Shareholders of at least seven major American corporations have the opportunity to sound off on money their companies gave politicians and political causes in 1996 elections. The PAC's contributions were up 15 percent over the 1993-94 election cycle. The rest went to other congressional candidates. The News of Mexico City, Reuters on 23 April reported that a non-profit campaign watchdog group charged Tuesday that both the 1996 campaigns of President Clinton and Republican challenger Bob Dole broke the law and should be investigated by a special prosecutor. Officials of Common Cause told a news conference that Attorney General Janet Reno was wrong last week in turning down demands to seek an independent counsel to look into financing irregularities.
Elections are to take place before the end of the year.
The only other announced candidate is banker and broadcaster Bogoljub Karic, who is running as an independent. Critics charge that Zajedno is no match for the governing Socialists because the coalition lacks real cohesion and a common program. Agence France-Presse on 21 April reported that the presidential majority in Mali has proposed the annulment of the first round of general elections, bowing to a demand by the opposition, and postponing a presidential poll. Officials had on Saturday said that of 55 constituencies in a total 147, the governing Alliance for Democracy in Mali party has won 14 outright, has a favorable situation in 37 and unfavorable in three. Voice of America on 22 April reported that rebels have massacred 93 people in a raid on a village outside Algiers.