Niger transition shows way for North Africa
11 March, 2011 | (afrol News)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
With Saturday's second-round presidential elections, Niger ends a
model one-year all-inclusive democratic transition process. The
process could be an example for the revolutions in Egypt and
Tunisia.
According to the Nigerien Independent national election
commission (CENI), long-time opposition leader Mahamadou
Issoufou won 36 percent of the votes in the first round. Former
Prime Minister Seïni Oumarou of the ousted President's MNSD
party came second with 23 percent of votes.
On Saturday 12 March, Nigerien voters will decide between Mr
Issoufou and Mr Oumarou in a run-off poll. Both have had equal
access to media and military junta leaders have not revealed which
of the candidates they would prefer. International election observers
so far have not noted any significant irregularities during the election
process so far.
For democracy to take root again in Niger during the reign of the
upcoming President, several preparations have been made. Most
significantly, both main parties now competing in the run-off have
participated in all parts of the transition process, having an
ownership to the new legislation and institutions.
Also, both candidates have been urged to commit to democratic
principles. Both have, for example, endorsed the Declaration of
Table Mountain - a far-reaching press freedom declaration - thus
committing to promote freedom of expression and review existing
media laws if elected.
With a vamped-up CENI that has achieved widespread accept for
its ability to organise free and fair elections, also both candidates are
expected to accept defeat. In any way, Niger's opposition leader is
promised an important and influential role according to the new
constitution.
So far, the military junta still ruling Niger has come close to
organising a model democratic transition. Unfortunately, the
Nigerien transition process has earned little international attention.
It could have been a useful model for the transitional authorities in
power in Tunisia and Egypt; and for the ongoing struggle by
protesters to take the revolution further into a real democracy.
Read more about the transition process in Niger here
By Rainer Chr. Hennig
.. Courtesy
11 March, 2011 | (afrol News)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
With Saturday's second-round presidential elections, Niger ends a
model one-year all-inclusive democratic transition process. The
process could be an example for the revolutions in Egypt and
Tunisia.
- After a military coup one year ago,
toppling increasingly authoritarian
President Mamadou Tandja, the military
junta instantly left most of the democratic
transition process to Niger's civil society
groups and political parties. The junta's
promise of a "model democracy" is
nearing its fulfilment.
- During the last year, new pro-democracy
legislation has been adopted after civil
society advice; a new constitution has
been accepted through a referendum;
new institutions have been created to
secure democracy and the separation of
powers; and on 31 January the first
round of the presidential polls were held,
According to the Nigerien Independent national election
commission (CENI), long-time opposition leader Mahamadou
Issoufou won 36 percent of the votes in the first round. Former
Prime Minister Seïni Oumarou of the ousted President's MNSD
party came second with 23 percent of votes.
On Saturday 12 March, Nigerien voters will decide between Mr
Issoufou and Mr Oumarou in a run-off poll. Both have had equal
access to media and military junta leaders have not revealed which
of the candidates they would prefer. International election observers
so far have not noted any significant irregularities during the election
process so far.
For democracy to take root again in Niger during the reign of the
upcoming President, several preparations have been made. Most
significantly, both main parties now competing in the run-off have
participated in all parts of the transition process, having an
ownership to the new legislation and institutions.
Also, both candidates have been urged to commit to democratic
principles. Both have, for example, endorsed the Declaration of
Table Mountain - a far-reaching press freedom declaration - thus
committing to promote freedom of expression and review existing
media laws if elected.
With a vamped-up CENI that has achieved widespread accept for
its ability to organise free and fair elections, also both candidates are
expected to accept defeat. In any way, Niger's opposition leader is
promised an important and influential role according to the new
constitution.
So far, the military junta still ruling Niger has come close to
organising a model democratic transition. Unfortunately, the
Nigerien transition process has earned little international attention.
It could have been a useful model for the transitional authorities in
power in Tunisia and Egypt; and for the ongoing struggle by
protesters to take the revolution further into a real democracy.
Read more about the transition process in Niger here
By Rainer Chr. Hennig
.. Courtesy
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| Niger "Niger (i /ˈnaɪdʒər/ or /niːˈʒɛər/; French pronunciation: [niʒɛʁ]), officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east. Niger covers a land area of almost 1,270,000 km2, over 80 percent of which is covered by the Sahara desert... More From Wikipedia |
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