Egypt: Military will not stand in elections

Egyptians protest in Cairo on May 27, 2011 against the military council's handling of the post-revolt phase.The elections are in SeptemberThe military council says it wants to relinquish power to civilians

Cairo (CNN) -- The Egyptian military, which has governed the country since the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak, will not field a candidate in the September presidential elections, a military council spokesman said Sunday.

Egyptian protesters in recent weeks have insisted the revolution is not over and have expressed frustration over the

pace and planning of reforms in the four months since Mubarak quit amid a wave of popular unrest.

Some at recent demonstrations have urged the creation of a civil presidential council to replace the military council now in charge of Egypt until democratic elections are held.

A senior Egyptian general recently told CNN that the military council is eager to relinquish power to civilian authorities.

"The army can't wait to return to its barracks and do what it does best -- protect the nation's borders," he said last month. He did not want to be named due to the sensitive nature of the topic.

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Turks vote in parliamentary elections

Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- Turkish voters headed to the polls Sunday in a parliamentary election that could allow the ruling party to overhaul the constitution.

Turkey has enjoyed an unprecedented period of economic stability and growth since Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development party -- or AK party -- first swept to power in 2002.

Polls suggest Erdogan's party is likely to once again win a majority of seats in parliament.

The question is whether the AK Party will be able to capture 367 parliament posts out of the 550-person body. That two-thirds majority would allow Erdogan to unilaterally rewrite Turkey's constitution, without having to go to a referendum.

And Erdogan could continue to define the rapidly-changing country.

In the past nine years, Erdogan has successfully asserted civilian control over the once-meddlesome military. He has also relaxed taboos on ethnic and religious identity that once paralyzed public debate.

Faith and secularism in Turkey

But Erdogan has failed to reduce tensions with the Kurds, Turkey's largest ethnic minority. And rights groups question the growing number of Turkish journalists arrested and sued for articles they write.

Despite obvious flaws, Turkey's democracy can be viewed as an inspiration by neighbors such as Syria -- where a government crackdown on dissidents has sent thousands of refugees streaming into Turkey.

CNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report.

CNN

Elections in Spain under way after massive protests

Madrid (CNN) -- Spaniards voted in local and regional elections Sunday after a campaign overshadowed by week-long protests in Madrid and other cities over the nation's deep economic crisis.

Despite a court-approved ban on demonstrations the day before the elections, the demonstrations continued on Saturday.

Polls predict the ruling Socialist Party will suffer deep losses to the conservatives in voting for all 8,000 Spanish city and town mayors and for presidents of 13 out of the 17 regional governments. The outcome is viewed as a bellwether for national elections due no later than March 2012.

The Socialist government did not order the police to disband the peaceful demonstrations on Saturday, despite the electoral board's ban that said the day prior to balloting should be a day of reflection, without politicking.

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said earlier that police would not create even more problems than already existed in the streets.

Rubalcaba voted early on Sunday, shortly after polls opened at 9 a.m. Rubalcaba is widely expected to seek the nomination of the Socialist Party as candidate for prime minister in the next general elections.

The current prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, announced last month he would not seek a third term.

His government has been squeezed by Spain's 21% unemployment rate, the highest in Western Europe, and a financial crisis that prompted unpopular austerity measures.

That's what helped start a wave of protests May 15, when Spaniards using social media sites like Facebook convened demonstrations that attracted large crowds.

The protests against the political and financial establishment continued and gained force throughout last week, as demonstrators set up encampments in Madrid's central Puerta del Sol plaza and at emblematic plazas in Barcelona and many other Spanish cities.

Overall, reports indicated that tens of thousands took to the streets across the nation in the past week, and news media attention on the protests quickly overshadowed the campaign.

The sprawling tent city in Madrid's Puerta del Sol plaza includes a kitchen, a painting workshop to churn out protest placards, a communications office to answer media inquiries and even a day care nursery.

Young people dominated the protests on Saturday, but there were also families with young children, senior citizens and many people who have jobs and said they're concerned about the nation's future. Spain has a 42% jobless rate for people ages 16 to 24.

