Liberia's next president faces mounting expectations

Significance

Whoever succeeds outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will have to tackle widespread state corruption, cut recurrent government expenditure and boost infrastructure spending to spur economic growth.

Impacts

• Post-election violence could spike if the opposition loses and accuses a partial electoral commission of manipulation.
• Low capital spending and poor infrastructure will remain a persistent deterrence to long-term private and foreign investment.
• International financial institutions will pressure the new government to cut public spending.
• Further delays to a proposed constitutional referendum are likely.