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GAMBIA (THE)
National Assembly

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name National Assembly
More photos  >>>
Structure of parliament Unicameral
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 2006 -
LEADERSHIP
President Mariam Jack Denton (F) 
Notes Elected on 11 April 2017.
Secretary General Momodou A. Sise (a.i.) (M) 
Notes 1 March 2018 -
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 58 / 58
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


More statistics  >>>
Women (current number) 6 (10.34%)
Mode of designation directly elected 53
appointed 5
Notes Appointed members: appointed by the President.
Term 5 years
Last renewal dates 6 April 2017
(View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address National Assembly
Parliament Buildings
Independence Drive
Banjul, The Gambia
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (220) 4228 305 (Clerk)
4227 241 (Speaker)
4226 643 (Switchboard)
4201 326 (Switchboard)
Fax (220) 4225 123
E-mail nationalassembly32@gmail.com
Website
http://www.assembly.gov.gm/

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name National Assembly
Structure of parliament Unicameral
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 19 April 1996
Mode of designation directly elected 53
appointed 5
Constituencies Seven administrative areas carved up into 53 single-member constituencies.
Voting system Majority: Simple majority vote.
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through by-elections held within 90 days. No by-elections are held in the last nine months of the Assembly's term.
Voting is not compulsory
Voter requirements - age: 18 years
- Gambian citizenship
- residence or birth in constituency where registered
- disqualifications: allegiance to a foreign State, insanity, sentence of imprisonment, registration as voter in another country
CANDIDATES
Eligibility Qualified electors
- age: 21 years
- Gambian citizenship
- ordinary residence of at least one year in constituency where running
- declaration of assets to Independent Electoral Commission as required by law
- ability to speak English well enough to take part in the proceedings of the Assembly
- ineligibility: undischarged bankrupts, sentence of death or imprisonment of at least six months (in the preceding 5 years), certain government contractors, electoral offence
Incompatibilities - magistrates and judges
- members of the armed, police or security forces
- members of the Independent Electoral Commission
Candidacy requirements - nomination by at least 300 voters of the same constituency
- monetary deposit of 5,000 dalasis, reimbursed if candidate is successful or obtains at least 20% of the votes cast for the elected candidate

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name National Assembly
Structure of parliament Unicameral
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 6 April 2017
Timing and scope of renewal The United Democratic Party (UDP, see note 1) won an absolute majority with 31 seats in the 58-member National Assembly. The 2017 elections were the first to be held under the presidency of Mr. Adama Barrow who defeated the long-serving President Yahya Jammeh in the December 2016 presidential elections (see note 2). The former ruling party, the Alliance for Patriotic Re-Orientation and Construction (APRC), took only five seats, down from the 48 seats won during the 2012 elections boycotted by six opposition parties, including the UDP. The newly elected National Assembly comprises the first-ever woman Speaker and a disabled person who both are presidential appointees.

Note 1:
Mr. Barrow was UDP treasurer when a seven-party opposition coalition selected him as its joint presidential candidate. He left the UDP before the presidential elections. The coalition subsequently broke apart and parties fielded their candidates separately in the parliamentary elections.

Note 2:
Mr. Jammeh initially recognized the election results but subsequently refused to step down. Mediation efforts by West African leaders and the threat of military intervention eventually brought about the country’s first-ever democratic transition since 1994 when Mr. Jammeh had seized power in a coup.
Date of previous elections: 29 March 2012

Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 10 April 2017

Timing of election: Upon normal expiry

Expected date of next elections: April 2022

Number of seats at stake: 53 (full renewal)*
*In addition, there are five members appointed by the President.

Number of candidates: 239 (218 men, 21 women)

Percentage of women candidates: 8.8%

Number of parties contesting the election: 9

Number of parties winning seats: 6

Alternation of power: Yes

Number of parties in government: 7

Names of parties in government: United Democratic Party (UDP), National Reconciliation Party (NRP), Peoples' Progressive Party (PPP), People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), Gambia Moral Congress (GMC), Gambia Party for Democracy and Progress (GPDP), National Convention Party (NCP)

Date of the first session of the new parliament: 11 April 2017

Name of the new Speaker: Ms. Mariam Jack Denton (nominated member)
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Round no 16 April 2017
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes
886'578
379'320 (42.78%)

Notes
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political group Candidates Votes % of votes
United Democratic Party (UDP)
Alliance for Patriotic Re-Orientation and Construction (APRC)
National Reconciliation Party (NRP)
Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC)
People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS)
People's Progressive Party (PPP)
Independents
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total of seats
United Democratic Party (UDP) 31
Alliance for Patriotic Re-Orientation and Construction (APRC) 5
National Reconciliation Party (NRP) 5
Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) 5
People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) 4
People's Progressive Party (PPP) 2
Independents 1
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
52

6

10.34%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Note on the distribution of seats according to sex:
Three women were elected and three others were appointed, or a total of six women among 58 members.

Sources:
National Assembly (21.04.2017, 14.12.2017)
Independent Electoral Commission (16.06.2017)
http://iec.gm/nomination-of-national-assembly-members-2017/
http://iec.gm/political-parties/registered-parties/
https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/eu_eom_the_gambia_preliminary_statement_3.pdf
http://www.france24.com/
http://www.dw.com
http://www.lemonde.fr
http://www.thewomenstorch.com/

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name National Assembly
Structure of parliament Unicameral
APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE
Title Speaker of the National Assembly
Term - duration: 5 years (term of legislature)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution
Appointment - elected by the members of the Assembly
- election is held at the start of the first sitting of the newly elected Assembly
- before taking the oath
Eligibility - any member duly presented can be a candidate
Voting system - formal vote in public ballot by raising of hands
- simple majority
Procedures / results -the Chief Justice presides over the Assembly during the voting
- the Independent Electoral Commission supervises the voting
- the Chief Justice announces the results immediately
- the results cannot be challenged
STATUS
Status - hold equivalent rank to minister
- State figure
- represents the Assembly with the public authorities
- is de facto member of bodies outside Parliament
- is de facto President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Defence and Security
- represents the Assembly in international bodies
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions
Board
Material facilities - allowance + expense allowance
- official car
- secretariat
FUNCTIONS
Organization of parliamentary business - establishes and modifies the agenda
- organises the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study
- examines the admissibility of request for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting up of such committees
- can designate 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
- is responsible for discipline within the Assembly: if necessary takes disciplinary measures and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- checks the quorum
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly, based on precedents
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organise impromptu debates
Special powers - gives advice for establishing the budget of the Assembly
- gives advice for recruitment, assignment and promotion of staff
- the Secretary General is responsible for organisation of the Assembly's services
- has specific role in supervising foreign affairs and defence matters as President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and as President of the Committee on Defence and Security
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for security and in this capacity can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber
Speaking and voting rights, other functions - provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion
- has casting vote
-intervenes in parliamentary oversight procedures
- supervises constitutionality of laws
- must be consulted by the Head of State in certain circumstances (dissolution, application of emergency measures)

This page was last updated on 17 August 2018
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