BY NEVILLE SPENCER
The leftist Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) has increased its strength in Nicaragua's municipal elections held on November 5, raising the possibility of it winning back power in next years' presidential and legislative elections.
The most important vote to take place was for the mayor of the capital, Managua, recognised as the second most powerful political post in the country. The vote was won by Herty Lewites of the FSLN with 44%. Lewites was formerly the tourism minister during the Sandinista government of the '80s.
The party of President Arnoldo Alem n, the right-wing Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC), came second with almost 29.2%, while the Nicaraguan Conservative Party (PCN) came in third with 25.2%.
According to Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) results as at November 14, the FSLN is leading in other major departmental capitals, including Matagalpa, Leon, Esteli, Chinandega and Ocotal. Overall, earlier figures had the FSLN winning in 53 municipalities, the PLC in 92 and the PCN in five.
The Sandinistas held power previously following the 1979 revolution in which they overthrew the US-backed dictator Anastasio Somoza. They won a landslide victory in the 1984 election but lost to a right-wing coalition in 1990 after the US-backed contra war had devastated the economy.
They lost again in the 1996 elections to a regrouped right-wing coalition led by Arnoldo Alem n. In both elections, however, they won over 40% of the vote and remained the largest party in the National Assembly as well as being by far the largest party in membership.
Public opinion has turned against the PLC due to several corruption scandals and a number of constitutional changes that were passed in January in a political pact with the Sandinistas. Among the constitutional changes made through the pact were:
The lowering of the minimum number of votes needed to win the presidency without a second round vote to 35%. The granting of seats in the National Assembly to outgoing presidents and vice-presidents. Changes to the CSE and Supreme Court. The changes were generally criticised for entrenching the power of the existing major parties and making it difficult for small parties to stand in elections.
Although both the FSLN and PLC were involved in the pact, the PLC has borne the brunt of public dissatisfaction. The FSLN has no challengers on the left while the PLC may face increasing challenges from the PCN.
The pact also brought to the fore simmering tensions within the FSLN. A minority grouping of FSLN deputies opposed the pact and voted against the constitutional changes. This appears to have created an ongoing faction within the FSLN, though no formal split has resulted and, under the new laws, it would be more difficult for a new party to compete electorally.
In the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN), where the population is largely indigenous and black, the Yatama indigenous party was excluded from the election because of its failure to complete some paperwork by the required deadline. Voter turnout was only around 20% in the region as a result of a boycott called by Yatama, and many communities prevented polling stations from being set up.
The FSLN gained the largest number of votes in the RAAN capital of Bilwi, as well as in the South Atlantic Autonomous Region's capital of Bluefields.