EU Says Second Round of Voting in Mali Has Been Calm

First election since French-led intervention

Election workers tallied votes on chalkboards Monday after the country held a peaceful presidential runoff vote, an election aimed at returning stability to a nation wracked by a separatist rebellion, a coup and a French-led campaign to dislodge al-Qaida-linked militants.

Results are expected within the next five days though former Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is expected to easily win the second round. He received nearly 40 percent of ballots in the first round and endorsements from nearly all the also-rans.

Critics feared the election had been organized too quickly, and there were technical glitches reported during the first round. Former Finance Minister Soumaila Cisse, who faced Keita in the second round, had complained about the nearly 400,000 spoiled ballots.