2009–2010 Nigerien constitutional crisis
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The 2009–2010 Nigerien constitutional crisis occurred in
President Tandja dissolved the
His ministers then announced the 4 August referendum would go forward, despite previous refusals of courts, political parties, and the independent electoral commission to carry out the election.[4]
Campaign for presidential term extension
The proposal for a referendum was first floated in May 2009. Beginning in late 2008, several supporters of President Tandja began a campaign to extend his term of office.
In March, during his meetings with French President Sarkozy, Tandja explicitly stated that he would not seek a third term.[12]
Then, in early May 2009, when questioned by the press on his visit to Agadez to begin peace talks with Tuareg rebels, Tandja announced that "the people have demanded I remain."[13] Thereafter it was announced he would seek a referendum to scrap the current constitution and create the Sixth Republic of Niger.
A series of protests followed, led by opposition party
According to the 1999
On 26 May, within hours of the Constitutional Court's statement, official media read out a statement that President Tandja had dissolved the National Assembly.[20] Under the 1999 Constitution he is allowed to do this once every two years,[21] but he must call parliamentary elections within three months.
Referendum plan
The full details of the referendum proposal were not finalized, but elements of the proposed constitution were outlined by government spokesmen and by a commission set up by the president to draft a proposed document. Tandja would extend his term for a transitional mandate of three years, during which a new constitution would be written and approved. The system of government would be changed from a
On 5 June, the President and the
Protests
Large opposition rallies were held in May and June, attended by a broad coalition of political parties, civil society groups and trades unions. These included Former Prime Ministers
A 22 June announcement by the ECOWAS summit that member states would impose sanctions on Niger should the President attempt to revise the constitution before the next presidential election. Mahamane Toure, ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs, peace and security, was quoted by AFP saying that Tandja "has tried to keep himself in power by non-democratic means. For us, there is no legal alternative left for him."[37]
Legal block
On 12 June 2009, the Constitutional Court ruled against Tandja's referendum proposal, following a non-binding advisement to the President the month before. This time the ruling was in response to a case brought by a coalition of opposition groups, which included the CDS, a governing partner in the previous government, without which the MNSD could not gain a majority in the Assembly. In such cases, the Constitution specifies that rulings of the Constitutional Court are binding and may not be appealed.[2][38] Thereafter, the Independent National Electoral Commission announced that National Assembly elections would take place on 20 August, and no referendum would be voted upon.
On 19 June President Tandja called Council of the Republic, a consultative body of all major government leaders. This was the first time this body was called.[39] On 21 June President Tandja released a statement saying he would honor the Court and Electoral Commission rulings, and would suspend any effort to change the constitution until after the National Assembly elections on 20 August.[3]
Despite the 21 June statement by the President, on the evening of 24 June, Minister of Communications Ben Omar released a statement by the President, demanding the Constitutional Court to rescind its decision, citing a 2002 statement by the same body that the President was able to call referendums.
On the same day, the Democratic Confederation of Workers of Niger (CDTN) trade union confederation led a 24-hour general strike across the nation to protest the President's referendum plans, after a previous strike had been indefinitely postponed on 18 June. All seven trade union confederations took part, in the first general strike since the creation of the Fifth Republic in 1999. The organizers provided skeleton staffs of union workers for hospitals, water and electric utilities, and airports. [42][46]
Presidential emergency powers
In a televised and radio speech to the nation on the following evening (26 June, after
The Chairman of the 66 member decentralized organization which operates and certifies all elections, the National Independent Election Commission (CENI),[50][51] Moumouni Hamidou,[52] stated following the 18 June Court decision that they would not hold the 4 August referendum[53][54][55] and were preparing almost 7 million voting cards for the 20 August legislative election.[56]
Despite this,
On 29 June, Tandja again appeared on state media defending the state of emergency. Six of the seven
Later the same day the government announced it had dissolved the
On 3 July 2009, Tandja appointed a new constitutional court – a decision which was strongly criticised by civil society groups, unions, political parties and others.[60] Lawyers declared a strike on 13 July 2009.[61]
4 August 2009 referendum
The contested referendum was held on 4 August despite major criticism from international groups, and was overwhelmingly approved in part because of opposition boycotts.[62] A regional director at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems said that this might put a halt in democratic development in the country and possibly force the opposition to encourage protests.[62]
Post referendum
Crisis talks
The political crisis in Niger appeared deadlocked since the disputed referendum and election.
