| Parliament name |
Legislature |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name |
The Liberian Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
House of Representatives
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
20 December 2014 |
| Timing and scope of renewal |
No party held a majority after the half-renewal of the 30-member Senate. President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's Unity Party (UP) took the most seats, with four of the 15 seats at stake. However, the President reportedly lost control of the Senate due to the retirement and unsuccessful election bids of a number of outgoing Senators, including the President pro tempore Gbezhongar Findley. Only 25.2 per cent of 1.9 million registered voters turned out at the polls.
The main opposition party, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), took two seats. Its founder Mr. George Weah was elected to the Senate for the first time, defeating the President's son. The Liberty Party (LP), another opposition party, took two seats. Four other parties won one seat each along with three independent candidates. The 2014 elections saw a high turnover, as only two of the 12 outgoing senators seeking re-election retained their seats: former rebel leader Prince Johnson and Jewel Howard Taylor, the wife of former President Charles Taylor. Ms. Taylor thereby became the sole woman to be elected to the Senate in 2014.
Initially scheduled for 14 October, the Senate elections were postponed several times due to the Ebola outbreak that affected several countries in western Africa. Over 3,340 people died, making Liberia the worst hit country in the region. President Sirleaf banned all political rallies in the capital, Monrovia, stating the measure was to prevent the further spread of Ebola. The CDC argued that the ban was intended to favour her son's Senate bid. It promised to work for peace in the country. The UP promised to continue to improve the living standards of the Liberian people. |
Date of previous elections: 11 October 2011
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: N/A
Timing of election: Delayed elections
Expected date of next elections: October 2020*
*Renewal of the 15 senators elected for a nine-year term in 2011.
Number of seats at stake: 15 (partial renewal)
Number of candidates: 139 (119 men, 20 women)
Percentage of women candidates: 16.8%
Number of parties contesting the election: 28
Number of parties winning seats: 7
Alternation of power: No (presidential system)
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 14 January 2015
Name of the new Speaker: President of the Senate: Mr. Joseph N. Boakai
President pro tempore: Mr. Armah Zolu Jallah (National Patriotic Party, NPP) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 20 December 2014 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
1'903'229
479'936 (25.22%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% of votes |
|
|
| Unity Party (UP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Independents |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberty Party (LP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| National Patriotic Party (NPP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| National Democratic Coalition (NDC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Alternative National Congress (ANC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| People's Unification Party (PUP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total of seats
|
|
|
|
|
| Unity Party (UP) |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| Independents |
3
|
|
|
|
|
| Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberty Party (LP) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
| National Patriotic Party (NPP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| National Democratic Coalition (NDC) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Alternative National Congress (ANC) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| People's Unification Party (PUP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
14
1
6.67%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
|
| Comments |
Note on the number of women:
One woman was elected in 2014, bringing the total number of women in the Senate to three.
Parliamentary group in the Senate (4 March 2015)
- Unity Party (UP): 8
- Congress for Democratic Change (CDC): 4
- National Patriotic Party (NPP): 4
- Liberty Party (LP): 3
- Liberia Destiny Party (LPD): 1
- National Democratic Coalition (NDC): 1
- National Union for Democratic Progress (NUDP): 1
- Independents: 5
- Other: 2
- Vacant: 1
Sources:
Senate (10.02.2015)
http://legislature.gov.lr/senate
http://www.necliberia.org/ |
