Liberian president Weah to face opponent Boakai for 2nd time in runoff vote

MONROVIA, Liberia — Liberian President George Weah will face off in opposition to challenger Joseph Boakai for the second time in a Nov. 14 runoff vote, election officers within the West African nation mentioned Tuesday.

The outcomes of the primary spherical introduced by Liberia’s Nationwide Elections Fee are the closest runoff for the reason that finish of the nation’s back-to-back civil wars.

Weah, a former worldwide soccer star, didn’t win an absolute majority and took 43.83% of the primary roundvote, the fee introduced. Boakai led a crowded discipline of challengers with 43.44%.

The 2 politicians final confronted off within the 2017 vote, when Weah in the end received 60% of the vote within the second spherical. It was the primary democratic switch of energy within the West African nation for the reason that finish of the nation’s back-to-back civil wars between 1989 and 2003 that killed some 250,000 folks.

Weah received that election amid excessive hopes caused by his promise to combat poverty and generate infrastructure improvement. His objective, he had mentioned in 2017, was to push Liberia from a low-income nation to a middle-income one.

However Weah has been accused of not residing as much as key marketing campaign guarantees that he would combat corruption and guarantee justice for victims of the nation’s civil wars.

Boakai, who served as vp below Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first democratically elected feminine chief, has campaigned on a promise to rescue Liberia from what he known as Weah’s failed management.

Weah is the one African to have received the Ballon d’Or. He performed as a ahead for Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Chelsea and Manchester Metropolis throughout an 18-year membership profession. His 23-year-old son, Tim, now performs for Serie A membership Juventus and the U.S. nationwide staff.