Elections in Niger
Judiciary |
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Elections in Niger take place within the framework of a
Electoral history
Following
A General Council was established in the same period and was
The final French National Assembly election in Niger was held in
Upon independence in 1960, the PPN became the sole legal party. The country's first presidential elections were held in September 1965, with Diori as the sole candidate. Parliamentary elections later in the year resulted in the PPN winning all 50 seats. Presidential and parliamentary elections in 1970 were held under the same system with the same result.
A
By 1993 other political parties had been legalised, and the first multi-party parliamentary elections since independence were held in February 1993.[3] The MNSD emerged as the largest party, but won only 29 of the 83 seats; opposition parties subsequently formed the Alliance of the Forces of Change, which had a parliamentary majority.[3] In the presidential elections shortly afterwards, Mahamane Ousmane of the Democratic and Social Convention was elected in the second round, defeating Mamadou Tandja of the MNSD (who had received the most votes in the first round). Following a split in the AFC, early parliamentary elections were held in 1995,[4] but did not significantly alter the makeup of the National Assembly.
A coup in January 1996 led to presidential elections in July, in which coup leader Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara was elected. The National Union of Independents for Democratic Renewal, formed to support him, won an absolute majority in the parliamentary elections later in the year amidst an opposition boycott.[5] Another coup in 1999 led to general elections that year. Tandja was elected president and the MNSD emerged as the largest party in the National Assembly with 38 of the 83 seats.[6] The 2004 elections saw Tandja re-elected and the MNSD remain the largest party.[7]
A 2009 referendum resulted in the constitution being suspended and presidential elections being delayed. The parliamentary elections went ahead, with an opposition boycott allowing the MNSD to win a majority.[8] However, Tandja was removed from office in a 2010 coup and general elections were held in 2011, which saw Mahamadou Issoufou of the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) elected president and the PNDS become the largest party in the National Assembly.[9] Issoufou was re-elected in 2016 general elections, with the second round of the presidential elections boycotted by the opposition. The PNDS made significant gains in the parliamentary elections, but failed to win a majority.[10]
Electoral system
The President is elected for a five-year term using the two-round system. The 171 members of the National Assembly are elected by three methods. The majority, 158, are elected from eight multi-member constituencies based on the seven regions and the Niamey metropolitan region; seats are allocated using the simple quotient and the highest averages method under proportional representation, and there is a 5% electoral threshold. A further eight members are elected from single-member constituencies to represent ethnic minorities, whilst five are elected from single-member constituencies to represent Nigeriens living abroad, with one constituency for each continent. The single member constituencies are elected on a first-past-the-post basis.[11]
Referendums
During the French colonial era, French citizens in Niger were able to vote in French referendums held in
The next referendum was held in 1987 on a National Charter that would establish non-elective, consultative institutions at both national and local levels, with official results showing 99.6% voting in favour. A constitutional referendum two years later saw the new constitution approved by a similar margin. Another constitutional referendum in 1992, which proposed reintroducing multi-party democracy, was approved by 90% of voters.
The 1996 coup led to a
References
- Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen& Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Zweiter Halbband, p1461
- ^ Elections held in 1989 Inter-Parliamentary Union
- ^ a b Elections held in 1993 Inter-Parliamentary Union
- ^ Elections held in 1995 Inter-Parliamentary Union
- ^ Elections held in 1996 Inter-Parliamentary Union
- ^ Elections held in 1999 Inter-Parliamentary Union
- ^ Elections held in 2004 Inter-Parliamentary Union
- ^ Elections held in 2009 Inter-Parliamentary Union
- ^ Elections held in 2011 Inter-Parliamentary Union
- ^ Last elections Inter-Parliamentary Union
- ^ Electoral system Inter-Parliamentary Union