Celebrity big ballot

VOTERS taking part in the Philippines' mid-term elections on May 14th will be put through an absurd ordeal. They must memorise the names of up to 18 candidates for various positions in national and local government and enter these by hand on a blank ballot-paper. What this means is that those with the best-known names, not necessarily the best policies, tend to win.

The biggest challenge is the Senate, for which voters should choose candidates for all of the 12 seats (of 24) up for grabs. Both the governing coalition and the opposition have filled their slates with the offspring of statesmen, the leaders of unsuccessful but attention-grabbing military coups, film stars—and the occasional career politician.