Ivory Coast’s opposition party demands a functioning electoral commission before joining gov’t
By APWednesday, February 24, 2010
Ivory Coast opposition demands election commission
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Ivory Coast’s opposition says it will not join the newly formed unity government until an electoral commission is convened.
Opposition leader Alassane Ouattara said Wednesday that his party would not name ministers to the new government.
The country’s prime minister on Tuesday announced a new government, nearly two weeks after the president dissolved the last one. But only 16 of the 27 ministers have been agreed upon. The remaining 11, which will include opposition ministers, are to be announced before the first Cabinet meeting on Thursday.
President Laurent Gbagbo dissolved the last government on Feb. 12 alleging fraud by the head of its election commission.
Gbagbo’s term expired in 2005 and elections have been scheduled and postponed every year since.
