| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Parlement / Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Inama Nshingamateka / National Assembly |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Inama Nkenguzamateka / Senate
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
29 June 2015 |
| Timing and scope of renewal |
The ruling coalition, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), took 77 of the 100 directly elected seats during the elections; the poll was boycotted by the major opposition parties. Hope for Burundians (Abigenga-Amizero y'Abarundi) took 21 seats (see note 1), even though this opposition coalition, led by Mr. Agathon Rwasa, had officially boycotted the elections. In order to ensure respect for the 60-40 ethnic distribution of seats and the 30 per cent quota for women, a further 21 members (see note 2) were co-opted after the elections. That increased the number of members in the new National Assembly to 121, up from 106 in the outgoing legislature. The UN mission in the country (MENUB) stated that "the environment was not conducive for free, credible and inclusive elections."
The 2015 elections followed an attempted coup on 15 May. The coup was preceded by violent protests after President Pierre Nkurunziza (CNDD-FDD) announced that he would run for a third term in the 2015 presidential elections (see note 3). Following mounting pressure from the international community, the parliamentary elections were postponed from 26 May to 5 June and then to 29 June. Before polling day, several key parliamentarians left the CNDD-FDD. They included Second Vice President of the Republic and former Senate President Mr. Gervais Rufyikiri, and outgoing Speaker of the National Assembly Mr. Pie Ntavyohanyuma. Both have fled into self-imposed exile in Belgium. According to the United Nations, 140,000 people have fled the country amid violence.
Note 1:
The names of several opposition parties were retained on the final ballot paper. The election commission stated it did not receive an official letter from those parties about the withdrawal of their candidates from the elections. Before announcing the election boycott, the major opposition parties criticized President Nkurunziza's new presidential bid and demanded the postponement of the presidential polls scheduled for 15 July.
Note 2:
Seventy-five men (56 Hutus and 19 Tutsis) and 25 women (14 Hutus and 11 Tutsis) were directly elected. In all, 18 women (3 Hutus and 15 Tutsis) and 3 Twa representatives (including one woman) were co-opted, bringing the total number of women to 44.
Note 3:
Article 96 of the 2005 Constitution stipulates that the President is directly elected for a five-year term, renewable once. President Nkurunziza was indirectly elected by parliament in 2005 and then directly elected in 2010. Supporters of the President argued that he was eligible to run again in 2015, since he was indirectly elected by parliament for his first term. On 5 May, the Constitutional Court ruled that "the renewal of the presidential term through direct universal suffrage for five years is not against the constitution of Burundi", paving the way for the President to seek a new term. The decision resulted in a wave of violent street protests. On 13 May, Major General Godefroid Niyombare staged a coup. Two days later, the government arrested him and two other leaders of the coup. |
Date of previous elections: 23 July 2010
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections: June 2020
Number of seats at stake: 100 (full renewal)
Number of parties contesting the election: 16*
Number of parties winning seats: 3*
*For the 100 directly elected seats.
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 27 July 2015
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Pascal Nyabenda (National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy, CNDD-FDD)
|
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 29 June 2015 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
3'843'024
2'856'112 (74.32%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% of votes |
|
|
| National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Hope for Burundians coalition (Abigenga-Amizero y'Abarundi) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Union for National Progress (UPRONA) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total of seats
|
|
|
|
|
| National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD)
|
77
|
|
|
|
|
| Hope for Burundians coalition (Abigenga-Amizero y'Abarundi) |
21
|
|
|
|
|
| Union for National Progress (UPRONA) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
77
44
36.36%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
Election Commission (23.07.2015)
http://www.ceniburundi.bi/
Note on the number of women:
25 women were directly elected. In all, 18 women (3 Hutus and 15 Tutsis) and 3 Twa representatives (including one woman) were co-opted, bringing the total number of women to 44. |
