Guinea-Bissau heads to the polls on Sunday in legislative elections as voters seek stability more than a year after President Umaro Sissoco Embalo dissolved parliament over accusations of corruption. In the central district of Bairro Militar in the capital Bissau, 30 voters were up early to queue in the shade of trees before casting their ballots after the seven am (0700 GMT) opening.
Twenty-two parties are vying for 102 seats, with about 884,000 people registered to vote. Results are expected within 48 hours.
Three dominant parties, including Embalo’s Madem G15 party, share almost all the seats in the national assembly. Under the current political system, the majority party or coalition appoints the government but the president has the power to dismiss it in certain circumstances. That has led to political deadlock and infighting in the past.
Credit: aljazeera.com
