All articles tagged with #vote buying
Disgraced former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, pardoned by Donald Trump last year, is now lobbying for clemency on behalf of a suburban Chicago councilman convicted in a 2005 vote-buying scheme who fled the country and is reportedly on the lam in Greece.
Fredi Beleri, an ethnic Greek mayor in Albania serving a jail sentence for vote-buying, was temporarily released to attend the inaugural session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Elected as an MEP while in prison, Beleri's case has strained Albania-Greece relations, with Greece accusing Albania of human rights violations. Beleri vows to defend democracy and the rights of Greeks globally, despite his legal challenges and imprisonment.
Candidates running in Indonesia's regional legislative council elections are struggling with the high costs of campaigning, with some resorting to selling their kidneys to fund their political campaigns. Despite vote buying being illegal under Indonesian law, it remains pervasive, with candidates estimating they need significant amounts of money to secure votes. The high cost of campaigning has led some candidates to try crowdfunding, but with limited success. The practice of vote buying is attributed to the change in the voting system and the mentality of candidates wanting to win at any cost.
International observers have criticized Serbia's ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) for gaining an unfair advantage in the recent parliamentary elections through media bias, the improper influence of President Aleksandar Vucic, and voting irregularities such as vote buying. The SNS won 46.72% of the votes, while the opposition alliance Serbia Against Violence came second with 23.56%. Observers also noted misuse of public resources, lack of separation between official functions and campaign activities, voter intimidation, and vote buying. The opposition has alleged major election law violations and demanded a rerun in Belgrade city parliament races.