Guinea Bissau awaits election results

Votes are being counted in Guinea Bissau’s presidential election, with the incumbent Jose Mario Vaz facing stiff competition after five years of political and economic turmoil.

Polling day was calm despite outbreaks of violence in the lead up to the election.

A total of 12 candidates are running, with a former Prime Minister, Domingos Simoes Pereira, emerging as a front-runner. Guinea Bissau has had seven prime ministers in the past five years.

The country has had multiple coups since independence in 1974 and is used as a transit point for Latin American drugs bound for Europe.

Results are expected on Thursday, If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes a run-off will be held on 29 December.

 

Source: BBC