In Free Election, Niger OKs Constitution
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NIAMEY, Niger — In this country’s first free balloting in 32 years, voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum that will lead to presidential and legislative elections, officials said Sunday.
Voters approved a new constitution by 89%, according to results from 3,743 polling stations, the National Electoral Commission reported.
Results from only 142 stations were still pending.
By approving the constitution, voters set the stage for multi-party presidential and legislative elections some time next year.
It was the West African desert nation’s first open vote since it gained independence from France. The balloting was monitored by international observers, and some irregularities were reported.
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