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Mali votes to elect new president | |
(about 17 hours later) | |
Voters in Mali have been to the polls in presidential elections contested by eight candidates. | |
President Amadou Toumani Toure - who is seeking a second and final five-year term - was seen as a clear favourite. | |
Although officially running as an independent, he was backed by more than 30 parties in the West African nation. | |
Opposition candidates say the voters' list favours the incumbent, accusing Mr Toure's supporters of using state assets to fund his electoral campaign. | Opposition candidates say the voters' list favours the incumbent, accusing Mr Toure's supporters of using state assets to fund his electoral campaign. |
The strongest opposition challenger is Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the president of Mali's national assembly and former prime minister who came third in the 2002 poll. | The strongest opposition challenger is Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the president of Mali's national assembly and former prime minister who came third in the 2002 poll. |
Early results are not expected until Monday. | |
Cotton farmers | Cotton farmers |
Part of Mr Toure's popularity stems from the fact that he played a leading role in ending military dictatorship with a coup 16 years ago, says the BBC's West Africa correspondent Will Ross. | Part of Mr Toure's popularity stems from the fact that he played a leading role in ending military dictatorship with a coup 16 years ago, says the BBC's West Africa correspondent Will Ross. |
Turnout was expected to be low as many voters did not picked up their registration cards. | |
Mali is Africa's third largest gold producer but the vast majority of the country's 14 million people live off the land, our correspondent says. | Mali is Africa's third largest gold producer but the vast majority of the country's 14 million people live off the land, our correspondent says. |
The plight of the cotton farmers had been a key election issue, he says. | The plight of the cotton farmers had been a key election issue, he says. |
Analysts hope the elections will go some way to boost democracy in the region, especially after the widely criticised polls in Nigeria, our correspondent says. | Analysts hope the elections will go some way to boost democracy in the region, especially after the widely criticised polls in Nigeria, our correspondent says. |
One African human rights organisation has said that democracy seems to be losing steam. | One African human rights organisation has said that democracy seems to be losing steam. |
If no candidate gets an absolute majority in the first round, the two top candidates will compete in a run-off in two week's time. | If no candidate gets an absolute majority in the first round, the two top candidates will compete in a run-off in two week's time. |
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