Coup d'état
On 18 February 2010
The Junta established a cabinet and promised to run the government during a short transition period before new elections.See also
- Mamadou Tandja
- Constitution of Niger
- Government of Niger
- 2021 Nigerien general election protests
References
- ^ a b "Niger leader Mamadou Tandja 'held by soldiers'". BBC News. 18 February 2010. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
- ^ a b "Niger's top court rejects referendum on new constitution", AFP, 12 June 2009.
- ^ a b Le président Tandja renonce à son projet de référendum. Radio France International. 21 June 2009
- ^ a b Niger to hold referendum despite court ruling. Reuters. 28 June 2009.
- ^ Le Président Tandja reste muet sur les appels en faveur d’une prolongation de son mandat. APA 19 December 2008
- ^ Des Nigériens manifestent pour la mise en place d’une transition politique de trois ans dans leur pays. APA 21 December 2008
- ^ Demande de prolongation de trois ans du mandat du président Tandja. AFP 21 December 2008
- ^ a b ANNONCE DU RÉFÉRENDUM Le planning du Tazartché Archived 15 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Oumarou Keïta. Republicain-Niger. 15 May 2009.
- ^ a b RÉFÉRENDUM CONSTITUTIONNEL Une présidence à vie s'annonce ! Archived 15 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Oumarou Keïta. Republicain-Niger. 15 May 2009.
- ^ Meeting de la coordination nationale Tazartché de Niamey à la Place Toumo : attachement et soutien au Président Mamadou Tandja pour l'organisation d'un référendum. Mayaki Soumaila Seydou, Le Sahel. 11 May 2009.
- Bloomberg news. 22 January 2009.
- ^ Niger : " Je suis prêt à partir à la fin de mon mandat ", affirme le Président nigérien. APA 28 Mars 2009 11:34
" je ne cherche pas un autre mandat. Donc je suis très clair là-dessus, je n’ai demandé à aucun nigérien si on peut faire ceci ou cela. Jamais, et je n’ai jamais demandé quoi que ce soit pour changer la constitution nigérienne ou à y chercher des modifications " - ^ Le président de la République Mamadou Tandja: "Le peuple demande que je reste, je ne peux pas rester insensible à son appel.". LE TEMOIN 4–8 May 2009.
- ^ a b Le principal parti allié de Tandja contre son projet de référendum Archived 19 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine. AFP 15 May 2009.
- ^ CDS-Rahama. 15 May 2009.
- ^ Remaniement gouvernemental au Niger, nouveau ministre de la Justice. AFP 15 May 2009
- ^ Niger court says third-term referendum unlawful. Reuters. 26 May 2009
- ^ La Cour constitutionnelle du Niger s’oppose au projet de changement de constitution Archived 4 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine APA News. 25 May 2009.
- ^ Ousmane et Djermokoye espèrent toujours l’ouverture des négociations avec Tandja . LE TEMOIN du 11 au 15 mai 200
- ^ Niger's Tandja dissolves parliament. Reuters. 26 May 2009
- ^ Matthew Søberg Shugart. Semi-Presidential Systems: Dual Executive and Mixed Authority Patterns Archived 19 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine. School of International Relations and Pacific Studies. University of California, San Diego (September 2005).
- ^ "SCENARIOS-Niger's president seeks to change constitution". Reuters. 1 June 2009.
- ^ AFP: Niger to vote August 4 on extension of presidential mandate
- ^ "Niger to hold referendum on 3rd term - Taiwan News Online". Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
- ^ Chronogramme Tazartché: Bonus de 3 ans pour Tandja, Elections locales et législatives en 2009, Elections présidentielles (auxquelles Tandja pouvait participer) en 2012. LE TEMOIN du 11 au 15 mai 2009
- ^ a b ALa Cedeao contre la réforme constitutionnelle prévue au Niger Archived 19 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Deutsche Welle. 15 May 2009.
