Mali holds parliamentary elections as country transitions to democracy

Voters in Mali trickled to the polls amid high security for parliamentary elections on Sunday, in the second set of elections since an international force intervened to dislodge al Qaeda-linked militants from the country’s north.

Northern Mali has experienced some Islamist violence since President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was elected in August in elections that marked a return to democracy after a March 2012 coup. The military coup plunged Mali into chaos and allowed Islamists to seize its desert north.

Polls opened at 8 a.m. local time (3 a.m. EST). Some 6.7 million people were registered to cast their vote across the country. Initial turnout appeared much lower than in August’s presidential election. Voting stations were due to remain open until 6 p.m. local time 1 p.m. EST.

Malian soldiers, and U.N. peacekeepers (consisting of African Union soldiers) protected voting stations in the north following a flare up of Islamist violence.

The election of a new parliament will complete the democratic transition in the wake of last year’s coup. Close to US$3.25 billion has been pledged for the rebuilding of the country and the development and pacification of the troubled northern region.

A second round will be held on December 15 in ridings where there is no majority winner. Political analysts expected Keita, commonly known by his initials IBK, and his allies to comfortably win the election after he swept the August 11 presidential runoff by a landslide.

His losing presidential rival, Soumaila Cisse, at the head of a coalition of parties, aims to secure the post of parliamentary speaker and has pledged to present Keita with a healthy opposition, according to sources close to him.

Source: Reuters