Somali Parliament votes for new president

(Vatican Radio) Somalia's new parliament is voting for a new president of the country's fledgling government, a move that members of the international community say is a key step toward the country's transition from a war-torn failed state to a nation with an effective government.

Somalia has had transitional administrations since 2004, but has not had a functioning central government since 1991, when warlords overthrew a long-time dictator and turned on each other, plunging the impoverished nation into chaos.

The U.N. special representative for Somalia implored parliamentarians to think of the good of their country and vote with a clear conscience on Monday.

The U.N.-backed process of electing the country's next government has been criticized for corruption and threats of violence.

Matteo Guglielmo, an analyst for the geo-political journal ‘Limes’ and an expert on the region, says the country is not ready for popular elections:

“This is not a true election… I mean, this is an election that is only in the parliament. But the country is still unprepared to organise true and real elections. So the next government, the next president will be an outcome of a parliament composed by 200 members, not by all the population, Somali population. It is very, very important to understand the real consistence of this new government, and this new parliament, this new president.”

The last day of the eight-year U.N.-backed transitional government was Aug. 20 and the U.N. had wanted a new president in place by then. But political bickering, threats and seat-buying schemes delayed progress toward the selection and seating of 275 members of the new Parliament that will select a president

Last month Somali leaders endorsed a new provisional constitution that expands rights for Somali citizens. The UN—which helped broker the constitution and is in charge of the poll—hopes that one day all of Somalia will be able to vote to endorse or reject the constitution.

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