NIGER
Parliamentary Chamber: Assemblée nationale

ELECTIONS HELD IN 1999

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Chamber:
  Assemblée nationale


Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

  24 November 1999


Purpose of elections:

  Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament following the premature dissolution of this body in the wake of the military coup d'Etat of 9 April 1999. General elections had previously been held in November 1996.


Background and outcome of elections:

  On 9 April 1999, President of the Republic Ibrahim Bare Mainassara was killed in a military coup d'Etat in an atmosphere of financial crisis and mounting social unrest, especially among public sector workers and students. The National Assembly last elected in November 1996 was then dissolved and a National Reconciliation Council, led by Major Douada Mallam Wanke, took power for the transitional period leading to the return of civilian rule. On 18 July, a new Constitution introducing a balance of powers between the President, Prime Minister and Parliament was approved by popular referendum, and promulgated shortly thereafter. On 17 August, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) announced the dates of the presidential and legislative elections for October and November.

More than 700 candidates and 19 parties were in the running for the 83 National Assembly seats. Polling day was monitored by over 1000 observers, including some 200 foreigners. Final results gave an absolute majority of 55 seats to the centre-right National Movement for a Developing Society (MNSD) and its ally the Social and Democratic Convention (CDS), which obtained 38 and 17 seats, respectively. Opposition forces led by the centre-left Niger Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) picked up the remaining 28 seats. The presidential race was won by Mr. Mamadou Tandja (MNSD), a retired Colonel, in a runoff with Mr. Mahamadou Issoufou (PNDS), a former Prime Minister. There had been little difference in their campaign platforms, both candidates calling for national unity and financial reforms to fight poverty. This particular outcome avoided a situation of "cohabitation" between opposing forces in the executive and legislative branches as had been the case earlier in the decade.

On 22 December, President-elect Mamadou Tandja was officially sworn in for a five-year term.

STATISTICS
Round no 1 (24 November 1999): Elections results  
Number of registered electors 4 587 684

Round no 1: Distribution of seats  
Political Group Total
Nations Movement for the Development Society (MNSD) 38
Democratic and Social Convention (CDS) 17
Nigerian Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) 16
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP JAMAA) 8
Niger Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ANDP) 4

Distribution of seats according to sex:  
Men: 82
Women: 1
Percent of women: 1.20


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Copyright © 1999 Inter-Parliamentary Union