Ecuador will hold run off poll to choose new president
That's correct! Ecuador is indeed holding a runoff election to choose its new president. The country's National Electoral Council (CNE) announced that the runoff election will take place on April 11, 2021.
The runoff election is necessary because no candidate received more than 50% of the votes in the first round of voting, which was held on February 7, 2021. The top two candidates, Guillermo Lasso of the CREO party and Andrés Arauz of the Unidad Nacional (UN) party, will face off in the runoff election.
Guillermo Lasso, a businessman and former banker, won the most votes in the first round with 19.7%, while Andrés Arauz, a former minister of education, came in second with 32.7%. Arauz is backed by the ruling party, the Alianza PAIS (AP) party, which has been in power since 2007.
The runoff election is expected to be a closely contested and potentially divisive contest, with both candidates having different visions for the country's future. Lasso has promised to implement economic reforms and reduce corruption, while Arauz has pledged to continue the social and economic policies of the current government.
The outcome of the runoff election is likely to have significant implications for Ecuador's economy, politics, and society, and will be closely watched by international observers and investors.