On Tuesday, Liberians began casting their votes in a closely watched runoff election between incumbent President George Weah and former Vice President Joseph Boakai. The first round of voting had seen both candidates fall below the 50% threshold required for an outright victory, setting the stage for a highly competitive second round.
In the initial round, Weah secured 43.83% of the vote, while Boakai closely followed with 43.44%. The thin margin in the first round has heightened expectations of a closely contested runoff. Queues formed early at polling stations in the capital, Monrovia, as citizens turned out to participate in the democratic process.
The incumbent, George Weah, a former soccer star, has requested more time from voters to fulfil promises made during his first term, emphasising commitments to rooting out corruption and improving livelihoods. Liberia continues to grapple with the repercussions of two civil wars (1989-2003) and the 2013-2016 Ebola epidemic.
In contrast, Boakai has centred his campaign on the need to rescue the nation from what he perceives as mismanagement by Weah’s administration, which has faced allegations of corruption.
Endorsements from candidates who did not advance to the runoff have played a role in the campaigns of both Weah and Boakai. A crucial factor in the runoff will be the preference of the 6% of voters whose ballots were invalidated in the first round.
The West Africa Elders Forum (WAEF) Election Mission, led by former Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, arrived in Monrovia to support the peaceful conduct of the elections and strengthen the country’s democracy. The mission urged Liberians to maintain peaceful conduct and avoid violence during the runoff.
While Liberia has experienced relative peace, sporadic clashes occurred during the electoral period, raising concerns about potential unrest in the event of alleged irregularities in the second round.
The country’s economy exhibited growth in 2022, driven by gold production and a satisfactory harvest. However, over 80% of the population still faces moderate or severe food insecurity, according to the World Bank’s July report. The outcome of the presidential runoff will significantly impact Liberia’s trajectory as it grapples with socio-economic challenges.