Vote-counting was under way Tuesday following elections in Ethiopia that went ahead without polling in the war-torn northern Tigray region and other restive parts of Africa’s second-most populous nation. Some 38 million were registered to vote but many must wait until September, with elections postponed or cancelled in one-fifth of national constituencies because of war, […]
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Ethiopians vote in poll overshadowed by Tigray
Ethiopians voted Monday in a delayed national election taking place against the backdrop of war and famine in the northern Tigray region and questions over the poll’s credibility. It is the first electoral test for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, 44, who came to power in 2018 championing a democratic revival in Africa’s second-most populous country, […]
Ethiopians pray for peaceful vote ahead of key election
Draped in sacred white cloth, the procession drifted silently towards a priest calling the faithful to celebrate the Archangel Michael, a revered saint in Ethiopia. Around dawn, thousands of worshippers gathered at the church in Amhara, the second-largest region of Ethiopia, which is staging long-awaited elections on Monday. The devotees — some bent over canes […]
Putin’s party holds congress amid opposition clampdown
President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party will hold its congress Saturday ahead of September parliamentary elections that come amid a sweeping crackdown on the beleaguered opposition. The gathering, which will determine the ruling party’s candidates and electoral programme for the lower house of parliament vote, comes after authorities took drastic measures to stop Russia’s main […]
Ultraconservative Raisi elected Iran president as rivals concede
Congratulations poured in for ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi Saturday on winning Iran’s presidential election as his rivals conceded even before official results were announced. The other three candidates in the race all congratulated him for his victory, which had been widely expected after a host of heavyweight rivals had been barred from running. “I congratulate the people […]
Iran ultraconservative named presidential election winner
Congratulations poured in for Iranian ultraconservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday for winning presidential elections even before official results were announced. Iran’s outgoing moderate President Hassan Rouhani said his successor had been elected in the previous day’s vote, without naming the widely expected winner, Raisi. “I congratulate the people on their choice,” said Rouhani. “My […]
Iran says Friday’s presidential vote a ‘serious’ contest
On the eve of Iran’s presidential election, expected to hand victory to the ultraconservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi, the candidate-vetting Guardian Council insisted Thursday that “the political contest is serious”. “The media and the people have testified that this is a good competition,” said the head of the 12-member council, Abbas Ali Kadkhodaee, a day before […]
Two of seven candidates pull out of Iran presidential race
Two days before Iran’s presidential election, which is expected to be won by an ultraconservative cleric, two of the seven men vying for the post pulled out of the race on Wednesday. Conservative lawmaker Alireza Zakani withdrew hours after reformist Mohsen Mehralizadeh had also thrown in the towel ahead of Friday’s vote, Iranian media reported. […]
Five challenges facing the next Iranian president
The winner of Iran’s presidential election will face a host of tough challenges once he takes over from Hassan Rouhani in August. Seven men are running in the June 18 vote, with a possible run-off on June 25.The ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi is seen most likely to win after his strongest rivals were disqualified, and would […]
Russian senators adopt ‘extremist’ bill that would bar critics from polls
The upper house of Russia’s parliament on Wednesday overwhelmingly backed legislation that is expected to be used to ban allies of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny from running in elections. The bill approved by the Federation Council would make it impossible to run in elections for leaders, sponsors and rank-and-file members of “extremist” organisations, a […]