Venezuela’s opposition is hoping Sunday’s regional elections will wrest a majority of state governorships from President Nicolas Maduro’s ruling Socialist Party, and give the opposition some momentum ahead of next year’s presidential election.

Polls projected opposition Democratic Union Roundtable coalition candidates were likely to win over half the contests.

Many polling places stayed open past the official 6:00 pm closing time to allow voters already in line cast their ballots.

Agence France Presse quoted an electoral commission source as estimating turnout at around 60 percent.

Results are not expected until late Sunday or early Monday.

Even if opposition politicians win a majority of state governorships, they still may not be able to effectively wield power. Maduro has said incoming governors will have to take an oath of office and “subordinate themselves” to the Constituent Assembly – a pro-government legislative body Maduro created last summer following months of protests.

The assembly seized legislative power from the opposition-dominated congress. [Read More]

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Source: VOA News: Bangladesh