Displaying items by tag: elections

In the elections on 9 September, the anti-immigration Eurosceptic party Sweden Democrats hopes to become the country’s largest political party. It has accused the ruling centre-left coalition of allowing ‘no-go zones’ to emerge in deprived areas with large migrant populations. On 13 August gangs of masked youths dressed in black firebombed at least 100 cars in several cities. Violent crime is high on the political agenda after a spate of shootings and grenade attacks. Prime minister Stefan Lofven said that the perpetrators threatened to ‘destroy’ neighbourhoods and asked them, ‘What the hell are you doing?’ Pray for Mr Lofven and his law enforcement to bring peace and calm to challenging areas ahead of the elections. Operation World states, ‘Politicians (often without any clear faith in Jesus) are frequently chosen to sit on parish councils.’

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has called on the Cameroonian government to stop using force to punish its people in the English-speaking region. The authorities should immediately cease using ‘disproportionate and deadly force against civilians and protect everyone’s human rights’. The UN described the situation as ‘an unprecedented complex humanitarian crisis’ caused by violence between the government and both English-speaking separatists in the west of Nigeria and Boko Haram in the north-east. The country has been affected by the mass displacement of hundreds of thousands of Nigerians and Cameroonians; also by insecurity, malnutrition, and a ‘very disturbing’ risk of epidemics, because of the ongoing conflict. The WCC particularly condemned escalating violence against women and children. Paul Biya, who has been president since 1982, intends to run for a seventh term.

Ocampo’s entire police force was arrested following the murder of a left-wing mayoral candidate, Fernando Angeles Juarez, after a previous attempt to question them resulted in one official reportedly being ‘chased out in a hail of bullets.’ Ocampo, is plagued by illegal logging and gangs. Their police force is accused of being involved in corruption as Mexico attempts to fight back against the drug cartels. There is escalating violence because there are far more elections being held simultaneously than ever before in Mexico. With over 3,400 local, state and federal posts at stake, there are 15,000+ candidates on the campaign trail and criminal groups want ‘their people to win’ so they can gain control over territory, through local governments. At least 18 candidates have been killed while running for political posts.  The 1 July elections will decide the presidency, governorships and Congress.

In March we prayed for Turkey to come to a turning point because President Erdogan's rise to power was returning Turkey to its Ottoman and Islamic heritage through authoritarianism, consolidation of power, increased support of radical Islam, reintroduction of Islamic cultural practices, and the dismissal of thousands of government workers, military, and journalists. Erdogan is a ruler trying to maintain the facade of democratic legitimacy by calling an election which he will probably win. It will bring in a new presidential system that drastically increases the powers of the president, while reducing the role of the parliament. Erdogan's Turkish nationalism stifles freedom of expression. Christian believers are treated as traitors to both Islam and the Turkish identity. Under the existing martial law, Erdogan has purged Turkey of political opponents and dissenters and has jailed many journalists. Pray for public sentiment to recognise the importance of religious and other freedoms. (Joshua 24:22)

Far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) have seen growing support in polls as campaign discourse focuses on refugees and migrants. With national elections due in September, migration policy is shaping up to be a core campaign issue for parties across the political spectrum. Linda Snecker, for the Left Party, believes the increasing focus on migration is changing the political landscape. While 27,000 people applied for asylum in 2017, immigration minister Helene Fritzon said the country should only grant asylum each year to 14,000 -15,000 applicants. SD claim their party does not oppose immigration, but argue that it ‘must be kept at such a level that it does not pose a threat to national identity or the welfare and security of Sweden’. Many SD members share, spread and sympathise with news and propaganda sites connected to white nationalism.

Moqtada al Sadr, the Muslim Shiite cleric, and his Marching Towards Reform alliance with Iraq's communists look to be in first position coming out of the national polls.The elections rejected the Iraqi elite that has run the country since the ousting of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Running a campaign highly critical of both the USA and Iran, the controversial cleric and militia leader has struck a chord with millions of poor Shia voters. Only 44 percent of voters turned out, the lowest in the four elections since the removal of Saddam. During the next two weeks, the various parties will jockey for position as they seek to form a governing coalition.

There are many Christian ministries in Tunisia but only one officially recognised Christian body, a training ministry called the Augustine Association, which managed to get registration during the upheaval of the Arab Spring. Christians mostly gather for worship in homes, but some are too fearful of persecution to attend such meetings. After many postponements, municipal elections will be held on 6 May. Tunisian Christians ask for God’s hand to be over these elections so that their country will once again become a blessing for the whole region, as it was in the days of the early Church. The media reported that over 75% of the registered candidates are under the age of 45, with over 50% under 35. The high number of young fresh politicians running for election for the first time came as a shock to the political parties and blocs, and indicates potential changes in the coming years. See

71% of Venezuelans identify themselves as Catholic, and the Church runs numerous charities plus 170 schools for poor children. The country faces 50% hyperinflation, food shortages, black market influences on prices, and failing health systems, with medicine and equipment increasingly not available. Widespread crime is forcing churches to remain locked. There will be a snap election on 20 May, and in the streets there are ongoing protests against a coalition regime they do not trust. Tensions have grown between President Maduro and local bishops. The president has asked them to leave politics out of the pulpit, calling political comments ‘disrespectful’. Not a single thing can be done easily in Venezuela: paying bills, buying food, commuting, visiting loved ones, finding decent-quality women’s hygiene products. In times of crisis like these, religion plays a comforting role for many. See also

Iraqi religious figures and institutions are debating the 12 May elections in public. Some call for boycotting them, some recommend voting for new candidates. The Shi’ite religious establishment, believing the previous ‘corrupt people’ robbed the nation, insists that politicians who failed to live up to executive or legislative responsibility must not be re-elected: ‘People must not vote for them again, even if they are members of their clan or sect’. Iraqi people groups have strong tribal loyalty in constituencies. Many see voting as ineffective. In Afghanistan long-delayed elections should be possible on 20 October 2018 despite major security and logistic challenges. Lack of security allowed a suicide bomber to kill 57 and injure 119 at a voter registration centre in Kabul, where civilians had gathered to receive identification cards that would enable them to vote. Pray for God’s protection over all registration centres, and the police officers guarding them in the runup to the elections. See

With the defeat of IS and Kurdish independence ambitions thwarted, many see a positive mood in Iraq. Yet major obstacles of corruption, sectarianism, and nepotism limit Iraq’s capacity to recover from war and destruction. As soon as campaigning began on 14 April for parliamentary elections, people pulled down pictures of fighters killed in combat and replaced the images with their own posters, causing major controversy. The following day a car bomb targeted an election candidate in Kirkuk, killing one and wounding eleven. Iraq elections have typically been accompanied by violence since the removal of Saddam Hussein. 7,000 candidates have registered to stand for 329 parliamentary seats, in the fourth election since 2003. Iraq is the 12th most corrupt country in the world. On 15 April the US defence secretary accused Iran of funnelling money into Iraq to sway election outcomes, calling it part of a broader pattern of destabilising Iranian actions across the Middle East. See also