The decision of the Constitutional Court, which cannot be contested, also deemed the petitioner, Maliza Said Soilihi, a Franco-Comorian lawyer, ineligible to file the petition. Soilihi argued before the court, “The electoral code, enacted in 2023, outlines the procedures for implementing this fundamental right.”
Comoros’ Supreme Court made a significant decision on September 9, declining to grant voting rights to the diaspora and thereby dismissing an appeal requesting their inclusion in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for next year. The Constitutional Court, which serves as the highest judicial authority in Comoros, ruled that the application was “inadmissible,” according to a report by AFP. While the electoral code theoretically permits Comorians living abroad to participate in elections, the practical mechanisms for their voting have not been established.
It is worth noting that approximately one in three Comorians resides in the diaspora.
The decision of the Constitutional Court, which cannot be contested, also deemed the petitioner, Maliza Said Soilihi, a Franco-Comorian lawyer, ineligible to file the petition. Soilihi argued before the court, “The electoral code, enacted in 2023, outlines the procedures for implementing this fundamental right.”
Characterizing the refusal as a “violation of fundamental rights,” she called for “necessary measures to ensure the inclusion of Comorian citizens living abroad in the electoral registry” for the upcoming presidential election.
In response to the court’s decision, she expressed her intention to pursue the case with “supra-national bodies.” The Comorian community in France is estimated to number 300,000, with over half residing in Marseille. In contrast, the three islands of the Comoros themselves have an official population of approximately 870,000, according to available statistics.
Comoros is set to conduct presidential and regional elections no later than February. President Azali Assoumani, who was attending the G20 summit in India, is seeking re-election. Assoumani, a controversial figure, came to power in 1999 through a coup, and his tenure has been marked by the arrest of numerous political opponents. Many individuals critical of his regime have sought refuge in countries such as France.
Maliza Said Soilihi, aged 39 and a former local council member in Marseille, a city in France often regarded as an extension of the Comoros due to its substantial Comorian community, submitted her application in August, asserting that she was acting “as a citizen.”
In response to the court’s decision, she expressed her intention to pursue the case with “supra-national bodies.” The Comorian community in France is estimated to number 300,000, with over half residing in Marseille. In contrast, the three islands of the Comoros themselves have an official population of approximately 870,000, according to available statistics.
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