Front for Democracy and the Republic explained

The Front for Democracy and the Republic (French: '''Front pour la démocratie et la république''') is an opposition coalition in Mali that fought the presidential election on 29 April 2007 and the parliamentary election of 1 July and 22 July 2007. The FDR is an umbrella organisation, bringing together 16 independent political parties and groups.[1] It rejected the official results of the election, according to which incumbent president Amadou Toumani Touré won with about 71% of the vote, and alleged fraud, unsuccessfully asking the Constitutional Court to annul the election.[2] [3] [4] On 19 May, the leading FDR candidate, National Assembly president Ibrahim Boubacar Kéita, said that the group would abide by the court's decision to confirm Touré's victory[5] and would concentrate on the July 2007 parliamentary election.[6]

Of the eight candidates who fought the presidential election, four were affiliated with the FDR alliance:

The parties and other organisations were:

In the July 2007 parliamentary election, the FDR won a total of 15 out of 147 seats: 11 for the RPM and four for PARENA.[7]

Notes and References

  1. http://apanews.net/article_eng.php3?id_article=25240 "Forces lined up for 29 April presidential election in Mali"
  2. http://apanews.net/article_eng.php3?id_article=32468 "Presidential contenders claim for cancellation of last Sunday polls"
  3. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6623603.stm "Mali opposition seeks poll re-run"
  4. http://www.jeuneafrique.com/fluxafp/fil_info.asp?art_cle=36776 "Présidentielle au Mali: la Cour constitutionnelle valide la réélection de Touré"
  5. http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20070520215240812C984842 "Mali opposition concedes Toure's re-election"
  6. http://www.jeuneafrique.com/fluxafp/fil_info.asp?reg_id=0&art_cle=36880 "Mali/présidentielle: l'opposition finit par accepter une défaite trop large"
  7. http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200708131307.html "Mali: Résultats définitifs des Législatives - l'Adéma/PASJ perd dans trois localités"