Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Parlement / Parliament |
Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Assemblée nationale / National Assembly |
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Sénat / Senate
|
BACKGROUND |
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) (from/to) | 16 July 2017 30 July 2017 |
Purpose of elections |
President Denis Sassou-Nguesso's Congolese Workers Party (PCT) retained a comfortable majority in the 151-member National Assembly (see note 1), taking 91 seats. The main opposition, the Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS), led by Mr. Pascal Tsaty Mabiala, took eight seats. 20 independent candidates were elected. They belong to the Union of Humanist Democrats" (UDH-Yuki), led by Mr. Guy-Brice Parfait Kolélas (who came second in the 2016 presidential elections.
The Movement for Unity, Solidarity, and Work (MUST), led by former Minister of Trade and presidential candidate Ms. Claudine Munari, boycotted the 2017 elections, arguing that President Sassou-Nguesso's re-election in 2016 was illegitimate (see note 2) and that it would be improper to hold an election while the Pool region was suffering from renewed fighting. This call was echoed by another opposition coalition comprising the Initiative for Democracy in Congo and the Republican Front for the Respect of Constitutional Order and Democratic Alternation (FROCAD/IDC) and the Composante Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko (CJ3M). Two leaders of the CJ3M - former General Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko and MP André Okombi Salissa - were arrested in June 2016 and in January 2017 and charged with "threatening the internal security of the state".
Note 1:
The statutory number of members of the National Assembly increased from 139 to 151 following amendments to the electoral law in April 2017, which created new constituencies in several departments. Elections in nine constituencies in the Pool Department did not take place in 2017 due to security reasons. In accordance with a ministerial decision of July 2017, the parliamentary mandate of nine outgoing members representing the Pool Department (as well as the senators whose terms end in 2017) has been extended until new elections are held. Of these nine members, five belong to the Congolese Workers Party (PCT), giving it 96 seats in all, and four belong to the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integrated Development (MCDDI) which did not win parliamentary representation in 2017.
Note 2:
President Sassou-Nguesso, who first seized power in a 1979 coup and became President again in 1997 following a civil war) was constitutionally to be barred from running in the 2016 elections due to the two-term limit stipulated in the 2002 Constitution. A new Constitution was adopted in a referendum in 2015, providing for a three-term limit of a five-year presidency (instead of seven previously) and removing the upper age limit (70 years), paving the way for the incumbent to seek a new term in 2016. |
Date of previous elections: 15 July & 5 August 2012
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections: July 2022
Number of seats at stake: 151 (full renewal)
Number of candidates: 711
Percentage of women candidates: Not available.
Number of parties contesting the election: Not available.
Number of parties winning seats: 19
Alternation of power: No
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 19 August 2017
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Isidore Mvouba (Congolese Workers Party, PCT) |
STATISTICS |
Voter turnout |
Round no 1 (from/to) | 16 July 2017 30 July 2017 |
Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes |
2'221'596
|
Notes
|
|
Distribution of votes |
Round no 1
|
Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
Congolese Workers Party (PCT) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Independents |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integrated Development (MCDDI) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Action & Renewal Movement (MAR) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rally for Democracy and Social Progress (RDPS) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Republican Dynamics for Development (DRD) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CRDP |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Citizens' Rally (RC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Club 2002 - Party for the Unity of the Republic (PUR) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Patriotic Front (FP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Union of Democratic Forces (UFD) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
La Chaîne |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Movement for Democracy and Progress (MDP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Party for Agreement and Political Action (PCAP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Congress for Democracy and the Republic (CDR) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Party for Unity, Freedom and Progress (Pulp) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Republican Liberal Party (PRL) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MNLC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distribution of seats |
Round no 1
|
Political Group |
Total
|
Pool |
|
|
|
Congolese Workers Party (PCT) |
96
|
5 |
|
|
|
Independents |
20
|
|
|
|
|
Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS) |
8
|
|
|
|
|
Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integrated Development (MCDDI) |
4
|
4 |
|
|
|
Action & Renewal Movement (MAR) |
3
|
|
|
|
|
Rally for Democracy and Social Progress (RDPS) |
3
|
|
|
|
|
Republican Dynamics for Development (DRD) |
3
|
|
|
|
|
Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
CRDP |
1
|
|
|
|
|
Citizens' Rally (RC) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
Club 2002 - Party for the Unity of the Republic (PUR) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
Patriotic Front (FP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
Union of Democratic Forces (UFD) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
La Chaîne |
1
|
|
|
|
|
Movement for Democracy and Progress (MDP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
Party for Agreement and Political Action (PCAP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
Congress for Democracy and the Republic (CDR) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
Party for Unity, Freedom and Progress (Pulp) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
Republican Liberal Party (PRL) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
National Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MNLC) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men Women Percent of women |
134 17 11.26%
|
Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
Comments |
Note on the Distribution of seats
"Pool" refers to the nine members representing the Pool Department whose term has been extended until new elections are held (see note 1).
Sources :
National Assembly (23.08.2017, 24.08.2017, 05.09.2017)
http://adiac-congo.com
http://icibrazza.com
http://www.jeuneafrique.com
http://www.africanews.com/2017
http://www.bbc.com/
http://www.france24.com/fr/
http://www.lasemaineafricaine.net/i
http://www.news24.com
|