| Parliament name |
Parliament of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
11 May 2015 |
| Purpose of elections |
The Partnership for National Unity - Alliance for Change coalition (APNU-AFC, see note), led by former army general David Granger, narrowly won both parliamentary and presidential elections, thereby ending the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)'s 23-year rule. Outgoing President Donald Ramotar (PPP/C), who lost to Mr. Granger, claimed the elections had been rigged and demanded a recount. International observers said the elections were free and fair. On 16 May, Mr. Granger was sworn in as the new President.
The major electoral issues were measures to tackle the high crime rate, unemployment, corruption as well as drug and human trafficking. The early elections followed the prorogation of parliament by the President in November 2014, in an apparent attempt to avoid a vote of no confidence against his minority government. A motion had been tabled in August by the AFC, which accused the PPP/C of corruption, mismanagement and lack of transparency, and a successful vote would have seen the dissolution of parliament and early elections.
In January 2015, the President announced the holding of early parliamentary elections, stating that the prorogation of parliament had not eased tensions between the parliamentary parties.
Note:
In the previous elections held in 2011, the APNU and the AFC fielded candidates separately and won a total of 33 seats. This was one more than the PPP/C, which failed to secure a parliamentary majority for the first time in 19 years. Mr. Ramotar subsequently formed a minority PPP/C government, the first since Guyana gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. In 2015, the APNU and the AFC submitted a joint candidate list. |
Date of previous elections: 28 November 2011
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 28 February 2015*
*The dissolution of the outgoing legislature was constitutionally due by 12 February 2015, three months ahead of the polling day.
Timing of election: Early elections
Expected date of next elections: May 2020
Number of seats at stake: 65 (full renewal)
Number of parties contesting the election: 7
Number of parties winning seats: 2 (including one coalition)
Alternation of power: Yes
Number of parties in government: One coalition including two parties
Names of parties in government: A Partnership for National Unity - Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC)
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 10 June 2015
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Barton Scotland (non-elected member) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 11 May 2015 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
570'708
412'012 (72.19%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| A Partnership for National Unity - Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| A Partnership for National Unity - Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC) |
33
|
|
|
|
|
| People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) |
32
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
48
21
30.43%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
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|
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| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Source: National Assembly (12.06.2015, 01.09.2015, 01.01.2017)
Note on the distribution of seats:
The statistics above refer to the 65 directly-elected seats.
As at 12 June 2015, 37 members from the government had been sworn in:
- 33 directly-elected members (including 13 women) from A Partnership for National Unity - Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC);
- three non-elected ministers and;
- the Speaker, a non-elected member, who became an ex officio member of the National Assembly.
- 32 members of the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), including nine women, were sworn in on 17 August, bringing the number of women to 21 out of a total of 69 members. |
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Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
