YEREVAN, Armenia — Without even her home country supporting her, Michaelle Jean failed in her bid for a second term as secretary general of la Francophonie Friday as members chose Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo.
Mushikiwabo had the backing of France and many African Union countries going into the summit. But in a final attempt to sway the 54 voting members Thursday, Jean warned that rights and democracy shouldn't take a back seat to partisan ambitions.
"Are we ready to accept that international organizations are used for partisan purposes?" Jean asked. "Are we ready to accept that democracy, rights and freedoms are reduced to mere words, that we make them meaningless in the name of realpolitik?"
Three days after his government withdrew its support for Jean, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insisted the move was not part of a deal to advance Canada's bid for a United Nations Security Council seat in 2020
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