LETTER N° 9

From 27 February to 4 March

27 Germany		In state elections in Schleswig-Holstein, the Social Democratic Party wins 43.1% of the vote (41 of 89 seats), the Christian Democratic Union 35.2% (33), the Free Democratic Party 7.6% (7), the Greens 6.2% (5), and the South Schleswig Voters Association 4.1% (3). Turnout is 69.5%.
27 Senegal		In the first round of presidential elections, incumbent Abdou Diouf wins 41.3% of the vote, followed by Abdoulaye Wade with 31%, Moustapha Niasse with 16.8%, and Djibo Ka with 7.1%. A runoff will be held March 19.
27 Tajikistan		In parliamentary elections, the pro-government People's Democratic Party wins 64.5% of the vote, the Communist Party 20.6%, and the Islamic Renaissance Party 7.5%. Turnout is 93.2%.
27 Japan		Japan, Miyagi Prefecture House of Representatives by-election. Masamitsu Oishi, backed by opposition party Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), won a House of Representatives, defeating three other candidates, including a Social Democratic Party candidate and a Japanese Communist Party candidate. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party refrained from fielding a candidate on its ticket in the election since the poll was held in the wake of the resignation of an LDP lower house member suspected of violating the Public Offices Election Law. In the same constituency, a by-election had to be held in 1997 because of a similar violation of the election law by another LDP member. In the effectively all-opposition contest, voter turnout stood at 48 percent, compared with 61.3 percent in the 1997 election.
1 Finland		Tarja Halonen takes office as president.
1 Libya		Mubarak Abdallah al-Shamikh is appointed general secretary of the General People's Committee (prime minister) and Muhammad Abdurrahman Chalbak foreign minister.
1 Uruguay		Jorge Luis Batlle Ibáñez, who won the Nov 28, presidential elections, is sworn in for a five-year term. Succeeds Julio María Sanguinetti Coirolo.
3 Anguilla		In parliamentary elections, the United Front (Anguilla National Alliance and Anguilla Democratic Party) wins 4 of 7 seats, the Anguilla United Movement 2, and an independent 1. Turnout is 64%. On March 6 Osbourne Fleming is sworn in as chief minister. Victor Banks becomes finance minister.
4 India		Death of Geeta Mukherjee, leader of Indian Comunist Party.
4 Thailand		Thailand, First election of senators to the upper house of parliament.