Presidents

Battle Royale III - Nepal

Chair — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:01:00 +1200

Back in June, New Zealand Herald columnist Brian Rudman made the case for a New Zealand republic based on the recent transition that Nepal has made from a monarchy to a federal republic. We wrote the the Herald at the time pointing out that the conditions that existed in Nepal were in stark contrast to that of New Zealand.

Nepal was locked in a violent civil war between Maoist and Royal forces, prior to becoming a republic. Luckily the republic itself came about due to a parliamentary vote, from an assembly created for the purpose of drafting a new constitution, rather than the usual communist style of shooting the Royal family, plunging the country into chaos and executing the counter-revolutionaries while on the road to socialist utopia. Instead, Nepal's Maoists put down their weapons and took the fight to the ballot box.

Candidate reactions

Chair — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:51:42 +1200

Both NZPA and TV3 News have reported our announcement of candidates for head of State. Below are some of the unedited reactions so far:

Will de Cleene:

"The great kiwi archetype runs through all nominees. Am looking forward to the next round of voting. I nominated Jeremy Wells, so it will be interesting to read the candidate profiles before the next vote."

No Right Turn:

We hold these truths to be self-evident... 232 years on

Chair — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:51:12 +1200

The Betsy Ross flag - the first flag of an independent United States of America.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident..." began the United States declaration of independence. 232 years after the American patriots set about creating the government English and Scottish philosophers from Locke to Reid had only imagined for two hundred years prior, those same truths are still self-evident.

Iceland: no presidential election

Chair — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:53:36 +1200

IcelandReview reports that President Ólafur Grímsson of Iceland has been re-elected, as no other valid presidential candidates submitted the required signatures of recommendation before the cut off date last Friday. Article 5 of the Icelandic Constitution specifies a minimum of 1,500 signatures is required.

This means that President Grímsson will serve his fourth term. Iceland typically has long-serving Presidents, the last President served for 16 years, Grímsson will have served 18 years when his next term ends in 2012 (unless he resigns before then).

Icelandic presidential election nominations close

Chair — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:29:31 +1200

Nominations have closed in the tiny north Atlantic republic of Iceland for the upcoming Presidential elections in June. According to Angus Reid, the incumbent President, Ã“lafur Ragnar GrÃmsson, is seeking re-election for a fourth term, with other minor candidates also standing. Since independence from Denmark in 1944, Iceland has had a total of five presidents. Not all elections are contested - since 1944, there have only been six ballots.

New Zealanders choose a president

Chair — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:04:58 +1200

...for the United States. The New Zealand Herald reports' a poll of New Zealanders support for the candidates for the US election.

President of Singapore to visit NZ

Chair — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:15:13 +1200

Scoop reports that the President of Singapore is visiting New Zealand from Monday. The New Zealand Defence Forces will give the President, S.R. Nathan, the proper mihi (Maori welcome).

Singapore is a parliamentary republic with a directly elected ceremonial head of state, the President. Unlike New Zealand, Singapore does not have a strong multi-party democracy, with one party - the People's Action Party - dominating parliament and the presidency. While the Presidency is now meant to be directly elected (prior to 1993 the President was elected by parliament - which mean the PAP's nominee always won), there has only been one election that has gone to the ballot - the first in 1993. The other two, in 1999 and 2005, were essentially decided by a nominations committee.