| Parliament name |
Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name |
National Assembly |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Senate
|
| LEGAL FRAMEWORK |
| Electoral Law |
9 January 2002
|
| Mode of designation |
directly elected 120
other 2 |
| Constituencies |
- 80 single-member constituencies (first-past-the-post, FPTP)
- one nationwide constituency for the remaining 40 seats (proportional representation, PR). |
| Voting system |
Mixed:
Mixed Member Proportional Representation (MMP)
Eighty deputies are directly elected by absolute majority in the single-member constituencies. The remaining 40 seats are allocated so as to reflect the proportion of votes each party obtained nationwide.
Each voter casts two ballots, one for a candidate from his/her constituency, the other for his/her preferred party. The ballot cast for the party is used to determine the number of seats each party would have received if the system was fully proportional and thus how many of the 40 compensatory seats it will fill. The total number of valid votes that each party obtains is divided by the total number of seats at stake (i.e. 120) to obtain the 'quota' each party needs to win a seat. The number of votes each party receives on the party ballot is divided by the quota to determine how many seats it should fill. Parties which have won more than their fair share under the FPTP system are not entitled to seats under the PR system.
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through by-elections.
Voting is not compulsory. |
| Voter requirements |
- age: 18 years
- Lesotho citizenship
- residence requirements
- ineligibility: allegiance to a foreign State, death sentence, insanity |
| CANDIDATES |
| Eligibility |
- qualified electors
- age: 21 years
- Lesotho citizenship
- ablility to speak and, unless incapacitated by blindness or other physical disability, to read and write the Sesotho or English language well enough to take an active part in the proceedings of the National Assembly
- ineligibility: undischarged bankrupts, government contractors (unless excepted), election-connected offices, electoral offences |
| Incompatibilities |
- membership of the defence or police force, national security or prison service
- status of Principal Chief |
| Candidacy requirements |
- endorsed by two electors
- deposit equivalent to US$ 63, reimbursed if the candidate obtains 10 per cent or more of the votes garnered by all candidates |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Electoral system module
