Comoros ruling party wins majority in boycotted legislative polls

Comoros’ ruling party has won an absolute majority in the first round of legislative elections boycotted by the country’s opposition.

According to official results, President Azali Assoumani’s Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros party won 17 out of 24 legislative seats, while two other seats went to parties in the presidential coalition.

Opposition parties have described Sunday’s first round of voting as a “circus” and an “electoral masquerade” and estimated the turnout at just 10%, well below the 61.5% announced by the electoral commission.

They had boycotted the vote for what they called a failure to guarantee a transparent, free and democratic” election. The electoral commission announced Monday, that a second round of voting is billed for February 23rd.