Instead, now the Shiites in Iraq are forced to negotiate with their
legislative partners, including the Sunnis and Kurds, producing a government
that preserves the fragile consensus in Iraq.
It is really a shame that for all the billions of dollars in aid poured into
Palestine, no one had the sense to make sure the elections were conducted
using a method like that used in Iraq that would guarantee representative
results.
Various political analysts are saying Hamas' victory is a disaster built on
short-sighted policies by the Palestinians, Israel and the United States.
The truth is a bit more mundane. Hamas' overwhelming victory is the result
of a poorly designed electoral system. Unfortunately, when you are trying to
jump-start democracy, the devil is in the details.
Steven Hill is director of New America Foundation's political reform program
(www.NewAmerica.net/politicalreform) and author of "Fixing Elections: The
Failure of America's Winner Take All Politics."
legislative partners, including the Sunnis and Kurds, producing a government
that preserves the fragile consensus in Iraq.
It is really a shame that for all the billions of dollars in aid poured into
Palestine, no one had the sense to make sure the elections were conducted
using a method like that used in Iraq that would guarantee representative
results.
Various political analysts are saying Hamas' victory is a disaster built on
short-sighted policies by the Palestinians, Israel and the United States.
The truth is a bit more mundane. Hamas' overwhelming victory is the result
of a poorly designed electoral system. Unfortunately, when you are trying to
jump-start democracy, the devil is in the details.
Steven Hill is director of New America Foundation's political reform program
(www.NewAmerica.net/politicalreform) and author of "Fixing Elections: The
Failure of America's Winner Take All Politics."
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