Young "Patriots", holding a placard read

Young "Patriots", holding a placard reading "The Constitution has been blessed by the people, respect it" and an Ivorian flag, cheer upon the arrival of the leader of the Ivorian "Patriots" and national youth campaign director for presidential candidate and incumbent Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo, Charles Ble Goude, before a meeting of Patriots on March 6, 2010 at the Champroux de Marcory stadium in Abidjan. The UN Security Council has called for an election to be held by May 31, before the mandates for a UN force with nearly 8,000 personnel and a French 1,800-troop deployment in the country run out. The vote is due to take place in "late April-early May", according to a timetable agreed among the parties concerned during a visit last month by the mediator, Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore. The new head of Ivory Coast's Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) officially began work on March 5, heading a panel formed last week to lead the country to a long-delayed presidential poll. AFP PHOTO/ SIA KAMBOU (Photo credit should read SIA KAMBOU/AFP via Getty Images)