Осетрова Е. Е. Пособие по общественно-политическому переводу elections

Amid accusations of dirty tricks, the former foreign minister George Papandreou ended an unorthodox campaign last night urging Greeks to re-elect his socialist party Pasok, for an unprecedented fourth consecutive term.

The election comes five months before Athens hosts the Olympics. Mr Papandreou, 51, whose father and grandfather were also prime ministers, has vowed to free Greece of the cronyism and bureaucracy blamed for keeping it behind its EU partners.

Throughout the campaign – called in the wake of Costas Simitis's sudden decision to stand down as prime minister Mr Papandreou's mantra has been citizen-dominated politics, transparency and renewal.

Pasok – in power for all but three of the last 23 years – has been assailed by accusations of corruption, but Mr Papandreou's breezy style and fresh policies may pay off.

Since being elected to head Pasok last month, the US-born Mr Papandreou has succeeded in reducing the poll lead of the conservative opposition. The last official poll, released two weeks ago, showed the socialists three points behind. They were eight behind before Mr Papandreou took over.

With 12% of the 9.8 million voters undecided, and some 600,000 voting for the first time, victory for the centre-right New Democrats is far from assured.

Campaigners were yesterday lobbying hard, distributing leaflets across the country, including hospital wards.

With the US-educated Costas Karamanlis at the helm, New Democracy has also moved towards the centre with promises to remake Greece in the image of its richer EU partners.

Mr Karamanlis, the nephew of the celebrated prime minister Konstantine Karamanlis, and four years younger than his rival, has promised to end the divisive left-right politics that have haunted Greece since the 1946-49 civil war.

Echoing Mr Papandreou, who has been widely credited with improving ties with Turkey, the conservative leader pledged to continue with conciliatory policies.

Both men have drawn large crowds of young voters; and both, in a radical departure from the past, have tried to distance themselves from their larger-than-life relatives.

Greeks are often said to make their minds up only when they reach the ballot box, and analysts believe tomorrow's vote will be as personal as it is political. As they vote tomorrow, many may well be guided by the names of the dynasties that have dominated their political culture for so long.
c) претендент; добиться избрания на пост президента; очевидная победа; опрос общественного мнения; объявить победителем; наблюдать за проведением выборов; восстановить, возродить процесс мирного урегулирования; сменить к-л на посту; высокая явка избирателей; проведение предвыборной агитации; ЦИК; запугивать избирателей; наблюдатели; отдавать голоса.
Polls point to clear victory
for Abbas in Palestinian election
Although Mustafa Barghouti, the main independent challenger, claimed yesterday he had enough support to secure the Palestinian Authority presidency, opinion polls point to a clear victory for Mahmoud Abbas, candidate of the dominant Fatah movement in tomorrow's election.

Latest polls gave him 59-65 per cent of the vote, with a maximum of 28 per cent for Mr Barghouti.

Whoever is declared the winner, in what will be one of the most intensively monitored votes in electoral history, will have the task of trying to revive direct negotiations with Israel.

Also tomorrow, Ariel Sharon, Israeli prime minister, will present parliament with a new coalition government that will implement his controversial plan to withdraw Jewish settlements from Gaza, a move seen internationally as a first step to reviving the peace process.

During his campaign, Mr Abbas vowed not to abandon the legacy of the late Yassir Arafat, whom he succeeded as chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and whom he now hopes to replace as president of the Palestinian Authority.

Election officials predicted a high turnout for the first national election in the Palestinian Authority since 1996. Although many voters were torn between a desire to punish the leadership of the authority for the failures of the past decade and an equal desire for stable continuity, most of those questioned said they believed the election opened the way for democratic reform.

Mr Barghouti, who runs a medical charity and has the backing of much of the secular left, said yesterday he would be prepared to serve in a national unity government after the election. He would press for an international conference to resolve the conflict.

Mr Abbas yesterday failed to make an expected campaign visit to east Jerusalem, which Israel regards as part of its undivided capital. Aides said he wanted to avoid campaigning under a heavy Israeli security presence.

When Mr Barghouti went yesterday to pray at Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque, he was briefly detained by Israeli police, the second time he has been arrested during the campaign.

His detention highlighted the sensitive issue of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, which Palestinians demand as the capital of a future state. The Palestinian Central Elections Committee claimed many of the 120,000 Jerusalem Palestinians were afraid to vote, fearful Israel would take away their residency rights.

