Politics without a political slant – marublog

Inside Story asks whether the current situation in Thailand is a battle for democracy or a power struggle between parties. Will fresh elections solve the crisis, or will they just give rise to the same problems again?

As presidential elections campaigning begin in Tehran, the Iranian president announced the successful launch of a sophisticated mid-range missile. Is it a demonstration of power by the incumbent president to gain an edge over competitors?

Inside Story asks whether the current situation in Thailand is a battle for democracy or a power struggle between parties. Will fresh elections solve the crisis, or will

Inside Story asks whether the current situation in Thailand is a battle for democracy or a power struggle between parties. Will fresh elections solve the crisis, or will they just give rise to the same problems again?

The Pakistani Supreme Court barred Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister and an opposition leader and his brother Shahbaz from holding elected office. Pakistan now faces the prospect of rampant political infighting that will further undermine the country’s stability.

With no challenger after the opposition leader announced his withdrawal, and with this Friday’s presidential run-off virtually meaningless, is it time for the international community to intervene in Zimbabwe? Will the elections become a referendum on Mugabe’s policies?

Inside Story, with presenter Maryam Nemazee, asks just what went wrong with the ANC and if COPE will be able to make a difference.

The coalition government that drove Musharraf from power last week has disintegrated. The split in the coalition after Nawaz Sharief has pulled out of the ruling coalition, has created fresh political uncertainty in Pakistan, as it faces a deteriorating security situation and a declining economy.

With no challenger after the opposition leader announced his withdrawal, and with this Friday’s presidential run-off virtually meaningless, is it time for the international community to intervene in Zimbabwe? Will the elections become a referendum on Mugabe’s policies?

The EU has expressed relief at the decision by Turkey’s Constitutional Court’s not to ban the ruling AK Party. Turkey has a history of making life difficult for those who seem to mix their religion and their politics. On Wednesday, the country’s top court narrowly decided against disbanding the ruling party over accusations that it was planning to impose Islamic rule. But the court did cut off millions of dollars in state aid to the party. The decision averted political turmoil but exposed the vulnerabilities of western style democracy in Turkey.