25 more years? Sudan’s al-Bashir re-elected with 94 percent of vote

Analysts were predicting “business as usual” in Sudan after President Omar al-Bashir won the country’s election, garnering 94 percent of the vote. Bashir, who has ruled the country since coming to power in a military coup in 1989, will continue his rule, despite previously stating that he would not run for re-election. Election officials said al-Bashir won 5.58 million votes. The other 14 presidential candidates were virtually unknown to the public.

There is a feeling that very little is at stake. No one believes the re-election of Bashir will lead to any genuine political change.

Harry Verhoeven, a professor of African politics at Georgetown University

Bashir campaigned on a number of issues, including turning around the heavily sanctioned and oil-reliant economy, improving relations with the international community and tackling high inflation and unemployment rates. He also reaffirmed his pledge to hold genuine national dialogue talks inclusive of all political stakeholders, and to work towards a permanent constitution. Sudan has yet to adopt a constitution after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement’s six-year, interim period expired in 2011.

Politics sudan