Sudan's electoral commission has said the country's elections will go ahead next week despite one of the main opposition parties threatening to boycott it.

Last week, the opposition Umma Party said it would pull out unless the government met eight key demands. If it follows through on its threat, the party will join other major opposition groups who have withdrawn from the presidential race in protest against a vote they say is "rigged" in favour of Omar al-Bashir, the incumbent president.

It will be the country's first multi-party elections since 1986, but it is seen by some as a way to legitimise al-Bashir, who seized power in 1989 and is currently under indictment by the International Criminal Court for alleged human rights violations in Darfur.
 
So, where does this leave the elections and what impact could this have on the future of Sudan?

Inside Story, with presenter Nick Clark, discusses with guests Seddiq Youssef from the Juba Alliance group, and Hamdi Abdurrahman, a professor of political science at Cairo University.

This episode of Inside Story aired from Sunday, April 4, 2010.