[ad_1]
Ouattara earthquake victory in questionable choice
The incumbent leader of Côte d’Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, emerges victorious from the questionable presidential elections this weekend. According to the West African country’s electoral authority, Ouattara won 94 percent of the vote, leaving a third term, as expected.
Dominique Ouattara, wife of President Alassane Ouattara, cast her vote in the presidential elections in Côte d’Ivoire last weekend.
The election campaign has been marred by riots and protests that have claimed at least 30 lives. The opposition called for a boycott of the elections, as they believe Ouattara’s candidacy meant that he circumvented the country’s constitution, which only allows two terms of five years each. The president himself claims that the approval of a new constitution in 2016 allowed him to remain in office for a third term.
Even after the polls closed on Saturday, violence broke out and at least five people died. The unrest has raised concerns about a repeat of the 2010-2011 civil war, which began after then-President Laurent Gbagbo refused to be defeated by Ouattara, killing 3,000 people.
Hours before the final result of the elections, the opposition said they planned to form a transitional government and hold new elections. Several opposition politicians were banned from running for election and others chose to boycott them.
Turnout was 53.9 percent, according to the Ivory Coast Electoral Commission.
