- Title: Presidential frontrunner Pereira votes in Guinea-Bissau election
- Date: 29th December 2019
- Summary: BISSAU, GUINEA-BISSAU (DECEMBER 29, 2019) (REUTERS) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DOMINGOS SIMOES PEREIRA ARRIVING TO CAST HIS VOTE VARIOUS OF PEREIRA PRESENTING HIS ID SECURITY GUARD STANDING WITH PEREIRA PEREIRA WALKING TOWARDS BOOTH PEREIRA BEHIND BOOTH PEREIRA VOTING AND HAVING HIS FINGER INKED VARIOUS OF PEREIRA TAKING PHOTOS WITH ELECTION WORKERS PEREIRA WALKING TOWARDS JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (French) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, DOMINGOS SIMOES PEREIRA, SAYING: "Ah Yes, the people of Guinea-Bissau are confident so I stay confident because I follow the people of Guinea-Bissau." PEREIRA LEAVING WITH HIS WIFE PAULA
- Embargoed: 12th January 2020 11:48
- Keywords: African elections Domingos Simoes Pereira Umaro Cissoko Embalo polls president voting election
- Location: BISSAU, GUINEA BISSAU
- City: BISSAU, GUINEA BISSAU
- Country: Guinea-Bissau
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001BC12DZB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Former Guinea-Bissau Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira voted in the capital Bissau on Sunday (December 29) in the country's second round of a presidential election many hope will usher in a semblance of calm for the west African country riddled with political turmoil.
Pereira, 56, is part of the ruling PAIGC party and is seen as the front-runner after winning the first round of voting on November 24 with 40%.
His opponent, Umaro Cissoko Embalo, 47, was in second place with 28% despite being a relative political newcomer, and political analysts say the run-off race could be close.
After the first round, Embalo questioned the result, saying the final tally between him and Pereira was much closer than official figures had shown.
Guinea-Bissau's next president will inherit major challenges including widespread poverty and an unstable political system in which the majority party appoints the government but the president has the power to dismiss it.
Both candidates in Sunday's showdown have said that if elected they will work to overcome a long-running political impasse and modernize the country of 1.6 million people, which has suffered nine coups or attempted coups since independence from Portugal in 1974.
Polling stations opened at 0700 GMT and were due to close at 1700 GMT. The electoral commission is expected to announce the provisional result on Wednesday, January 1.
(Production: Christophe Van Der Perre, Michael Fiorentino) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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