"Everybody here is a volunteer, and everything started very small, but we got organized very fast and it started growing very fast," said Juan Lopez, a protest spokesman and Internet technology manager who is currently unemployed.

"People want to participate," said Sofia de Roa, a spokeswoman for the protesters. "This is a fiesta of democracy."

Protesters decided on Sunday to stay at least another week in Madrid's central Puerta del Sol plaza, said Juan Lopez, a protest spokesman.

"The assembly has just approved that," Lopez told CNN by phone. The protesters have divided themselves into decision-making bodies they call assemblies, which debate and then vote on issues.

Lopez said the decision applies only to the protest in Madrid, which has been the largest in Spain. Barcelona and other cities would make their own decision.

"We are trying to coordinate," but he added that, so far, nationwide collaboration is not in place.

Zapatero, the prime minister, said in an interview with SER radio on Friday that voters ultimately will decide whether and how much change will be made.

"It's just before elections when the Spanish politicians usually hear the voice of the people," Lopez said. "Now on Monday, we have to see how this develops and what the answer is. The best-case scenario, which is the one we would like, is that they will come down here as citizens to hear us, and to make a new and better Spain."

A total of 34 million Spaniards are eligible to vote on Sunday, including 500,000 foreigners, mainly from other European Union nations, who have established residency in Spain.

About 100,000 police officers are on duty to maintain safety. The polls close at 8 p.m., and results are due later Sunday.

Several representatives of the protests told CNN the demonstrations will continue even after the elections. But Spanish media reported that in various cities, the protester assemblies - their decision-making bodies -- had not yet decided how long the protests would continue.

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Thais head for elections after protests

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva asked King Bhumibol to dissolve parliament to make way for new elections.NEW: King Bhumibol approves Parliament dissolutionNEW: Prime minister: "It is again a new start for people to move Thailand forward" Voters go to the polls July 3, the acting government spokesman saysSupporters of a former prime minister clashed with government backers last year

Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej approved the prime minister's request to dissolve the lower chamber of that country's Parliament on Monday, setting the stage for new elections, a government spokesman said.

"It is again a new start for people to move Thailand forward and to solve various problems of people and their families efficiently under democratic means," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in a national address Monday.

Parliamentary elections will be held July 3, acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayakorn said.

The prime minister sent a request to King Bhumibol on Friday requesting the move.

Abhisit resisted street demonstrations a year ago demanding that he step down, with clashes between his supporters and those of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra sometimes turning violent.

The prime minister sent in government troops to quell long-running protests in the Thai capital last May. Ninety-one people died and hundreds were injured in the street battles that followed.

"The problem rooted from political conflict is another problem which is still severe," Abhisit said in his recorded address Monday. "Absolutely, asked if there is reconciliation, I have to say 'not yet.'"

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Nigeria Newspapers Reported Violence At The Day Of 2011 Elections

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Counting of votes is continuing after the end of Election in Nigeria. Ruling party of this country is losing the game in counting of vote. Today on Sunday, it was stated in Lagos that millions of people had come for polling of parliamentary seats. Though fewer cases of violence and delay in poll were reported but people still in a large number came out for voting of elections. Early indications of election votes’ counting have shown a decline for the ruling party of country. So the legislative grip of Nigeria’s ruling party is in danger after 2011 elections.
A deadly bomb blast happened at the day of polling in Africa’s most populous country. This bomb blast sent a bad impression to outer world about credibility of these elections. Nigeria has remained under rule of dictators for a very long period of time. The improvement period of Nigeria started only after democracy arrived in this country. Earlier in 1990s, the Murtala Mohammad International Airport of Lagos was considered as the most dangerous airport to land by the leading airliners of world. Since Nigeria was under the rule of martial, the policies of army were not based on gaining trust of public. Even the multinational oil companies charged Nigerian public with their conspiracies.

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Tea Party Gets Early Start on Shaping 2012 Elections

AP

Sen. Jim DeMint, at podium, addresses a Tea Party rally March 31 on Capitol Hill.

