Presidential election in Niger: an unprecedented election in the country's history

Members of the Ceni are preparing ballot boxes and electoral materials for the presidential election on February 21 in Niamey.

AFP - ISSOUF SANOGO

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

7.5 million voters are called to the polls, this Sunday, February 21, for the second round of the presidential election.

The approximately 26,000 polling stations in the 8 regions of the country must open at 8 a.m. local and close at 7 p.m.

Nigeriens choose their next leader, between the candidate of the ruling PNDS party Mohammed Bazoum and that of the RDR Tchanji, Mahamane Ousmane.

An unprecedented ballot in the country's history, which marks the first peaceful succession between two elected presidents.

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With our special correspondent in Niamey

,

Magali Lagrange

Whoever wins the second round of the presidential election, Nigeriens will change leaders in a few weeks.

The current head of state, Mahamadou Issoufou, is coming to the end of his two terms.

According to the Constitution, he does not represent himself.

On the single ballot paper are today

the photos of two men

: Mohammed Bazoum, PNDS candidate, who won the first round with 39% of the vote, according to the final results.

And ex-president Mahamane Ousmane, candidate of the RDR Tchanji, who, for his part, won 17% of the votes cast on December 27.

Mohammed Bazoum, 61, is the successor to current President Mahamadou Issoufou, whom he has been a fellow traveler for 30 years.

Together, the two men created the party and Mohammed Bazoum was its Minister of Foreign Affairs and then of the Interior.

He has also been elected MP on several occasions.

Also to listen: Presidential in Niger: who to replace Mahamadou Issoufou?

His opponent, Mahamane Ousmane, 71, is not a novice in Nigerian politics either.

He was the first democratically elected president of Niger, in 1993, before being overthrown in a coup three years later.

An economist by training, Mahamane Ousmane has also served as President of Parliament.

But whether Nigeriens elect Mohamed Bazoum or Mahamane Ousmane at the head of the country, Niger will then experience the first peaceful succession in its history between two elected presidents.

In recent days, several appeals for appeasement have nevertheless been launched.

National observers from the Coalition for Citizen Observation of the Elections in Niger note that the tone of political speeches has recently "taken 

a step up

 ", even if they note a largely calm general political environment since the first round.

To read and listen: Niger: the last preparations on the eve of the second round of the presidential election

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