Polls have closed in Guinea in the first parliamentary election since a coup in 2008. The election commission suggested turnout had been high, with 40% of the electorate casting their ballots by midday. The run-up was marred by violence, ethnic and religious tension, electoral disputes and intense distrust. The opposition accused President Alpha Conde’s party of trying to rig the elections. The vote will replace a transitional parliament that has run the nation since military rule ended in 2010. Poll dates were repeatedly scheduled and then postponed, largely due to opposition allegations that the government was trying to skew the vote.
The polls were originally meant to take place within six months of Alpha Conde taking office in 2010.
After a series of negotiations failed to end the impasse, the UN stepped in and helped set a date.
Voting started at 08:00 GMT, with 1,700 candidates vying for 114 seats. Reports say some polling stations, which opened late due to bad weather, were allowed to stay open beyond the scheduled closing time of 18:00 GMT.
Preliminary results are expected by Tuesday.
Full Article: BBC News – Polls close in Guinea’s first post-coup parliamentary vote.
