Episode 154: No Election Left Behind Special!

Previously in Europe

• Episode: Episode 154: No Election Left Behind Special!
• Website: Previously in Europe
• Feed URL: http://simplecast.com/podcasts/2120/rss
• Duration: 01:10:07
• Published: 2019-11-04 01:05

It's not actually a special it's a regular episode BUT we did want/need to talk about the recent-ish elections in Kosovo, Poland and Switzerland so here it is, have at it!

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## No Election Left Behind

### Kosovo Election

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Kosovan_parliamentary_election

The election was called in July, when outgoing Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, resigned in the face of new war crimes proceedings, according to news reports. He was a former commander in the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) which fought for independence from Serbia and was twice acquitted under former proceedings in The Hague.

With his governing coalition split, he sparked a trade war with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzogovina a year ago, by introducing a 100 per cent tariff on goods, stalling any political progress.

Mr. Tanin said that the elections had been “assessed positively” by international observers, although there had been cases of voter intimidation and campaign finance violations in the Serb-majority areas.

Overall turnout in Sunday’s election was 44% of the 1.9 million registered voters, which represents the highest turnout since 2010.

Vetëvendosje (VV) on 25.5% of the vote, slightly ahead of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) on 24.8%.

While the final votes were still being counted on election night, VV’s party leader, Albin Kurti, declared victory, saying that the result was a “national celebration,” ahead of a celebration with supporters in Prishtina’s Skanderbeg Square.

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), which has been in government since 2007, has received 21.2% and has conceded that it looks set for a period in opposition. “Citizens have given their verdict and we accept it,” said party leader Kadri Veseli.

The coalition between outgoing Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj’s party, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), and the Social Democratic Party (PSD) is in fourth place on 11.6%.

### 2019 Polish parliamentary election

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Polish_parliamentary_election

The PiS lost their Senate majority but they're contesting a lot of the races they lost as being invalid... and they recently made a change to who adjudicates election validity...

https://euobserver.com/opinion/145498?utm_source=euobs&utm_medium=rss

The Polish Supreme court has already ruled out 3/6 requests thought -

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-election-recount/polish-supreme-court-rejects-vote-recount-bid-by-ruling-nationalists-idUSKBN1X8187

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-election-recount/polish-court-rejects-two-more-government-recount-bids-idUSKBN1X919Z

Oddly they say the reason for the recounts isn't valid:

“The purpose of an electoral protest,” the court said in a statement, “is to point out specific violations of law affecting the outcome of the election...not to recalculate votes because of the slight difference between individual candidates.”

### Swiss federal election

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Swiss_federal_election

The main story from this is that as with most Swiss elections not much will change. The Greens gained a lot of seats but because of the way the Federal Council (their executive) is elected they won't get into that. DW's podcast in an interview with their Swiss correspondent pointed out there's a convention not to let someone in until they've done well a couple of elections in a row... so slow moving it is.

https://www.dw.com/en/greens-surge-in-swiss-elections-as-voters-climate-concerns-grow/a-50903915?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Council_(Switzerland)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_formula