Cabo Verde / Cape Verde - Election 2006
Cape Verde, with a population of approximately 460,000, is a multiparty parliamentary democracy in which constitutional powers are shared among the elected head of state, President Pedro Verona Rodrigues Pires, and Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves. Pires was reelected for a second five-year term on February 12 in generally free and fair elections. Nationwide legislative elections held on January 22 also were declared generally free and fair. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces.
The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, there were problems in some areas. The human rights problems reported were police abuse of detainees, poor prison conditions, lengthy pretrial detention, excessive trial delays, media self-censorship, violence and discrimination against women, child abuse, child labor, and juvenile crime.
The constitution and law provide citizens with the right to change their government peacefully, and citizens exercised this right in practice through periodic, free, and fair elections held on the basis of universal suffrage.
In the January 22 legislative elections individuals and parties were free to declare their candidacies. The ruling African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) won with 52 percent of the vote and 41 seats in the National Assembly. The main opposition party, Movement for Democracy (MPD), won 44 percent and 29 seats. The Union for a Democratic and Independent Cape Verde (UCID) won 2 percent and the remaining two seats. The MPD contested the results with allegations of fraud and filed for an annulment of the elections with the SCJ. On February 24, the SCJ rejected the annulment request.
The country received representatives from a joint delegation of the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES), the Nigerian National Electoral Commission (INEC), the West African Civil Society Organization Forum (FOSFAO), and Global Rights. IFES and INEC were satisfied with the elections, which they deemed free and fair. FOSFAO praised the population for its maturity and civic education, but highlighted some negative aspects such as the location of polling stations and delays in the opening of polling stations.
The presidential elections were held on February 12, and individuals and parties were free to declare their candidacies. International observers were present and satisfied with the election. The incumbent President Pires of the PAICV received a second term with 51 percent of the vote. The MPD presidential candidate, Carlos Veiga, won 49 percent of the vote. On February 21, Veiga petitioned the SCJ to annul the presidential election results; he stated the elections were not free or transparent. On March 11, the SCJ ruled there were no legal grounds for annulment and confirmed President Pires as the winner.
Although the National Electoral Commission (CNE) and the SCJ declared the legislative and presidential elections generally free and fair, they also recognized that there were some irregularities in both elections. The CNE noted that the electoral code needed to be amended to provide greater security and transparency. It also cited a need for stricter, more consistent voter identification and registration processes, and the adoption of indelible ink on ballots.
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