Opposition Primaries Plagued by High Abstention as Party Elites Sow Divisions
Opposition Primaries Plagued by High Abstention as Party Elites Sow Divisions
By Lucas Koerner
Caracas, May 18, 2015 (venezuelanalysis.com) - Amid notably low turnout, Venezuelan opposition voters went to the polls over the weekend to choose 42 parliamentary candidates for the country’s rightwing Roundtable of Democratic Unity (MUD) coalition in the run-up to National Assembly elections later this year.
Sunday’s primaries were held in just 33 of Venezuela’s 87 circuits and excluded 11 of the country’s 23 states, to the dissatisfaction of many voters. Ballots were initially to be cast in 38 circuits until voters were informed of an abrupt change just six days prior to the primary.
The elections were organized via Venezuela’s internationally renowned National Electoral Center (CNE), considered the best in the world by former US president Jimmy Carter. Also present was an international observer team comprised of representatives of UNASUR headed by the regional organization's General Secretary Ernesto Samper.
In circuits where elections actually took place, polling stations were reportedly empty. According to President of the MUD Primary Commission José Luis Cartaya, 543,723 voters cast ballots out of a total of 7,317,661 eligible voters in the 33 circuits.
More:
http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/11382
