Liberians Vote in Tight Presidential Runoff

Facts

• Liberian voters headed to polls on Tuesday for the presidential runoff between incumbent Pres. George Weah and former Vice Pres. Joseph Boakai, who finished the first-round election with a difference of just 7,126 votes.¹
• This comes after neither the former international soccer star Weah nor his repeat challenger Boakai got an outright majority last month, securing 43.8% and 43.4% of the total, respectively. The winner will be sworn into office in January next year.²
• Over 2.4M citizens were registered to cast their ballot in polling stations from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time. While the electoral commission has to publish the results within 15 days, the vote counting is expected to take less time.³
• Voter turnout on Tuesday was reportedly low across the country despite the Oct. 10 first round having the highest turnout in postwar Liberia's history at 78.86%, as runoff elections in Liberia traditionally fail to capture the enthusiasm of the first round.⁴
• This presidential election is considered a referendum on Weah's leadership since taking office in 2018. The latest Gallup poll, conducted before the first round of voting, found his job approval rating at 54%, down from 65% last year.⁵
• According to the latest statement of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP)'s Election Situation Room, the general atmosphere has been peaceful, with a few isolated clashes and delays to open polling centers.⁶

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²BBC News, ³Africa News, ⁴Liberian Observer, ⁵Gallup and ⁶Front Page Africa.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by African Arguments. Following empty promises and an unsuccessful first term as president, it's time for Weah to go. A poor economy and unchecked corruption remain Liberia's primary concerns six years later, and Weah has only shown that he's not adept at finding solutions to these problems. As the threat of military coups continues to loom over many West African states, Liberia must use its democratic autonomy to vote for positive change instead of the status quo.
• Narrative B, as provided by Front Page Africa. Though Weah's first term in office may not have been exceptional, he succeeded in maintaining both the country's political and macroeconomic stability. He has also improved security with little to no external support, contributed to regional peace, and consistently passed the Millennium Challenge Corporation scorecards. Additionally, he's the only candidate who has the strength and energy to heal the nation from polarization.