The Tea Party doesn't want to be a one-election pony, and is starting early to make sure candidates heed their call for budget cuts and limited government ahead of the 2012 election. 

One faction of that movement, the Tea Party Patriots, held a small but vocal rally Thursday on Capitol Hill to pressure Congress to hold down spending for the rest of the year. The rally of about 100 people was a rather mild reminder of the Tea Party's might. Elsewhere, the strategists behind the multi-headed movement are plotting once again to make waves in the primaries and general election. 

With the budget debate in full swing, they warn that any Republicans failing to live up to their vows to cut spending could face a challenge in the primary season. But as in 2010, different groups have wildly different goals. 

Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips has been threatening to put somebody up against House Speaker John Boehner, griping that he's not done enough to get control of the debt. 

But over at Tea Party Express, Boehner is not considered a problem. 

Sal Russo, chief strategist with the group, said Tea Party Express so far has four targets, two from each party -- Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson in Nebraska and Debbie Stabenow in Michigan, and Republican Sens. Richard Lugar in Indiana and Olympia Snowe in Maine, both moderates. 

He said the group has been meeting with possible Senate challengers in those races since the beginning of the year, and has made some decisions about endorsements, though he declined to reveal them. 

He said that during the primaries, the group will look to galvanize fundraising for favored candidates and get supporters across the country to work the phones in key races. He said Tea Party Express would also run ads in the general election, with the ultimate goal of winning for Republicans a 60-seat, filibuster-proof majority -- something Democrats are determined to not let happen. Russo said the organization is waiting for redistricting before it starts strategizing at the House level, since districts could change, in turn affecting the vulnerability or strength of candidates. 

"Somebody may be vulnerable today, but when the map gets drawn, they may be in a safe district," Russo said. 

New for the Tea Party this cycle will be the chance to have an impact on the presidential race. Tea Party Express plans to invite presidential candidates to speak at stops on its planned bus tour later this year, and will co-host a presidential primary debate in the fall. 

The Tea Party already is part of the presidential primary trail. 

The Boston Herald reported that former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who recently launched his exploratory committee, plans to speak to the Boston Tea Party during its April 15 Tax Day rally. 

While candidates and Tea Partiers work through the awkward getting-to-know-you phase, Tea Party leaders are sending out a stern warning to incumbents. 

"If they don't cut the spending that they promised to cut, we're going to get back in 2012 and we are going to get them out of there," Ana Puig, with the Pennsylvania-based Kitchen Table Patriots, told Fox News. 

The Tea Party Patriots' Jenny Beth Martin also told Fox News that some members will "probably be primaried" if they don't live up to expectations. 

"We're going to have an impact in this debate, we're going to have an impact when it comes to the budget in 2012 and we're also going to have an impact in the debt ceiling and next year's elections," she said. "We're not going away. We're here. We're going to be vigilant." 

As Democrats openly spoil for a fight with the Tea Party by labeling their views "extreme," Republicans on the Hill continue to pay deference to the movement, in a sign of its importance in 2012. 

Boehner, who blames Democrats for the lack of progress on the budget, said lawmakers should "welcome" the input from people like those protesting on Capitol Hill Thursday. "I'm glad that they're engaged in the process," he said. 

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a freshman senator elected with help from Tea Partiers in his state, warned lawmakers not to push their buttons. 

"A lot of these people have found their expression in the Tea Party movement. I think that's a positive development in American politics, and I think our leaders should not be criticizing everyday Americans who decide to express themselves through the political process," Rubio told Fox News. 

Recent polls have suggested enthusiasm for the Tea Party might be waning, at least in the drought period between elections. A CNN/Opinion Research poll out Wednesday showed about half of those surveyed having an unfavorable view of the movement, apparently the first time that number has been as high as it is for Democrats and Republicans. 

But Russo said he expects the movement to "grow" as the campaigns get underway. 

"I think we're in that frustration period among those that think the 2010 elections were determinative," he said. "We got one-half of one-third of the government. It was a first step." 

FoxNews.com's Judson Berger and Fox News' John Brandt contributed to this report.

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