2010 Comorian presidential election explained

Country:Comoros
Type:presidential
Previous Election:2006 Comorian presidential election
Previous Year:2006
Next Election:2016 Comorian presidential election
Next Year:2016
Election Date:7 November 2010 (primary)
26 December 2010 (national)
Image1:Ikililou Dhoinine 2012.jpg
Nominee1:Ikililou Dhoinine
Popular Vote1:106,890
Percentage1:60.91%
Nominee2:Mohamed Said Fazul
Popular Vote2:57,587
Percentage2:32.81%
Image3:3x4.svg
Nominee3:Abdou Djabir
Popular Vote3:11,018
Percentage3:6.28%
President
Before Election:Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi
After Election:Ikililou Dhoinine

Presidential elections were held in the Comoros on 7 November 2010, with a second round on 26 December,[1] alongside gubernatorial elections for the three main islands.[2] The result was a victory for Ikililou Dhoinine, who received 61% of the vote.

Background

There had been an attempt to delay the elections until 27 November 2011 and extend the presidential term until then.[3] However, the Constitutional Court ruled this unconstitutional in May 2010.[4]

Electoral system

In Comoros, the presidency rotates every four years between the federation's three constituent islands: Anjouan, Mohéli and Grande Comore. This rotation was Mohéli's turn to supply the president.[5] Incumbent president Ahmed Abdallah Sambi was from Anjouan, and was thus not able to stand as a candidate.

The president was elected in two rounds; in the first round, voters in Mohéli voted in a primary election, with the top three candidates advancing to the second round, where a nationwide vote was carried out, with the winner decided by plurality voting.

Candidates

There were ten candidates in the presidential primary election. President Sambi supported his Vice President Ikililou Dhoinine. Another candidate from the Presidential Movement was Mohamed Larifou Oukacha, secretary-general of the presidency, showing a possible split in the Presidential faction. The other eight candidates were from the opposition.[6] Among them were Mohamed Said Fazul, former governor of Mohéli, and Zahariat Saïd Ahmed, the sole female candidate.[7]

Results

Ikililou Dhoinine, Mohamed Said Fazul and Bianrifi Tarmidhi received the most votes in the first round primary. However, Tarmidhi's total number of votes was cut down on 13 November by the constitutional court after it had decided to invalidate the ballots from several polling stations.[8] This meant that, besides Dhoinine and Fazul, Abdou Djabir advanced to the second round.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Comoros leaders agree to poll timetable | Top News . https://web.archive.org/web/20100626224612/http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE65G0C220100617 . dead . 2010-06-26 . Reuters . 2010-06-17 . 2010-08-21.
  2. News: Élection des présidentielles de l’Union et des gouverneurs des îles : les bureaux ouverts avec des légers retards. 7 November 2010. Al Watwan. French. 7 November 2010. Moroni.
  3. Web site: Comoros to hold elections in November 2011 - People's Daily Online . People's Daily . 2010-03-25 . 2010-08-21.
  4. Web site: Comoros election talks fail: News24: Africa: News . News24 . 2010-05-28 . 2010-08-21 . 30 June 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160630061416/http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/Comoros-election-talks-fail-20100528 . dead .
  5. http://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/comoros/government Comoros: Government
  6. News: Elections harmonisées : 10 prétendants au siège de président et 29 aux postes de gouverneur. Ahmed. M. Soilihi. 14 September 2010. Al Watwan. French. 7 November 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110723012936/http://www.alwatwan.net/pdf/14092010.pdf. 23 July 2011. dead.
  7. News: Fin de la campagne. Les candidats et leurs états majors se reposent en attendant le jour "J". 6 November 2010. Al Watwan. French. 7 November 2010.
  8. News: Publication des résultats définitifs: La cour constitutionnelle rétrograde Bianrifi au profit du candidat Djabir. 13 November 2010. La Gazette des Comores. French. 21 November 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110712233826/http://edition.hzkpresse.com/actualites/lire.php?article=1275. 12 July 2011. dead.