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LETTER N° 39

From 24 to 30 of September

24

France

(Corsica)

Local elections. The outgoing Bonapartist mayor of Ajaccio, Marc Marcangeli, won the municipal election.

24

France

Referendum on reducing the presidential term. Results : only 18,77% of the registered voters went to the poll and the five-year term for presidency, was approved with 72,91% of the votes. There was a very high toll of abstention : with a record of 69,27% ; null among16,65% of the voters are relevant about the reluctance towards a mere 5-year term presidency reform with no other reform whasoever.

24

Switzerland

Referendum on introducing an 18 percent cap on foreign population. Results : the Swiss electors have rejected the 18% quota proposal.

24

Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia, Presidential and parliamentary elections. Results : Mr. Kostunica (opposition) finishes first with 48.22 percent to 40.23 percent for Mr. Milosevic. A runoff has been scheduled on Oct. 8.

24

Yugoslavia

(Serbia)

Local elections. Results : non available.

24

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso, Municipal elections, running for 1100 seats. Results : victory of the ruling CDP (Congress for Democracy and Progress) winning 802 seats far ahead of Me Hermann Yaméogo's ADF/RDA (opposition) {Alliance for Democracy and the Federation/ African Democratic Gathering (Fédération/Rassemblement Africain)}with 133 seats ; the ULD Union of Liberal Democrats (Union des Démocrates Libéraux) pro- presidential- with 49 seats ; the Union for Democracy and the Federation (Union pour la Démocratie et la Fédération) with 22 seats and the African Party for Independence {PAI (Parti Africain de l'Indépendance)} with 20 seats. Such young political parties as the Convention for Democracy and the Federation {Convention pour la Démocratie et la Fédération (CDF)} the Union of the Greens for the Development of Burkina {Union des Verts pour le Développement du Burkina (UVDB)}, and the Party for the Renaissance {Parti pour la Renaissance (PAREN)}, and the Party for Social Progress {Parti pour le Progrès Social (PPS)}won respectively 14, 9, 8 and 8 municipal councelors. Turn out : 68,40%.

24

United Kingdom

101st Labour Party Annual Conference in Brighton.

25

Canada

(Saskatchewan )

Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow Canada's longest-serving provincial leader, resigned. The 61-year-old political veteran and provincial leader of the left-leaning New Democratic Party said he would stay on as premier until a successor is chosen.

25

Moldova

By a vote of 64 to 29, the parliament approved in its second and final reading the bill on the procedureof the president's election by the legislature. An amendment proposed by the opposition Party of Democratic Forces to rule out candidates who collaborated with the KGB was not accepte by the house.

25

Canada

(Alberta)

Provincial byelection in Red Deer-North (Alberta).

28

Denmark

Denmark, Referendum on the adoption of the Euro. Results : 53.1% to the anti-euro"no" vote against 46.9 %.

28

Canada

Former prime minister (1968-79, 1980-84) and leader of the Liberal Party between 1968 and1984 Pierre Elliott Trudeau dies.

28

Thailand

Former prime minister (1957) Nai Pote Sarasin dies.

30

Botswana

 

National holiday : Independence Day (30 September 1966, from UK)

The rise of the National party in South Africa in 1948 and its pursuit of apartheid turned British opinion against the incorporation of Bechuanaland into South Africa. Although Bechuanaland spawned no nationalist movement, Britain granted it internal self-government in 1965 and full independence as Botswana on Sept. 30, 1966. Shortly after, Botswana became a member of the United Nations. Seretse Khama, grandson of Khama III, was elected the first president.