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Economic Affairs and Finance Minister Mamadou Koulibaly on Monday became speaker of Cote d’Ivoire’s national assembly at the first session of the legislative body. He was elected unopposed.
Members of the national assembly were elected in December and January.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Affi Nguessan on Sunday tendered the resignation of his cabinet, which had been sworn in just over two months ago. Gbagbo had said at the cabinet’s inauguration, which followed his election as president in October, that it would remain in place until the legislative polls were held.
Affi Nguessan was immediately reinstated as prime minister by Gbagbo, who gave him 72 hours to propose a new cabinet that takes into account the balance of forces in the country.
The ruling Front populaire ivoirien (FPI), which won 96 seats, is now allied to a group of 14 independents, which has significantly boosted its strength in the 225-member parliament.
The former ruling Parti democratique de Cote d’Ivoire (PDCI) has 94 legislators.
Elections are yet to be held in a troubled northern district that is to send two legislators to parliament. A number of seats are held by other independents, smaller parties and the Rassemblement des Republicains (RDR), five of whose members were elected even though their party boycotted the polls.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
