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mousey musings
Monday, December 05, 2005
Venezuela 'landslide' for Chavez -- Turnout was only 25% as opposition parties boycotted the election and urged their supporters to stay home. Every single seat in the Parliament was won by Chavez or his allies. This is bad. I don't know who to blame, but this effectively ends democratic debate in Venezuela, since only extra-legal opposition is now possible. Even without his allies, the President now has the two-thirds majority he needs to amend the Constitution and remove its two-term limit on the Presidency. Chavez should use the opportunity to open an initiative-and-referendum system for major policy changes, since this is the only tool that can demonstrate that a majority of the country supports or opposes a policy. He should also negotiate with the other parties for a new set of elections in which all but the most recalcitrant parties would feel obliged to participate. He will, of course, do none of the above. The result will be increased polarization of the electorate and a real possibility of violence triggering an authoritarian response or revolution. And I say all of this as someone who was glad to see him assume power and who basically supports his social agenda. Power corrupts.
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