In recent years, many countries around the world have seen rising numbers of protest. Majority of this protests are due to poor electoral processes, that have seen the affected countries plunge into political upheavals. These have led to shake ups in the governance of countries, notably throughout the Middle East, parts of Africa and Europe.
To begin with, citizens in affected countries felt that there existed low levels of political systems of representation in their countries. Fueled by lack of a democratic election process, corruption and failure from the legal system in administering justice to citizens increased tension in political scenes. Low levels of transparency and accountability led to political violence.
In addition to this, basic rights and freedoms of the citizens were being sidelined. Rights and freedoms such as assembly or press, religious issues and deep rooted ethnicity led to rise in protests. Politicians neglected rule of laws on labor rights.
Economic meltdown and anti-austerity issues saw uprising in different countries. Citizens were subjected to low living standards due to poor governance, sky rocketing food and fuel prices, weakening of their currencies are some of the economic reasons for uprisings. On top of this, the ever rising inflation and poor fiscal measures to curb it necessitated electoral violence.
Whitehall Protests In Britain, 2015
Anti-government protestors took it to the streets, questioning the shocking results of a win by the Conservative party, who seemed to have a right to remain in power, after Tory’s victory. Dubbed the anti-austerity protest, fifteen people were arrested as they clashed with police close to Downing Street. However, there were no reported injuries by any of the protesters.
Disputed Kenyan Elections Of 2007-2008
It erupted after the incumbent president Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of the December 2007 elections. The opposition cited cases of massive electoral manipulation, which was confirmed by international observers. Casualties of this post-election violence were over thousand, while more than five hundred thousand people were internally displaced.
Russia Elections of 2011
This goes down in history as one of the greatest protests in Russia’s history after the fall of the Soviet Union. More than fifty thousand people gathered in Kremlin, to condemn the fraudulent election marred by massive ballot rigging in the parliamentary elections. Other noticeable small rallies took place in St. Petersburg. However, there were more than a thousand arrests, while anti-corruption figures such as Alexei Navalny were put to jail.
Green Wave Revolution-Iran Elections Of 2009-2011
The protests began in June 2009, after the incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner with over sixty percent of the total cast votes. The elections were fraudulent, as declared by the Green movement leaders citing cases of irregularities. Thousands of opposition protestors were arrested, raping of women, men and children by the Iranian Revolutionary guards was done in the Iranian prisons. Total number of deaths reported more than hundred.
Thailand Elections Of 2010
These protests came after the then Prime Minister Abhisist, stood down from power. Protesters were against hisrule since hedid not come to power legitimately. It is reported that there were more than two thousand injuries nationwide. However, he called for elections in the country.
