|
Sao Tome - A coalition supported by Sao Tome and Principe President Fradique de Menezes has taken an early lead in legislative elections held last weekend in the West African archipelago, the Electoral Commission said.
With ballots tallied from just over half the 80 000 registered voters, the MDFM-PCM grouping was ahead with 35 percent, it said late on Wednesday.
The centre-left MLSTP-PSD coalition - which had been ruling with the biggest number of parliament seats N was second with 22 percent. The third-placed ADI party had 21 percent of the vote, with the remainder scattered among smaller parties.
The volcanic islands have become an international oil exploration hotspot in recent years - following major discoveries in neighbouring Equatorial Guinea - sparking hope of change among the poor population of 180 000 people.
A total of 9 622 voters in 18 districts - who boycotted the elections in protest at a lack of basic services in their neighbourhoods - are due to cast their votes on Sunday, the electoral commission said.
Around 40 foreign observers who scrutinised Sunday's vote declared on Thursday it met international standards despite complaints of bribery from the MLSTP-PSD party.
Since the last parliamentary elections in 2002, Sao Tome has been rocked by a brief coup, corruption scandals and a succession of government collapses.
|
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Digg
Delicious
Newsvine
Facebook
muti
