suffrage

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Residents of Somalia’s capital voted Thursday in municipal elections billed as a key step toward restoring direct democracy nationwide for the first time in more than half a century. The Mogadishu vote, held in a city of roughly 3 million where security has improved despite persistent attacks by al-Qaida-aligned al-Shabab, is widely seen as a test run for national-level direct elections. Somalia last held direct polls in 1969, months before military ruler Mohamed Siad Barre seized power in a coup. With…

Mogadishu (AX) — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia has reiterated his administration’s dedication to implementing universal suffrage elections by 2026, despite resistance from two regional leaders and several notable politicians. During a speech in Mogadishu on Thursday, President Mohamud emphasized the necessity for Somalia to evolve towards direct elections, departing from a long history of indirect voting methods. “Having participated in indirect elections myself, both as a parliament member and as president on…

Ivory Coast should allow former President Laurent Gbagbo, who is barred from running in next month's main presidential election, to vote in the vote, the African Court of Human Rights and Peoples' Rights said on Friday. The court, set up by members of the African Union in 2004, asked Côte d'Ivoire to "take the necessary steps to immediately remove all obstacles" that prevented Gbagbo from being added to the electoral roll. Ivory Coast withdrew its recognition of the Court's jurisdiction back in April this year.…