Burkina Faso Elects 1st New Leader in Decades

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — A former prime minister who has served in several high-ranking government positions emerged early Tuesday as the winner of the presidential election here, the first time the nation has had a new leader in nearly three decades.

The former prime minister, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, resoundingly won the vote in nearly 75 percent of precincts throughout the country and was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The election, which took place Sunday, represented the first free and competitive vote in Burkina Faso in decades. About three million people cast ballots, many of them celebrating as they crowded into polling stations to choose a leader after 27 years under President Blaise Compaoré.

Supporters gathered at the headquarters of Mr. Kaboré’s party to watch results on a large-screen television. Several of Mr. Kaboré’s more than one dozen competitors, including Zéphirin Diabré, a leading contender, showed up to concede and congratulate him. Celebrations were expected to be cut short; a curfew for early Tuesday morning was in place.

Mr. Compaoré was toppled in October 2014 after protests against his attempts to change the nation’s Constitution and extend his time in office. A security regiment loyal to Mr. Compaoré staged a brief coup in September and has since been disbanded. (Full Text)