran a story accusing the Archbishop of Zimbabwe of having an affair with a married woman. The Archbishop did not directly address the allegations but his supporters have labeled the reporting as a Mugabe led-smear.

Bid to Move Bolivian Capital Draws Protests

The a recent proposal to unite the functions of the Bolivian government into a single capitol has drawn wide protests. Bolivia, one of only twelve countries to have two capitals, has had the functions of the government divided between La Paz and Sucre. La Paz is the seat of the executive and legislative branches while Sucre is home to the judicial branch. The division originates from a the political unrest and stalemate in the late 1890s. The suggested reform is part of a broader  move to change the constitution and would unite the powers of government in Sucre. Supporters of Evo Morales, the first Bolivian President of indigenous American decent, view this suggestion as a move to weaken the power of President Morales.

India Elects First Woman Present

Pratibha Patil, a 72 year-old woman was elected as President of India by Congress on Saturday. She gained the support of more than two-thirds of congress and became the first woman to hold the mostly ceremonial position. The Indian presidency is traditionally held by a representative of one of India’s “disadvantaged groups.” Although India has had a number of prominent woman in politics, they still face widespread discrimination.

Polls Open in Turkey

After a political showdown a few months ago between the AK party in congress and the President of Turkey and his secular supporting parties lead to gridlock, early elections were called and polls are scheduled to open at 7am in eastern Turkey. This election is structured to be a watershed in Turkish politics as the Islamic AK party is poised to win as the struggle over Turkish identity continues. While the Demokrat party has long held a center part in Turkish politics as the keeper of Ataturk’s secular political approach, a growing segment of the population has sought closer ties to their traditional Muslim heritage and viewed the stringent secular approach of the political system too cumbersome. Additionally, some moderate parties see the constant influence of the Turkish military, which views itself as the guard of secularism and has overthrown elected governments four times, as a obstacle to the consolidation of democratic politics in Turkey.