Die Wahlen in den Philippinen – Kontinuität und Wandel

Abstract

Parliamentary and local elections were held in the Philippines on the 14th of May 2007. While the government was able to sustain a sound majority in the house of representatives, it now has to face a senat that is dominated by opposition parties. Government policies or draft bills may possibly be blocked more effectively than before which in turn may lessen the administration‘s room for manoeuvre. Yet, both legislative bodies have in common that they are subjected to oligarchic influence beyond party boundaries. The president’s defeat in the senat can be explained by the ongoing accusations of corruption, electoral manipulation and the negative impact of the national state of emergency declared in February 2006. All these issues helped to reduce the popularity of President Arroyo. Furthermore, the election results reveal a revitalized opposition and traces of a critical public opinion. Hence, successful reforms, especially in the field of tax- and fiscal-policy are not appreciated accordingly.