- ^ Original text: "Approuvez-vous le projet de Constitution soumis à votre sanction ? "
- ^ Au conseil des ministres : le corps électoral convoqué pour le mardi 4 août 2009 - la campagne référendaire ouverte le lundi 13 juillet 2009 à 00 heure et close le dimanche 2 août 2009 à 24 heures Archived 27 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Le Sahel, Government of Niger. 8 June 2009.
- ^ PREMIERE JOURNEE ANTI- TAZARTCHE (JAT)...NIAMEY LE 09 MAI 2009. CEN-PNDS.TARAYYA. 10 May 2009.
- ^ Niger: grande manifestation à Niamey contre une nouvelle constitution. AFP. 10 May 2009.
- ^ Démonstration de force des anti-Tazartché: et retour en force des pro-Hama . A.T& I.S.G LE TEMOIN du 11 au 15 mai 2009
- ^ Niger protesters march against constitutional change. Reuters. Sun 14 June 2009.
- ^ Niger anti-referendum protests turn violent. Adboulaye Massalatchi, Reuters. 1 June 2009
- ^ Region warns Niger's leader on plan to keep power. Reuters. 18 May 2009.
- ^ Niger court annuls constitutional referendum plan. Adboulaye Massalatchi, Reuters. 12 June 2009
- ^ Niger's president seeks to change constitution. Adboulaye Massalatchi, Reuters. 1 June 2009
- ^ West African summit tackles Niger, Guinea, and eco crisis. Sophie Mongalvy, AFP. 22 June 2009.
- ^ BBC. 12 June 2008
- ^ "Niger elections set for Aug 20: poll commission", AFP, 19 June 2009.
- ^ Le président du Niger maintient son projet de référendum. Reuters. 25 June 2009.
- ^ a b NIGER: On alert for a constitutional coup? - analysis. IRIN. 25 June 2009.
- ^ a b c Niger president's main ally quits the government. AFP. 25 June 2009.
- ^ COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE de CDS Rahama du 25 juin 2009 Archived 29 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ L'opposition à Tandja se renforce. RFI. 25 June 2009.
- ^ Tandja's main ally quits government . The Independent (South Africa)/ Sapa/AFP. 25 June 2009.
- ^ Niger: grève générale jeudi contre le projet de référendum de M. Tandja. AFP. 24 June 2009.
- ^ Niger president rules by decree after court snub. Reuters. Fri 26 June 2009
- ^ Emergency powers for Niger leader. BBC. 26 June 2009.
- ^ Niger opposition accuses president of coup. Sat 27 June 2009
- ^ Elections 2009: Le Chef de l'Etat nomme M. Moumouni Hamidou, président de la Commission Electorale Nationale Indépendante (CENI ). Sahel Quotidien. 26 March 2009
- ^ Les institutions bloquent le projet du président. Radio France international. 20 June 2009.
- ^ Convocation du corps électoral pour les législatives anticipées: Le ‘’coq à l’âne’’ du Président Tandja. M. Zamanka, Le Canard déchaîné N°383. 22 June 2009.
- ^ Niger: législatives le 20 août, pas de référendum. AFP. 19 June 2009.
- ^ Niger’s electoral commission ready to work for polls Archived 29 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine. PANA Press. 26 June 2009.
- ^ Niger: remaniement pour remplacer des ministres démissionnaires. AFP. 29 June 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2009. Archived 2 August 2009.
- ^ COMMUNIQUE DU SECRETARIAT GENERAL DU GOUVERNEMENT : DISSOLUTION DE LA COUR CONSTITUTIONNELLE. SECRETARIAT GENERAL DU GOUVERNEMENT. 29 June 2009.
- ^ Suspension des programmes de la Radio et de la Télévision Dounia. Daouda Diallo (President du Conseil Superieur de la Communication). 29 June 2009.
- ^ "Niger anger at court appointment". BBC News. 3 July 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
- ^ "Lawyers challenge Niger president". BBC News. 13 July 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
- ^ a b Richardson, Paul and Saidou, Dijrbril. Niger’s President to Seek Backing for Third Term in Referendum Bloomburg.com, 4 August 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
- ^ Stearns, Scott (20 January 2010). "Regional Mediator Proposes Power-Sharing Deal for Niger". Voice of America.
- ^ "Niger president calls for 'sacrifices'". AFP. 12 January 2010.