Ethiopia opposition calls for rerun of election amid claims vote was flawed

Ethiopia opposition calls for election rerun

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — An Ethiopian opposition leader is calling for a rerun of the weekend election, saying the vote was flawed.

Hailu Shawel said Wednesday he’s asked the national election board for a repeat of Sunday’s national parliamentary election. He says the poll was marred by intimidation and irregularities.

The latest results show a landslide victory for the party of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who has ruled since seizing power in a 1991 coup.

European Union observers say the poll was marred by an uneven playing field that favored the ruling party. In Washington, National Security Council Spokesman Mike Hammer said the U.S. is concerned that international observers found the elections fell short of international commitments.