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Parliament name (generic / translated) Assemblée nationale / National Assembly More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Unicameral Affiliation to the IPU No Affiliation date(s) 1981 - 2006 LEADERSHIP President Idriss Arnaoud Ali (M)  Notes 20.02.2008 - Secretary General Hassan Guelleh Guedid (M)  COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 65 / 65 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 9 (13.85%) Mode of designation Directly elected 65 Term 5 years Last renewal dates 8 February 2008 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address Assemblée nationale B.P. 138 DJIBOUTI (Export mailing lists) Phone (253) 35 20 37 35 01 72 35 29 21 35 33 85 Fax (253) 35 55 03 E-mail assnatdji@intnet.dj Website http://www.presidence.dj/assemblee.htm http://www.assemblee-nationale.dj/

Parliament name (generic / translated) Assemblée nationale / National Assembly Structure of parliament Unicameral LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 6 September 1992 05/04/1993 Mode of designation Directly elected 65 Constituencies 6 multi-member (4 to 37 seats, according to population) constituencies. Voting system Majority: - Party-list simple majority system in one round of voting, without vote-splitting or preferential vote. - Legislative elections shall be held within 30 days prior to or following the expiry of the mandate of members of the National Assembly (Article 29, paragraph 2 of organic law no. 1/AN/92 on elections). Voting is not compulsory. Voter requirements - Age: 18 years - Djibouti citizenship - Full enjoyment of civil and political rights - Disqualifications: criminal conviction, certain prison sentences CANDIDATES Eligibility - Qualified voters - Age: 23 years - Djibouti citizenship - Residence in the country Ability to read, write and speak French or Arabic fluently Disqualifications: - Persons convicted for a crime, convicted of an offence and sentenced to a prison term exceeding three years or a suspended prison sentence exceeding one year, except for convictions involving misdemeanour - Non-Djiboutian nationals Incompatibilities - President of the Republic - National Commissioners, district chiefs and deputy district chiefs, subdistrict (arrondissement) chiefs in the district of Djibouti - Government and ministry secretaries general - Magistrates - State supervisors, labour inspectors and school supervisors Members of the armed forces and of the national security force - Police commissioners and inspectors Candidacy requirements - party lists must be submitted at least 15 days before the start of the election campaign - a deposit of D.Fr. 500,000 per candidate is required; it is reimbursed to all candidates on party lists having obtained at least 5 per cent of the votes cast.

Parliament name (generic / translated) Assemblée nationale / National Assembly Structure of parliament Unicameral BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 8 February 2008 Timing and scope of renewal Elections were held for all the seats in the National Assembly on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. Elections were called for 8 February 2008 upon the normal expiry of the term of the National Assembly. In the previous elections held in January 2003, the Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) supporting President Ismael Omar Guelleh, who had been in power since 1999, had taken all 65 seats in the National Assembly. It had comprised four parties: the People's Rally for Progress (RPP), the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD), the National Democratic Party (PND) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD). The opposition coalition, the Union for Democratic Change (UAD), led by former prime minister Ahmed Dini, had failed to win parliamentary representation despite polling 28 per cent of the votes. The coalition included the Republican Alliance for Democracy (ARD), the Union for Democracy and Justice (UDJ), the Movement for Democratic Renewal (MRD) and the Djibouti Party for Development (PDD). It had boycotted the 2005 presidential elections in which Mr. Guelleh was re elected. The UAD demanded the introduction of the proportional representation system but the government rejected it. Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita argued that such a system would upset the tribal balance in Djibouti. The UAD subsequently boycotted the 2008 elections, claiming that they would be undemocratic. Its leader, Ismaël Guedi Hared, criticized the government for holding elections despite the opposition's boycott. He accused the government of trying to return to the de facto one-party system. Consequently, only the UMP, led by Prime Minister Dileita, fielded candidates in the 2008 elections. The UMP, which also now included the Union of Reform Partisans (UPR), endorsed 65 candidates, including nine women. Its platform was similar to the one used for the 2003 elections, promising a better quality of life through economic development and national unity. Almost 110,000 (over 72 per cent) of the 151,000 registered voters turned out at the polls, of whom some 103,000 voted in favour of the UMP list. The African Union and the Arab League, which monitored the polls, said they were "satisfied" with the election process, which they deemed to have taken place in "a democratic atmosphere". On 17 February, the Constitutional Council validated the elections of all 65 members. On 20 February, the newly elected National Assembly held its first session and re elected Mr. Idriss Arnaoud Ali (UMP) as its Speaker. STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 8 February 2008 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes 151'490 109'999 (72.61%) 6'536 103'463 Notes Distribution of votes Round no 1 Political group Candidates Votes % of votes Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total of seats Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) 65 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 56 9 13.85% Distribution of seats according to age 31 to 40 years 41 to 50 years 51 to 60 years 61 to 70 years Over 70 years 11 19 19 14 2 Distribution of seats according to profession Civil service and local authority administration Entrepreneur Education profession Other Armed services/Police Nursing Journalism, broadcasting, media Legal profession 41 7 4 4 3 2 2 2 Comments Sources: - National Assembly (18.02.2009) - http://www.elec.dj/ - http://www.adi.dj/

Parliament name (generic / translated) Assemblée nationale / National Assembly Structure of parliament Unicameral APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE Title Speaker of the National Assembly Term - duration: 5 years (term of House) - reasons for interruption of the term: resignation Appointment - elected by the Members of the Assembly - an election is held after a renewal of the Assembly, a resignation or a death - after validation of members' mandates Eligibility - any Member of the Assembly must formally announce his candidature - notification of candidature must be made one hour before the vote Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot - absolute majority required in the first round, relative majority in the second - in case of a tie, the oldest Member is declared elected Procedures / results - the oldest Member presides over the Assembly during the voting - the two youngest Members and the oldest member supervise the voting - the oldest Member announces the results without delay - the results may be challenged in the Constitutional Court STATUS Status - ranks third in the hierarchy of the State - in the absence of the Speaker, the First Deputy Speaker and possibly the Second Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions Board - is regulated by the Standing Orders - consists of a Chairman, 2 Vice-Chairman, 1 Secretary/Questor, 1 Secretary - members are eligible for re-election Material facilities NA (no information received) FUNCTIONS Organization of parliamentary business - convenes sessions - organizes the debates and sets speaking time - examines the admissibility of bills and amendments, with the Board's agreement - examines the admissibility of requests for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting up of such committees, together with the members of the Board - appoints ad hoc committees Chairing of public sittings - can open, adjourn and close sittings - ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders - makes announcements concerning the Assembly - takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures - establishes the list of speakers, together with the Secretary of the Board, gives and withdraws permission to speak - establishes the order in which amendments are taken up, together with the members of the Board - calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote, together with the Secretary of the Board, in the event of irregularities - checks the quorum, together with the Secretary of the Board - authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates, together with the Secretary of the Board Special powers - is responsible for establishing the budget, together with the Secretary/Questor - recruits, assigns and promotes staff - appoints the Clerk, with the agreement of the members of the Board - organizes the services of Parliament, together with the members of the Board - plays a specific role in overseeing foreign relations and defence matters - is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments - is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber Speaking and voting rights, other functions - takes the floor in legislative debates - takes part in voting - proposes bills or amendments, through other Members of the Assembly - intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure - nominates two of the six members of the Constitutional Counci

This page was last updated on 13 November 2009
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