Democracy in need of support

The AP reports on a political showdown in the Ivory Coast:

Ivory Coast's president vowed to stay in power for another year Sunday as security forces fired into the air and hurled tear gas at opposition militants protesting a bitterly disputed, UN-backed extension of his mandate.

Laurent Gbagbo also said he would name a new prime minister within days to ensure presidential elections are held within 12 months. Late Sunday, rebels issued a statement proclaiming rebel leader Guillaume Soro the new premier, although they have no legal authority to do so. The move was sure to increase tensions in the West African country...

The rebels issued a statement after the speech declaring Gbagbo's mandate over and saying they would no longer recognize him as head of state. The statement said Soro would set up a "government of national reconciliation" but did not say how.

Half a dozen cabinet ministers also have said they won't recognize Gbagbo's authority after Sunday and claim he no longer has the right to command the army, which has remained loyal so far.

The truly sad part of the current situation is that the major parties agree both that elections need to take place, and that the Ivory Coast isn't ready to hold them just yet. But the question of who's going to run the country in the meantime seems contentious enough that it could derail the entire process.

A dispute along these lines (internal actors with relatively common interests) is exactly the type where diplomatic involvement should be able to result in a deal. But it doesn't look like anything of the sort has been in the works just yet...and it'll take quick action now to get a deal done before the dispute turns all the more ugly.