Jimmy Carter, the former US president who is leading a team of monitors from the National Democratic Institute, said he hoped for a peaceful vote. He also observed the last Palestinian presidential elections in 1996, when he accused Israel of trying to intimidate voters by filming them in East Jerusalem.

Around 800 foreign observers and 20,000 Palestinian monitors will on hand as up to 1.8m Palestinians cast their ballots. In addition to Mr Abbas and Mr Barghouti, there are five other candidates, including two Islamists, who are expected to garner only a small percentage of votes.

Mr Saakashvili will be supported in the vote on January 4 by his National Movement party and by the Burzhanadze Democrats, led by (...), Nino Burzhanadze. She, in turn, is being put forward as leader of the two parties for the parliamentary elections that will (...) next year. "We will not make a miracle in 40 days, but if the Georgian population gives us (...) we will keep all the promises that we gave," he told a press conference.

His hopes (...) yesterday by an announcement by the International Monetary Fund that it is ready to help Georgia (...) economic stability.
b) to step down; fourth consecutive term; premier; closely contested; the poll; to resume; a narrow margin; to call a federal election; to defeat; to bow out; a margin; term in office; opinion polls; deputy; the underdog; to take office
Australian (...) calls October election
John Howard, Australia's prime minister, yesterday (...) for October 9, ending weeks of speculation about the timing of (...).

The election is set to be the most (...) since the Liberal-National coalition (..) after unexpectedly (...) Labor, then led by Paul Keattng, in 1996. It could also turn into a referendum on Mr Howard's support for the US-led invasion of Iraq.

Seeking a historic (...), Mr Howard called the election just hours before parliament was due (...) after a short break.

The 65-year-old prime minister, who came close to (...) of politics last year, is banking on his government's economic record and strong stand on national security, which included sending troops to Iraq and Afghanistan in support of the US. But he described the centre-right government as (...) in the battle with Mark Latham's resurgent Labor party.

Many had expected Mr Howard (...) during the present term in favour of Peter Costello, his (...), while the prime minister's judgment has been called into question over his support for the US in Iraq. Only a year ago, the coalition looked to be cruising to a fourth (...). But Mr Latham has revived Labor's fortunes since he became party leader in December.

(...) have put Labor ahead by (...) for much of this year, once secondary votes for small parties are included. Labor and the coalition are separated by just a handful of seats, with the coalition holding eight by (...) of 1.5 per cent or less.

John Prescott, at whose insistence this experiment was recklessly expanded to cover such a high number of voters, was repeatedly told that the decision was unwise: by (…), by MPs, by delegations of worried minority leaders. He would listen to none of them. He failed to foresee, or to forestall, huge administrative incompetence and political malpractice.

(...) arrived late, in some cases not at all. Furthermore, the forms themselves were so complex that many – the elderly, the infirm, the gullible – had trouble filling them in. This in turn led to allegations of coercion, as unscrupulous candidates (or their representatives) sought (...) under the guise of "helping out". Further accusations of outright (...) and (...) followed.

Developing (...) is not, in itself, a bad idea. Indeed, alternatives must be pursued with vigour, but with rigour too. If people find (...) off putting – or just plain inconvenient – perhaps one solution is to bring (...) out of the box and on to the kitchen table by offering a postal option. But why insist on all-postal votes? The aim of the June pilot should have been to expand voter options, not close them down – and in doing so expose (...) to a range of (...).

Nine days before (...), its (...) over the opposition Socialists has fallen to 5–7 (...).

There are doubts whether its prime ministerial candidate Mariano Rajoy will keep (...) won four years ago by Jose Maria Aznar, who (...).

The government's (...) gave him an absolute majority of one seat, and two media polls said he (...). Two months ago some polls gave him (...) of almost 11 points.

Any further fall before (...) on March 14 will leave him trying to (...) with the support of nationalist parties from regions such as Catalonia and the Canary Islands, parties Mr Aznar has antagonised and refused more power in the past four years.

IV. Replace the words in brackets their English equivalents in the
necessary form.
a)

Hong Kong's pro-Beijing party leader offers (ПОКИНУТЬ ПОСТ)
The chairman of Hong Kong's biggest pro Beijing party offered (уйти в отставку) yesterday after record numbers (явились на избирательные участки) and (проголосовали против) his candidates (за, в пользу) of pro-democracy parties in (выборы в местные органы власти).

Tsang Yok-sing, leader of the Democratic (Союз) for the Betterment of Hong Kong, called his party's performance (на выборах) "a very serious (поражение)".

