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Parliament name (generic / translated) Assemblée nationale / National Assembly More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Unicameral Affiliation to the IPU Yes Affiliation date(s) 1981 - 2006 2010 - LEADERSHIP President Mohamed Ali Houmed (M)  Notes Elected on 1 March 2015, re-elected on 15 March 2018. Secretary General Ismail Goulal Boudine (M)  COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 65 / 65 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 17 (26.15%) Mode of designation directly elected 65 Notes The constitutional amendments adopted in April 2010 provide for a bicameral parliament comprising the existing National Assembly and a new Senate, yet to be established. Term 5 years Last renewal dates 23 February 2018 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address Assemblée nationale B.P. 138 DJIBOUTI (Export mailing lists) Phone (253) 21 35 01 72 Fax (253) 21 35 55 03 E-mail assnatdji@intnet.dj Website http://www.assemblee-nationale.dj/

Parliament name (generic / translated) Assemblée nationale / National Assembly Structure of parliament Unicameral LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 6 September 1992 Last amendment: 11 January 2018 (Organic law no. 219/AN/18/7ème L) Mode of designation directly elected 65 Constituencies 6 multi-member (3 to 35 seats, according to population) constituencies. Voting system Proportional: - Each list must comprise the same number of candidates as the number of seats to be filled in each constituency. Each elector votes for one list, without vote-splitting or preferential vote. - The list which obtains the absolute majority of the votes cast or the relative majority of the valid votes will be entitled to 80 per cent of the seats at stake. - The remaining 20 per cent of the seats will be attributed proportionally to other lists which obtained at least 10 per cent of the valid votes, according to the highest average system. - If no other list obtains the 10 per cent of the valid votes, the remaining 20 per cent of the seats will be attributed the party which won the majority of the votes or relative majority of the valid votes. - Legislative elections shall be held within 30 days prior to or following the expiry of the mandate of members of the National Assembly 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 - the proportion of either male or female candidates on the lists of candidates submitted by political parties and/or political party groupings must be 25 per cent of the number of seats to be filled. If not the list will be inadmissible. The quota of elected members of either sex to the National Assembly is fixed at not less than 25 per cent. - 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) 23 February 2018 Timing and scope of renewal President Ismaël Omar Guelleh's Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) increased its majority from 55 seats to 57 in the 65-member National Assembly. The opposition Union for Democracy and Justice - Djiboutian Democratic Party (UDJ-PDD) took seven. Other major opposition parties (see note) boycotted the elections, arguing they were not fair or transparent. Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, a brother-in-law of the President, said the electoral process was carried out transparently in a calm environment. The number of women more than doubled from seven to 15 following the introduction of a 25% quota for women (up from 10% previously) in January 2018. Note: Opposition parties include the Rally for Democratic Action and Ecological Development (RADDE), the Movement for Democratic Renewal (MRD) and a part of the Republican Alliance for Development (ARD). They had boycotted the 2016 presidential elections in which Mr. Guelleh, in power since 1999, was re-elected. Date of previous elections: 22 February 2013 Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: N/A Timing of election: Upon normal expiry Expected date of next elections: February 2023 Number of seats at stake: 65 (full renewal) Number of candidates: 112 Percentage of women candidates: About 25% Number of parties contesting the election: 4 Number of parties winning seats: 3 Alternation of power: No Number of parties in government: 1 Names of parties in government: Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) Date of the first session of the new parliament: 15 March 2018 Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Mohamed Ali Houmed (Union for the Presidential Majority, UMP) STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 23 February 2018 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes 194'169 123'934 (63.83%) Notes Distribution of votes Round no 1 Political group Candidates Votes % of votes Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) Union for Democracy and Justice - Djiboutian Democratic Party (UDJ-PDD) Centre for United Democrats (CDU) Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total of seats Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) 57 Union for Democracy and Justice - Djiboutian Democratic Party (UDJ-PDD) 7 Centre for United Democrats (CDU) 1 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 50 15 23.08% Distribution of seats according to age Distribution of seats according to profession Comments Note on distribution of seats according to sex: Fifteen women were elected in February 2018. On 23 February, when the Cabinet was re-appointed, the total number of women parliamentarians totalled 17. Sources: National Assembly (09.03.2018, 15.03.2018, 22.05.2018) Radio France Internationale http://www.france24.com/ http://www.presidence.dj/AnnexeTextes/Annexe5aa792948739b20180313105756.pdf https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20180222/prime-minister-abdoulkader-kamil-mohamed-receives-audience-head-african-union http://www.lanationdj.com/ https://ihsmarkit.com/research-analysis/Djibouti-legislative-elections.html

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 7 June 2018
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