The net celebrates Greek socialists victory

GREECE : SOCIALISTS VICTORY

After five years of conservative rule, the Pasok socialists enjoyed a comfortable victory at Sunday’s early legislative elections in Greece. A result allowing George Papandreou to take over from Costas Caramanlis as head of the Government and which is causing a stir online.

Many videos quickly appeared on share sites upon announcement of Pasok’s victory. Horn blowing, gatherings in front of the party’s HQ: a section of voters expressed their joy at seeing the conservatives defeated.

This joy was echoed on social networks and on Twitter in particular, where several users congratulated Papandreou and Pasok for this electoral victory without appeal.

A victory which owes thanks partly to the web. In fact, Pasok communicated with its supporters via a Twitter link and a Facebook page. And on its campaign site it broadcast videos such as these, inviting electors to vote for Papandréou.

Meanwhile, this blogger feels that the elation currently gripping the nation is not set to last. He recalls the fact that many electors voted for Pasok hoping the party will ease Greece out of the crisis. A mission the Government must tackle quickly if it is to avoid disappointing voters.

Finally, some net users preferred to mock the elections as shown by these parodic videos broadcast online in which Caramanlis and Papandréou play the fool. A way mock the flood of electoral promises made during the campaign.



MOZAMBIQUE : PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ONLINE

With the approach of the Mozambique Presidential elections, set for October 28, candidates are mobilising to gather their supporters. A campaign which is being led mainly on the web- a first for Mozambique.


The opposition party, the Democratic Movement for Mozambique (MDM) has opted for a strategy inspired by that of Barack Obama. With strong online presence, its candidate, Daviz Simango, is communicating with voters via Twitter and the social network ‘Hi 5’.


And the MDM is also broadcasting videos like these on Youtube in which we see political gatherings, speeches delivered by Simango and the candidate’s work meetings.

Meanwhile, Armando Guebuza, the outgoing President, has launched a blog entitled, ‘the voice of the revolution’ in which he explains why people should vote for him once more.

And his party is also using the web with this site on which we find photos and a wealth of information concerning the forthcoming election. He is also broadcasting these campaign videos on share sites.


The web is also being used by some to monitor the campaign’s developments and the forthcoming vote. This site encourages inhabitants to become citizen reporters and to report any incident they observe in the weeks to come.
 

CARLABRUNISARKOZY.ORG

France’s first lady is to reveal herself. Carla Bruni Sarkozy has launched a site devoted to her life at the Elysée Palace. Her foundation, her role as Ambassador to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, and her activity as first lady. A whole host of themes will be touched upon. Further proof that the web is now an indispensable tool for political communication.  

WARNER MUSIC AND YOUTUBE

Warner Music (WMG) is back on YouTube. The giant has signed an agreement with Google. By the end of the year, Youtube will once more broadcast videos by Warner, who for several months had been censoring videos created by users. As soon as a video used a song by one of its artists, the giant cut the sound. From now on the two heavyweights will share the advertising proceeds and Warner will also be able to place adverts on its official videos.
 

VIDEO DU JOUR

In the framework of the campaign, Time for Climate Justice, 60 artists, mobilised by Kofi Annan, perform a cover of Beds Are Burning, the hit by Midnight Oil from the end of the 80s. The song is available for download, free of charge. Each listen will increase the meter of the petition, which will be presented to representatives of the 170 countries present at the Copenhagen conference in December.