
After Disputed Election Win, Assoumani Consolidates Power in Comoros
Comoros’ Supreme Court has certified President Azali Assoumani as the winner of last month’s presidential election with 59 percent of the vote, despite protests from the opposition and serious flaws in the voting process. At least three people were killed in a failed uprising at a military base several days after the election, prompting the United States to withdraw its personnel from the islands. Meanwhile, the opposition has been decimated by a campaign of arrests and intimidation, says Simon Massey, a senior lecturer in international relations at Coventry University. In an interview with WPR, he discusses the possibility of further unrest in the coup-prone country and the direction Comoros is likely to take under Assoumani’s continued rule.
World Politics Review: How credible was the presidential election last month, and how much validity does there appear to be to the opposition’s complaints that the vote was rigged? ...