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In a recent article in The Australian, Rowan Callick suggested the process of Asian nations shedding dictators and embracing elections and democracy is stalled, as often the candidates are relatives. He cautioned if Asian countries don’t “broaden and deepen the gene pools of their political elites” they risk “falling back into corruption.”
In the Philippines, Benigno Aquino III, a fourth-generation politician, was elected president and is son of former President Corazon Aquino. He took over from Gloria Arroyo, whose father had been president. In Indonesia, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s wife will succeed him, followed by one of their sons. In Thailand, the youngest sister of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra may run for president. These elections are certainly a family affair.
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