(MENAFN- Qatar News Agency) Polls opened in Burkina Faso's presidential and parliamentary election on Sunday, after a year of political turmoil.
It is the first election since last year's popular uprising which toppled longstanding president Blaise Compaore.
Security is tight with up to 25,000 troops expected to be deployed across the country, the (BBC) reported.
The vote was due to have been held last month but was delayed by a failed coup in September led by members of the elite presidential guard.
The election is meant to mark the end of the transitional period following Compaore's removal. Analysts say it could be the most open and democratic vote in the country's history.
"For the first time in 50 years there is an electoral uncertainty... we don't know the winner in advance," said Abdoulaye Soma, head of Burkina Faso's society of constitutional law.
"This is a positive point and a fundamental change from the other elections that we had seen earlier." If no candidate wins an absolute majority in the first round, a second round will be held.
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