Niger: Code of Conduct Encourages a Peaceful Vote on Jan. 31

Thirty-six political parties and two independent candidates in Niger have signed a code of conduct that encourages parties and their supporters to campaign honestly and respect the outcome of Jan. 31 presidential and legislative elections. The polls will mark a return to democratic rule following last February's coup d’état that removed autocratic President Mamadou Tandja from office. NDI worked initially with 16 parties to draft the code, based on examples used successfully in other countries.

Abdourahamane Ousmane, president of the National Communications Observatory, officiated at the Jan.25 signing ceremony. The observatory was established by Niger's military government to monitor balanced media coverage of the parties' electoral campaigns and to ensure free speech during the country's transition to democratic rule. Adherence to the code will be monitored by a general assembly of signatories and a monitoring committee in coordination with Niger's National Council on Political Dialogue.

The code covers conduct for political parties and their supporters before, during and after the elections. Signatories agree not to engage in physical or verbal violence and to avoid defamatory attacks on individuals. They pledge to place women and young people high on their parties' candidate lists to address the traditional underrepresentation of these two groups in Nigerien politics. Signatories also agree to respect the work of poll workers and election officials, and to respect the outcome of the elections, channeling complaints through established legal channels.

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Pictured above: Mahamane Ousmane, candidate of the Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama (convention démocratique et sociale-Rahama) signs the code.

Published January 28, 2011