Voters in Gabon began heading to the polls Saturday to elect a new president, lawmakers and local councils that opposition politicians hope will break the Bongo family’s grip on power for more than five decades.

Incumbent President Ali Bongo is seeking a third term. He has been the leader of the country since 2009. Before that, his father led the oil-rich Central African country.

“Gabon is not the property of the Bongos,” said Albert Ondo Ossa, one of Bongo’s main rivals in the 14-candidate presidential race.

Just last week, Ondo Ossa became the candidate for the main opposition grouping in the presidential race, Alternance 2023.

A recent change to this year’s voting has proved controversial, with critics saying the new measure gives an unfair advantage to the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party. With the change, a vote for a local deputy will automatically be a vote for the deputy’s presidential candidate. Critics say that change will lead to an “unfair vote” as Ossa is not backed by a single party.

Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse.
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