Elections Abroad: Stark Contrasts Between Two Expatriations

{Left} Riots in Port Gentil, Gabon, 2009.  Photo via AFP

{Right} Elections in Norway, 2013 Photo via NTP ScanPix, Fredrik Varfjell

Monday marked the Norwegian parliamentary election.  Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg attempted to defend his reign as leader of the country against the ever-more popular Conservative party and it's leader, Erna Solberg (and a handful of other parties) although ultimately failing making Solberg Norway's second female Prime Minister.  As expats in the country, we hardly noticed election happenings.  Of course, ad campaigns were evident but obviously, never in English.  A few flyers made their way into our mailboxes and funny enough, alcohol was banned from being purchased in the shops on election day but that was the extent of the direct impact on us.  As we awaited the results Monday evening, I realized the stark contrast between our experiences of elections abroad as expatriates.

While in Gabon, we witnessed one national election.  For weeks in advance of voting, we were aware of what was taking place.  Cars with loudspeakers drove through town with someone sitting in the front, passenger seat spouting propaganda and platforms loudly through the streets.  We'd see ad campaigns albeit quite different than those in developed nations.  All media is government controlled and with the majority of local population living in poverty, advertisements on TV and the Internet were not the main form of communication.

The year before we arrived in our equatorial home, national elections sparked intense rioting in Port Gentil.  Infamously referred to as 'The Problems' by expats and locals, when Mr Bongo claimed a win continuing to keep his family in power since 1969, the opposition, based in Port Gentil, violently objected.  They believed the election was rigged and many pointed fingers at France, their former colonial power, and its oil company, Total.  The French Consulate was set ablaze and the Total Compound, residence and offices for it's foreign workers, was attacked.

What did this mean for expats?  Well, many families were evacuated via boat to Libreville.  Others were evacuated from their homes to larger boats who then dropped anchor in the ocean well away from the riots and any civilization.  Smaller companies, ours included, moved their expats to the Port which was then blocked off by the French army.  When order was restored a few days later and things calmed down, life in Gabon returned to normal for locals and expats alike but the damage would be evident for years to come.

When the elections came around while we were residents, precautions started early.  Our companies would send out bulletins with the latest news and forecasts.  We'd be advised as to their emergency evacuation plans and told to limit our mobility for the days leading up to and after the elections.  We'd stock up on food, water and gas in the event that we became trapped inside and we'd hope for the best.

This was one of those times where being an expat was scary.  The uncertainty led to fear and anxiousness as we've seen so often lately, it doesn't take much for things to turn quite violent.  Thankfully, the elections that we were present for remained peaceful and calm and our preparations and worry turned out to be unnecessary.

When I came across the first headline on Monday, I realized how oblivious I had been in terms of the entire Norwegian election.  I knew it was coming and while I generally keep up to date with current events, I hadn't done so this time around.  Abashed at my lack of awareness, it became apparent that the Norwegian election seemed to align with the plethora of stark contrasts between our two expatriations.

More information about the result of Norway's election can be found here and fellow blogger, David, wrote a great post with some election details and opinions found here.  You can also read about the 2009 elections in Gabon and the subsequent riots here and here.