Democracy Update: Wednesday 5th April 2006

Here's a few links to Democracy news around the world at 13:41 GMT

• The Belarusian opposition has announced a new protest strategy. Apparently, free elections, freedom of speech, and free education are the way forward. This echoes earlier moves by Milinkevich to get expelled Belarusian students into European Universities. A shrewd move - if the opposition can be seen as an effective parallel government of sorts they can quickly win over new supporters.

• Kommersant comments on the last day of Ukraine's outgoing parliament - deputies as always trying to prevent Yushchenko's Constitutional Court appointments.

• Bad news for Africa. It seems another President desperate to cling to power is looking to alter the constitution to seek a third term. As I have mentioned in the past, unless the powerhouse nations, such as Egypt, South Africa, Ethiopia and Nigeria, can all show the way for Africa in Democracy, the fruits of smaller states such as Ghana and Benin will go stale.

• And finally Senegal's Presidential election next year looks set to become a key hot point for African Democracy. Incumbent Abdoulaye Wade will face Idrissa Seck, the man many accuse the President of attempting to eliminate from opposition. Remember Wade himself was once an opposition figure who won power through peaceful election - will things stay Democratic in 2007? Watch this space.

That's all for today guys, take care

Matt Jay