What's Coming in 2010: Elections Edition

Having done my bit for end-of-year posts, the Iron Laws of Journalism (imposed by the Because Everybody Else Does It committee) say I must also do a post-New Year's looking ahead post or two. So here goes. Elections first.

In 2010 we know for certain we will have elections in, most importantly:

• Jordan. Date not yet set but I believe given the date of dissolution they need to be held by March.
  

• Iraq. Set for March 7. They were constitutionally due by January but all the hi-jinks about the electoral law caused slippage. Perhaps the most important of the lot.

• Palestinian Authority. God only knows, but June 28 is I gather the current official date awaiting further postponement. Presidential elections on hold. Parliamentary elections on hold. Originally a Palestinian Presidential election was due in 2009 and a Parliamentary election in January 2010. Then things started slipping and currently they're seemingly aiming for June 28. But Hamas is boycotting and banning a vote in Gaza. Unless I'm out of date. Mahmoud ‘Abbas isn't running. Probably.
  

• Egypt. Parliamentary elections required by October. Still some rumors that the 2011 Presidential poll might get moved forward.

• Bahrain, Parliamentary elections, November.

Outliers and periphery: Other elections due this year in our region broadly defined are in Tajikistan (Parliamentary, February 21), Sudan (Parliamentary and Presidential, April 5-12), Somaliland (separatist part of ex-Somalia, Presidential, April), Nagorno-Karabakh (Parliamentary, June), Somaliland again (Parliamentary, September).

And, of course, some of the Parliamentary democracies could have a dissolution (though I doubt Turkey's or Israel's majorities are in real jeopardy), and Kuwait has had so many elections lately you can't rule out another dissolution there.