Presidential elections were held in Guinea on 11 October 2015. The result was a first-round victory for incumbent President
Alpha Condé
Alpha Condé (N'Ko: ; born 4 March 1938) is a Guinean politician who served as the fourth president of Guinea from 2010 to 2021.
Condé spent decades in opposition to a succession of regimes in Guinea, unsuccessfully running against President L ...
, who received 58% of the vote.
Background
In December 2013, the
Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa
The 2013–2016 epidemic of Ebola virus disease, centered in Western Africa, was the most widespread outbreak of the disease in history. It caused major loss of life and socioeconomic disruption in the region, mainly in Guinea, Liberia and S ...
that began in Guinea spread to neighbouring Sierra Leone and Liberia, as well as with health workers and visitors who returned to their respective countries. At the time of the elections the worst of the epidemic was over, although there were still a lesser number of prevalent cases.Guinea Holds Tense Vote Despite Opposition Mistrust, NDTV, 11 October 2015 /ref>
The seven opposition parties called for a postponement, citing alleged irregularities in the electoral roll, but their pleas were rejected by the
Independent National Electoral Commission
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was established in 1998 and is the electoral body which oversees elections in Nigeria.
History
Regulation and administration of elections
The administration of democratic elections in Nige ...
(CENI).
Cellou Dalein Diallo
Cellou Dalein Diallo (3 February 1952 , Xinhua, 14 December 2004 .) is a
Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea
The Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (french: Union des forces démocratiques de Guinée, UFDG) is a social-liberal political party in Guinea.
The party was founded in 1991 by a number of opposition parties and groups. In October 2002 it was ...
(UFDG) also petitioned the Supreme Court of Guinea to have the election postponed, but it was rejected.
Electoral system
The elections were held using the
two-round system
The two-round system (TRS), also known as runoff voting, second ballot, or ballotage, is a voting method used to elect a single candidate, where voters cast a single vote for their preferred candidate. It generally ensures a majoritarian resu ...
, with a second round taking place if no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the first round.Republic of Guinea IFES Presidents are limited to two terms in office, allowing incumbent president
Alpha Condé
Alpha Condé (N'Ko: ; born 4 March 1938) is a Guinean politician who served as the fourth president of Guinea from 2010 to 2021.
Condé spent decades in opposition to a succession of regimes in Guinea, unsuccessfully running against President L ...
to run for a second term.
Campaign
A total of eight candidates contested the elections;Guineans vote in presidential poll amid tension BBC News, 11 November 2015 including incumbent Condé, Diallo, who was named as the candidate of the UFDG on 25 July 2015,
Sidya Touré
Sidya Touré (born 1945) is a Guinean politician. He was Prime Minister of Guinea from 1996 to 1999 and is currently the President of the Union of Republican Forces (UFR), an opposition party.
Prime minister
Having previously been in exile in C ...
of the
Union of Republican Forces
The Union of Republican Forces (french: Union des Forces Républicaines, UFR) is a liberal political party in Guinea.
Founded in 1992, the party has been led since 1999 by the former Prime Minister of Guinea
This article lists the prime min ...
, Papa Koly Kourouma of the Generations for Reconciliation, Union, and Prosperity party, Georges Gandhi Faraguet of the Guinean Union for Democracy and Development, Faya Millimouno of the Liberal Bloc, Marie Madeleine Dioubaté of the Guinea Ecologists Party and
Lansana Kouyaté
Lansana Kouyaté (born 15 July 1950) is a Guinean politician and diplomat who served as Prime Minister of Guinea from 2007 to 2008. Previously he was Executive Secretary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from 1997 to 2002 ...
of the National Party for Hope and Development.
During the campaign Condé told voters that he aimed to promote development and consolidate stability. Diallo promised to give priority to youth employment, as well as "access to health care, decent housing, water, electricity, safety, and justice". His campaign slogan promised to deliver a "KO blow" to his opponents. He cited his record on overhauling the army and judiciary, the completion of a hydroelectric dam and reforms in making the mineral-rich country's mining contracts more transparent. He said in an interview: "Ask the people of Guinea if what we have done in five years, the others did in 50. Ask that on the streets." His campaign was said to benefit from improving supply of electricity in Conakry and the relative stability the country endured despite the Ebola epidemic.
Diallo called on voters to make their voices heard following the rejection of his plea for a delay of the "imperfect" process. "We will vote, defend our suffrage, defend our victory because there is no way we will let our victory be stolen." Prior to the vote, all seven opponents of the incumbent said they would challenge the outcome. A joint statement read: "The seven candidates will not recognise the results which will be made following an election with anomalies and irregularities."
Conduct
Violence during the election campaign, including clashes between supporters of Condé and Diallo in
Koundara
Koundara is a town in northwestern Guinea, near the borders of Guinea-Bissau and Senegal. It is the capital of Koundara Prefecture. The town is served by Sambailo Airport. As of 2014 it had a population of 27,433 people.
Climate
Koundara has ...
, led to the deaths of at least three people. A curfew was put in place in
Nzérékoré
Nzérékoré (N’ko: , Adlam: ; also spelled N'Zérékoré) is the second-largest city in Guinea by population after the capital, Conakry, and the largest city in the Guinée forestière region of southeastern Guinea. The city is the capital of ...
after one person was killed and dozens injured during a visit by Condé on 5 October.Will Guinea election be free and fair? BBC News, 8 October 2015 United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon then called for the vote to be "conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner."
Voting centres were open from 7:00 until 18:00, while national borders were closed for the day and traffic restricted to that of electoral observers, government officials and security forces, in accordance with a presidential decree. Around 19,000 police and members of the security services were on duty. Condé also declared that over 90% of voter cards had been distributed.
Monitors included an African Union observer mission and a 72-member
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
delegation. The EU delegation cited “massive deficiencies” ahead of polling; however, in its post-election report it concluded that the process overall was “valid”.
Results
Reactions
After CENI head Bakary Fofana announced there would be no run-off, Diallo and Touré alleged fraud and said they would not recognise the result. Diallo said "I will invite the other candidates and all the citizens who are the real victims of this electoral hold-up to organise, conforming to the law, peaceful demonstrations to express our disapproval of this situation","Guinea President Alpha Conde wins second term, opponent vows to protest" DNA India, 18 October 2015. and that the demonstrations would occur "at the appropriate time... to express our indignation and protest against this serious denial of democracy", while a spokesman for Condé criticised the notion of holding protests, saying that it "risks dragging the country into instability, chaos and violence". He urged supporters of Condé to "stay calm, avoid gloating and get ready to face the numerous challenges that await us".Selim Saheb Ettaba and Abdoulaye Bah Agence France-Presse, 17 October 2015.
Final results were announced by the
Constitutional Court
A constitutional court is a high court that deals primarily with constitutional law. Its main authority is to rule on whether laws that are challenged are in fact unconstitutional, i.e. whether they conflict with constitutionally established ...
on 31 October 2015, closely matching the provisional results from the electoral commission. Condé was credited with 57.84% of the vote (2,284,827 votes) and Diallo with 31.45%. Condé was accordingly declared to have won in a single round, with his second term to begin on 21 December.
Condé was sworn in on 14 December 2015."Guinea's president sworn in for 2nd term" Associated Press, 14 December 2015.