Reconciliation an Unlikely Outcome of Ivorian Elections

With the first national elections since the Ivorian civil war less than a week away, international observers are hoping to see the first step toward national reconciliation in the West African country. But because the government of President Alassane Ouattara has made a number of moves that run counter to reconciliation and because the economy is showing few signs of recovery, the elections likely will lead marginalized political elements out of the public space and toward armed conflict.