World’s longest-serving president wants to stay in office even longer

The longest-serving president in the world, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, is aiming for another term as president today. Obiang has been the boss in the Central African country for 43 years and is expected to be re-elected today.

On paper, it is a normal ballot, with opposition parties and opposition candidates. But fourteen opposition parties have made alliances with Obiang’s authoritarian regime. Only two candidates dare to oppose.

One of them, Andres Esono, says that his party receives complaints about the state of affairs throughout the day. Many voters, according to Esono, say they should cast their vote in public, rather than in secret. “This is large-scale fraud,” Esono told journalists. “Worse than last time.”

The authoritarian regime of 80-year-old Obiang is accused of harassment, beatings and corruption. On the streets of the capital Malabo, Obiang’s head can be seen everywhere, while few posters of the opposition hang in the city.

The president called on his supporters at an election rally last week to vote mainly for him, because otherwise there would be a lot of uncertainty.

“Some say there needs to be a change. But we do not know if they want that change for the people, or if they want a catastrophic situation that can lead to an uncontrolled situation.”

Louise Roth is the youngest member of WeeklyNewsReview team. Despite the young age Louise is interested in serious topics. Her main interests and education is all about economics and politics. But in our team she is the most productive do-it-all member, so she has to write on a variety of topics.