The European Union (EU) will for the first time send an election observer team to Lesotho, a senior EU official announced late Wednesday.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell said Ignazio Corrao, Member of the European Parliament, would lead the European mission to observe Lesotho’s parliamentary elections in October.
“The deployment of this first ever EU Election Observation Mission illustrates the continuous strengthening of the Lesotho–EU partnership, dating back to 1976,” Borrell said.
Lesotho will hold its general elections on October 7 in the latest round of polling in the landlocked southern African country. At least 53 political parties are registered take part in the general elections.
Lawmakers elect a prime minister to head government, and the premier usually comes from the party with the majority in 120-seat parliament.
The mountainous kingdom of two million people, entirely surrounded by South Africa, has suffered repeated bouts of instability and army interference in politics.
Between 2012 and 2017, Lesotho held three elections that resulted in fractious coalitions and turbulence.
JN/APA