COMOROS: Country go to polls in vote snubbed by opposition

The Indian Ocean nation of Comoros headed to the polls Sunday to elect lawmakers, with many opposition groups planning to snub a vote they say lacks transparency.

Comorian President Azali Assoumani’s eldest son, Nour El Fath Azali, who is 39 and the country’s secretary general, is running to represent a constituency just outside the capital Moroni.

Several voting booths opened late after material failed to materialise in time for an official 7:00am (0400 GMT) start, an AFP reporter saw.

Before he was appointed to the post in July 2024, Nour had been a private advisor to his father, 65, a former military ruler who came to power in a 1999 coup.

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Critics said Nour’s new powers – which entail approving all decrees issued by ministers and governors – elevate his role to that of de facto prime minister.