Liberia votes as President George Weah eyes a second time period | Information

International Courant

Former footballer is looking for re-election amid allegations of corruption and financial hardship within the West African nation.

Liberians are voting on whether or not soccer icon George Weah will change into president once more, with peace and economic system amongst voters’ prime considerations.

Lots of of individuals had gathered at polling stations within the capital Monrovia early on Tuesday morning, forward of the beginning of voting at 0800 GMT.

The principle political events have promised that the presidential and parliamentary elections within the West African nation will happen peacefully.

Nonetheless, the deaths of three individuals final month throughout clashes between supporters of rival events have raised considerations a couple of return to bloodshed.

Clashes additionally broke out on Sunday when Weah, who’s looking for a second six-year time period as president, held his closing marketing campaign rally, leaving a number of injured.

These are the primary elections because the United Nations ended its peacekeeping mission in Liberia in 2018.

UN peacekeepers have been despatched to the nation after greater than 250,000 individuals have been killed in two civil wars between 1989 and 2003.

Weah, 57, entered politics after a profession as a global footballer wherein he turned the one African to win the sport’s most prestigious particular person award and had stints at prime golf equipment akin to Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Chelsea.

After his election in 2017, Weah mentioned he would create jobs and put money into training, however critics say he has not saved his guarantees.

Weah has argued that he wants extra time to restore the nation’s dilapidated economic system and infrastructure.

The previous athlete is the favourite amongst twenty candidates, however may face a second spherical if he doesn’t get hold of an absolute majority within the first spherical of voting.

The European Union, the African Union, the West African bloc ECOWAS and america deployed observers to observe the vote.

About 2.4 million Liberians are eligible to vote within the election, with polling stations closing at 6pm GMT.

The Nationwide Election Fee will begin publishing outcomes from Wednesday, with closing outcomes anticipated inside 15 days.

A voter finishes marking her vote at a polling station in Monrovia (John Wessels/AFP)

Weah grew up within the slums of Monrovia and is standard amongst younger individuals in Liberia, the place greater than 60 p.c of the inhabitants is beneath 25 years previous.

As president, Weah has ignored calls to ascertain a battle crimes tribunal and confronted criticism for not doing sufficient to sort out corruption.

Final yr he fired his chief of employees and two different senior officers after the trio have been sanctioned by the US for alleged corruption.

Former Vice President Joseph Boakai, Weah’s predominant rival, has mentioned that any type of vote fraud or manipulation within the elections will result in “the top of this nation”.

Boakai, 78, has pledged to revive the nation’s picture, develop infrastructure and enhance the lives of its poorest.

In response to the World Financial institution, greater than a fifth of Liberia’s inhabitants lives on lower than $2.15 a day, and primary meals costs have soared.

Boakai, who served as vp between 2006 and 2018, has forged himself as a good various to Weah, whom he accuses of presiding over a corrupt system.

The watchdog Transparency Worldwide ranked Liberia 142nd out of 180 nations in its 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index.

Liberia votes as President George Weah eyes a second time period | Information

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