the Armchair of El Diablo

For every ying, there’s a Pyongyang

The winds of freedom and change have blown through North Korea with the force of a drunk doing a reluctant breath test.

Voters turned out in eager force-marched droves to choose their candidates for the ‘Supreme Assembly’.

Ok, so they’re elections… but not really as you know it. Every candidate is a member of the catchily named Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, Kim’s par-tay.

Voters get choose from a mighty selection of one candidate. Officially, it’s a secret vote. In reality, it’s not. To vote against a candidate, voters go to a special booth to cross out the name, making it obvious who is doing so. Anyone who walks out of the ‘No’ booth, wins a free re-education seminar.

So, nothing of note to write on digital campaigning - apart from what a difference 194 kilometres can make. But it is worth pointing out that this election seems to being used to set up Kim Jong Wun, the president’s son, as successor.

29 March 2009

• Tags
• Election
• NorthKorea

Israeli elections: 10/2/9

The voting booths are closing up across Israel as I type, with polls suggesting a tight race between the conservative Likud and the centrist Kadima Party.

Reuters has provided a rundown of the digital elements of the Israeli campaign, but there seems to be no use of the internet that was particulalry grabbing, except perhaps the slightly uncomfortable answer to Obama Girl

There is a neat use of an animated video walk-on - worth a mention only in that it gives a slightly personal touch to an otherwise very standard site. Not that I have the faintest clue what the bloke is saying.

11 February 2009

• Tags
• Election
• Israel