The Democratic party's (победа) in 20 extra (места) in the election has been interpreted as a rebuke to Mr Tung, who has been criticised widely for ruling with little regard for popular opinion.

(Опросы общественного мнения) conducted by the Baptist University before the district elections showed that he had (рейтинг популярности) of just 17 per cent among those who planned (голосовать) on the weekend.

(Рекордная явка на выборы) just over 1m or 44 per cent of (избиратели, имеющие права голоса) builds on a movement started in the summer when 500,000 marched in protest against the government's ham-fisted attempt to install new security laws.
b)
Victory for right in Greek elections
Greece's centre-right New-Democracy party last night (одержала убедительную победу на всеобщих выборах), ending a decade of Socialist rule.

Costas Karamanlis, the new prime minister who (никогда раньше не занимал правительственных постов), faces difficult decisions over the future of Cyprus and Greece's lagging preparations for the Olympic Games.

(Признавая поражение), George Papandreou, the Socialist leader, pledged to support the new government on both issues.

(После подсчета половины голосов), New Democracy (лидировала) with 47 per cent against 41 per cent for the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok). The Greek Communist party (отставала) in third place with 5 per cent.

New Democracy appeared set (получить почти 170 мест) in the 300-seat parliament compared with 120 for the Socialists under Greece's (пропорциональная избирательная система).

The Greek government (принимает активное участие) in the United Nations-sponsored (переговоры по) Cyprus, aimed at (воссоединение) the island before it (вступает в Евросоюз) on May 1. With the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders still far apart (по этому вопросу), the Greek and Turkish governments are likely to play an important role in (достижение договоренности).

As the Greek Cypriot (община) is showing a lack of enthusiasm for (воссоединение), according to (опросы общественного мнения), the new Greek government will come under international pressure to help (подписать соглашение).

Mr Karamanlis has kept in contact with Turkish leaders while in opposition, but has yet to convince Ankara that the conservatives (будут поддерживать сближение, начатое) by the Socialists.

One of his immediate tasks will be (назначить министров) to handle the Olympics preparations who can win the confidence of the International Olympic Committee and Greece's (союзники). The posts of defence minister and public order minister are seen as especially sensitive for the success of the Games.

Analysts said (переход голосов) to the right reflected voters' desire for change. The Socialists did (завоевали популярность) after Mr Papandreou, the former foreign minister and the most popular Greek politician (стал преемником на посту партийного лидера) last month from Costas Simitis, (покидающий пост) prime minister. But the Socialist party, in power for 19 of the past 22 years, was seen by (избиратели) as having become ineffectual and corrupt.

Mr Karamanlis has pledged to leave in place (высшие должностные лица) involved with the Olympics. Most other Socialist (назначенные лица) are expected (уйти в отставку).
c)

Potential (преемники) stake claim
to French (пост президента)
A change in the French constitution, reducing the (срок президентского правления) to five years from seven, is producing some surprises.

Jacques Chirac, the president, has had only 18 months of his new mandate – which is the first test of the shortened (пост президента) – yet already his potential (преемники) are feeling the need to stake their claim ahead of the 2007 (президентская гонка).

The first to declare their ambitions have been two Socialist heavyweights – Laurent Fabius, (бывший) finance minister and once France's youngest (премьер-министр), and Dominique Strauss Kahn, the first finance minister in the previous (коалиция левых сил). From within government ranks, they have been followed by Nicholas Sarkozy, the hyperactive (министр внутренних дел), who has long worn his presidential ambitions on his sleeve.

The political establishment has been caught off guard by these early candidatures, especially by the vigour of Mr Sarkozy's claim (сменить на посту) Mr Chirac, who turns 71 tomorrow. In a public debate he put Mr Chirac on notice by saying that (два срока пребывания у власти) were sufficient, adding: "When one's days are numbered one does more – and more quickly."

Other (претенденты на пост президента) are likely to be more hesitant. Michele Alliot-Mario, the defence minister, also (неожиданно выдвинутый, малоизвестный кандидат на пост президента), said yesterday: "You risk using up all your ammunition too early."

(Срок президентского правления) was shortened under the previous parliament at the instigation of Lionel Jospin, then, Socialist premier, for two reasons.

The first was a desire to make the head of state accountable over a shorter period, seven years being seen as too long to go unchallenged (на выборах) in modern society.

The second was to avoid another awkward co-habitation whereby (пост президента) was in the hands of one party and parliament in those of another, which created an uneasy management of (исполнительная и законодательная власть).

