Presidential elections

TBILISI (Reuters) - The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said on Thursday that one side in Georgia's presidential election had enjoyed an "undue advantage" after a ruling party-backed candidate Salome Zurabishvili won a run-off on Wednesday. French-born Zurabishvili who was backed by the ruling party won 59.6 percent of the vote in the runoff, defeating opposition candidate Grigol Vashadze, the central election commission said in the early hours of Thursday. "The second round of Georgia’s presidential election was competitive and candidates were able to campaign freely, however one side enjoyed an undue advantage and the negative character of the campaign on both sides undermined the process." (Reporting by Margarita Antidze; Writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) … [Read more...] about OSCE says one side in Georgian presidential election had ‘undue advantage’

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan authorities are considering postponing a presidential election scheduled for April 20 next year, officials said, following heavy criticism of the chaotic organisation of parliamentary elections last month.Kubra Rezaie, a spokeswoman at the Independent Election Commission (IEC), said an option was being considered in which the presidential election, along with already delayed parliamentary elections in the central province of Ghazni and district council elections could be delayed by three months.gi "But we cannot say they will be postponed because this is something at an initial stage," she said.Last month's parliamentary elections, which saw huge delays at polling stations across Afghanistan, came in for heavy criticism over problems ranging from incomplete voter lists to malfunctioning biometric voter verification equipment.However, any delay to the presidential ballot could provoke strong opposition from political groups, many of which suspect President … [Read more...] about Afghanistan considering delaying April presidential election

By Hamid Ould AhmedALGIERS (Reuters) - Algeria is backtracking on some economic reforms such as cutting costly subsidies as the country wants to minimise the risk of protests before presidential elections next year, according to the budget data and experts.gi The North African oil producer country had said at the start of the year subsidies for fuel and other products would be lowered from 2019 to rein in spending following a fall in oil revenues from 2014 to 2017. It gave no specifics.But its draft budget for next year includes a 7 percent increase in subsidy spending, accounting for 21 percent of the budget. The rise will be used to subsidise basic food items including milk and cereals as well as housing, officials say.The government had also approved this year higher and new taxes for some products and increases in subsidised fuel prices for the third straight year. But no new such hikes are planned for next year, according to the draft.Analysts said a rise in oil prices this year … [Read more...] about Algeria shelves subsidy reforms before presidential elections