About 6.5 million Malian voters go to the polls for parliamentary elections

Voters in Mali went to the polls on November 24 to elect a new parliament, hoping to restore stability to the West African nation after a military coup last year. But the election has been overshadowed by threats of Islamist reprisals.

Polling stations officially opened this morning under tight security amid concerns that armed Islamist groups resurgent in the north of the country could launch attacks.

Security was tightened on election day. (Source: AFP)

An estimated 6.5 million voters are eligible to vote for 147 seats in the National Assembly, with a list of more than 1,000 candidates. If no party is able to form a government after the November 24 election, a second round will be held on December 15.

The parliamentary elections mark Mali's first steps towards recovery after the chaos of the military coup in March 2012. They also complete a political process that began with the presidential election in August, which elected Ibrahim Boubakar Keita.

The above elections will help Mali have competent State institutions and recognized legitimacy to lead the country into the reconstruction process after a crisis that has lasted more than 18 months./.

According to VNA