It was decided (провести президентские выборы) first, followed six weeks later by (всеобщие выборы). .This gave the (электорат) the clear option to choose a parliament of the same colour as the president.

This is what happened last year and (кандидаты на пост президента) are basing their plans on a repeat in 2007.

Early disclosure of a candidature has the advantage of early visibility in a country where no party operates a system of (первичные выборы) to select candidates.

Indeed, the (двухэтапная) structure of the presidential election permits a wide field of candidates, including those belonging to the same party.

For instance, (в первом туре) of the 1995 presidential vote, Mr Chirac (боролся, соревновался) successfully against Edouard Balladur, who was regarded as the main candidate of the right.

However, the appearance of early (кандидаты, претенденты) is mainly the result of sharp divisions within the mainstream parties, combined with the traditional primacy of personalities over policies and ideology in French politics.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga told state television her (срок) would now end in 2006, although she (была приведена к присяге на шестилетний срок) at a public ceremony in December 1999.

"It is up to me to take a decision whether I am to continue (в должности президента) till 2006 or not," she said. She claimed that a second investiture had been held in private in 2000. She (отрицала) any "secrecy", but (признала) that only the chief justice and the then foreign minister were present at the second investiture. Mrs Kumaratunga said she had taken part in the first ceremony to stem public concerns about her health after she evaded (попытка покушения) by Tamil (повстанцы).

Government ministers, however, said her actions were (неприемлемые). GL Peiris, the government (пресс-секретарь), said: "Anyone (находящийся на государственном посту) cannot arbitrarily and capriciously decide when their period of (пребывание в должности) comes to an end." Mr Peiris said the government did not believe there was a legal argument in support of the president's move.

(Наблюдатели) say the fact that Mrs Kumaratunga held (церемония вступления в должность) in private means that its legality could easily (поставлена под сомнение).

"Even in military dictatorships such ceremonies are public," said N Manoharan of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies in New Delhi. "As per international democratic norms, it would not be regarded as (действительная, имеющая силу)".

The power struggle between the president and her chief political (соперник), the prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, began in November when she (уволила) three of his ministers and (ввела двухдневное чрезвычайное положение). Both leaders come from (соперничающие политические партии).

(Увольняя министра обороны), Mrs Kumaratunga wrested control of (должность министра), accusing Mr Wickremesinghe of giving away too much to the Tamil Tigers to end more than 20 years of (гражданская война). He has made it clear that this makes it impossible for him (проводить переговоры) with (повстанцы), who (ввели войну за отделение) for decades but have held (прекращение огня) for the past 23 months.

More than 65,000 lives have been lost in the war, which (разразилась, вспыхнула) after Hindu Tamils, who number 3 million, claimed that they were being discriminated against by (большинство) Sinhalese Buddhist population.

The president's moves threw (процесс мирного урегулирования) into limbo, with Norwegian (участники переговоров) who (были посредниками при заключении перемирия) suspending their efforts until it becomes clear which leader is in charge.

Dennis Kucinich, an Ohio congressman, finished an unexpectedly strong second in the Hawaii c_______.

Senator Kerry won the c_____ and two other n______ c______ in Idaho and Utah – further extending his already commanding l___ in the state-by-state battle to lead the Democratic c____ to President George Bush in the p_______ e______ this year.

The Massachusetts senator won without seriously c____ in the three states. Nor did his only real c_____, Senator John Edwards. Both preferred to concentrate on the 10 states holding p_____ e____ on "S____ T____" next week.

Mr Kucinich won votes from just over 1,000 Hawaiian Democrats who took the trouble to go to the p____, but it was enough for him to pick up his first eight elected d_____ to the Democratic party c_____ in July. It also helped him resist calls to leave the stage to a Kerry-Edwards duel.

The fourth surviving c_____, Al Sharpton has fared worse than Mr Kucinich and has performed poorly even among the black v____ he claims to r______.

The refusal of either man to w________ is a further b______ to Mr Kerry, who has s______ to avoid one-on-one confrontation with Mr Edwards, a North Carolina senator.

Mr Kerry has acquired more than 730 d____, but needs 2,162 to clinch the n____. More than 1,000 delegates will be chosen on Tuesday in the traditional climax of the p____ c_____, when big states including California, New York and Ohio vote.

The Massachusetts senator is ahead in the p____ in all those states and appears assured of the n_____, barring an unexpected turn of events.