Botswana

Botswana's governing party is expected to prevail over a divided opposition in the Oct. 15 elections despite added pressure on leaders in the world's largest diamond-producing country amid the global recession. Even the opposition, which warns that one-party rule is being entrenched at the expense of democracy, doesn't expect victory against a party that has been in power since Botswana won independence from Britain in 1966. The Botswana Democratic Party won 44 of 57 seats in the last elections held in 2004, with the remaining 13 seats split between the Botswana National Front and the Botswana Congress Party. (AP)