Their comparative success might confirm fears the government already has about its promise to introduce universal suffrage in 2017.

ECONOMIST: Pro-democracy parties are failing at their own game

But some scholars see room for improvement at the local level, even without yet tackling the question of universal suffrage.

ECONOMIST: China's other face

Experiments launched under Mr Zhao with the election of village chiefs by universal suffrage have been extended throughout the countryside.

ECONOMIST: China

Residents increasingly feel that they are being strung along with stall tactics because Beijing has no intention of honoring its commitment to universal suffrage.

WSJ: Review & Outlook: Where Is Leung Chun-ying?

Israel is a vibrant, Western-style democracy, with universal suffrage, freedom of the press and freedom of religion supporting Israel does not contradict the freedom agenda.

ECONOMIST: Clear and present danger

The Basic Law allows for the possibility no more than that of universal suffrage for both the legislature and for the post of chief executive after 2007.

ECONOMIST: Tung and the custard tarts | The

Fortunately or unfortunately, they are quite incompatible with the theocratic ones: the popular sovereignty implicit in universal suffrage is completely at odds with the sovereignty of God.

ECONOMIST: Anatomy of a power struggle

The ban is an anachronism: it dates back to the days before universal suffrage, when felons forfeited their property, ownership of which was a condition for voting.

ECONOMIST: Prisoners�� votes: Ballot and chain | The

Since only one-third of the 60 seats are elected through geographical constituencies and universal suffrage, it does not matter to the government that since elections last May these have been held overwhelmingly by democrats.

ECONOMIST: Tung and the custard tarts | The