In Niger, the municipal and regional election campaign began on Wednesday, December 2. Nearly 7.5 million voters are expected to vote on Sunday, December 13 to elect their local elected representatives. These first votes will act as a balloon of scrutiny a few weeks before the parliamentary elections on 27 December, while the country is in the grip of growing uncertainty, especially in the Tillabéri region, in the south-west of the country.
The independent national election commission assures us that the municipal and regional elections will take place under the best conditions. 95% of the election material has already been distributed and the government has committed itself to ensuring their safety. In the Tillabéri region, the rise of violence has not hampered the democratic drive, explains Draladoua Amada, Vice President of Céni: “There are candidate lists in the 45 municipalities in the Tillabéri region. and the average [du nombre] of the candidate lists are at least 7 to 10, so there are a large number of political parties and independent candidates who stand despite the current situation. “
Local elections are still a new phenomenon for Niger. Prior to the decentralization of the 1990s, the central government appointed CEOs. Today, the government assures us that mayors are crucial to the success of decentralization and yet, according to Abdou-Ouhou Dodo, president of the Niger Association and mayor of Tahoua, they still have little power, so even that they are increasingly threatened by terrorist groups. “You know, mayors have no forces at their disposal. When there is a problem, they must quickly take the central power. Mayor is really the power nearby. As soon as there is a movement of discontent or war, he is the first to be beaten. “
On 13 December, eight regions and 266 municipalities will elect their locally elected representatives.
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