Nicaraguans Dread Potential Ortega Re-Electio...

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Nicaraguans Dread Potential Ortega Re-Election
December 07, 2009

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in Nicaragua think the re-election of Daniel Ortega would be a negative development in the country, according to a poll by CID-Gallup published in La Prensa. 58 per cent of respondents share this opinion, while 36 per cent say a new Ortega term would be positive
In November 2006, Ortega—a member of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN)—won the presidential election with 37.99 per cent of all cast ballots. Presidential candidates in Nicaragua are not compelled to garner more than 50 per cent of the vote in order to win the election.
Ortega governed from 1985 to 1990, but was a losing candidate in the 1990, 1996 and 2001 ballots. In January 2007, he was sworn in for a five-year term.
Consecutive presidential re-election is currently not permitted in Nicaragua. Since 1995, presidential re-election in the Central American country is only allowed once and in non-consecutive terms. Ortega has repeatedly suggested that the five-year presidential term is too short and that the current law, enshrined in the constitution, should be revised.
On Oct. 5, the opposition Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC) denounced Ortega for allegedly trying to "control" the Supreme Court in order to introduce an amendment to the Constitution that would allow him to run in the 2011 presidential election.
On Dec. 3, lawmakers voted to reject a ruling by the Supreme Court ending a ban on consecutive presidential re-election. In a statement, the Legislative branch said it had decided to "reject and deny" the "pseudo-ruling" by the Supreme Court, and that it would therefore treat it as "non-existent."
The legislature is now set for a confrontation with the Nicaraguan electoral body, which has said that the Supreme Court’s decision is final.
Polling Data