VIRTUAL ELECTIONS

Palestine’s Next Top President

On new reality show politicians bid for presidency, win a car.

What better way for Palestine to choose a new president—for the first time in eight years—than a reality TV show? Introducing The President, a new show on Palestinian television in which contestants make campaign promises, are questioned by a panel of professionals, politicians, and academics, and then voted off, was created. The winner, however, won’t get the keys to the presidential palace—just the keys to a brand new car and the chance to travel the world as a mock ambassador to Palestine. For now, the TV campaigning is just practice for a future with a real voting system, as the Palestinian government hasn’t really picked up on the whole presidential term limits and regular elections thing quite yet.