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| Polls close in Suriname general election | |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| People in the South American nation of Suriname have voted in a general election. | |
| All 51 seats in the National Assembly are up being chosen. | All 51 seats in the National Assembly are up being chosen. |
| The new National Assembly will then choose the next president of Suriname's half-a-million-strong population. | The new National Assembly will then choose the next president of Suriname's half-a-million-strong population. |
| Former military ruler Desi Bouterse, who has been convicted of drug trafficking in the Netherlands, said he was confident he would be re-elected to another five-year term. | |
| "We have had a strong campaign and we are convinced we will get the majority to rule on our own," President Bouterse said as he cast his vote. | |
| "Strong foundations have been laid for the future of this country," he added, referring to his government's social programmes aimed at improving education, healthcare and housing. | |
| 'Controversial force' | 'Controversial force' |
| Mr Bouterse's National Democratic Party will need 26 seats to govern alone and a two-thirds majority of 34 seats to re-elect him as president without entering into a coalition. | |
| Mr Bouterse's main rival is Chandrika Persad Santokhi, who heads a coalition of opposition parties called V7. | Mr Bouterse's main rival is Chandrika Persad Santokhi, who heads a coalition of opposition parties called V7. |
| Pre-election opinion polls put Mr Bouterse's party ahead with a comfortable majority. | Pre-election opinion polls put Mr Bouterse's party ahead with a comfortable majority. |
| Mr Bouterse, 69, is a powerful yet controversial figure in Suriname. | |
| He ruled for seven years after seizing power in a 1980 coup, stepping down in 1987 but briefly ruling again after a second coup in 1990. | |
| In 1999 he was convicted in absentia by a Dutch court for cocaine trafficking, charges he has denied. | |
| Immunity | Immunity |
| As the Netherlands does not have an extradition treaty with its former colony, Mr Bouterse was never jailed. | As the Netherlands does not have an extradition treaty with its former colony, Mr Bouterse was never jailed. |
| In 2012 the National Assembly, which was dominated by Mr Bouterse's party, voted to grant the president immunity for alleged human rights abuses committed under his military rule. | In 2012 the National Assembly, which was dominated by Mr Bouterse's party, voted to grant the president immunity for alleged human rights abuses committed under his military rule. |
| He had been charged with involvement in the murder of 15 political opponents in 1982, which he denied. | He had been charged with involvement in the murder of 15 political opponents in 1982, which he denied. |
| The probe was led by his now political rival Chandrika Santokhi, who was the police commissioner at the time. | The probe was led by his now political rival Chandrika Santokhi, who was the police commissioner at the time. |
| Observers from the Organization of American States and other regional bodies are in Suriname to monitor the elections. | Observers from the Organization of American States and other regional bodies are in Suriname to monitor the elections. |
| Results are expected on Tuesday. | Results are expected on Tuesday. |