Voters in Gabon choose a new president in the first election since the 2023 military coup

Libreville, Gabon
AP
 — 

Voters in oil-rich Gabon headed to polling stations on Saturday in a presidential election that the country’s military rulers hoped would legitimize their grip on power.

It’s the first election since a 2023 military coup ended a political dynasty that lasted over 50 years. Analysts have predicted an overwhelming victory for the interim president who led the coup.

Some 920,000 voters, including over 28,000 overseas, are registered to participate across more than 3,000 polling stations. A third of the country’s 2.3 million people live in poverty despite its vast oil wealth.

The interim president, Gen. Brice Clotaire…