| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Assembleia Nacional / National Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
22 January 2006 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all seats in National Assembly on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
On 17 October 2005
President Pedro de Verona Rodrigues Pires declared that parliamentary elections - the fourth since Cape Verde adopted a multiparty system in 1991 - would be held on 22 January 2006.
As in previous elections
the two main contenders were the ruling African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) and its main rival
the Movement for Democracy (MPD). The PAICV
headed by incumbent Prime Minister José Maria Pereira Neves
regained its parliamentary majority in the 2001 elections
securing 40 of 72 seats. The MPD
which had governed from 1991 to 2001
won 30 seats in 2001
while the remaining two went to the Democratic Alliance for Change (ADM
see note). In the 2006 election
both the MPD
led by Mr. Agostinho Lopes
and the PAICV pledged to combat poverty and unemployment.
In all
54.17 per cent of the country's 323
000 registered voters turned out for the polls in 2006. The final results gave the PAICV 41 seats
one more than in the outgoing parliament
while the MPD won 29
one less than in 2001. The Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde (UCID) took the remaining two seats. Eleven women were elected
three more than in the outgoing National Assembly.
Although some technical problems were reported
observers from the West Africa Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) praised the peaceful atmosphere in which the elections had taken place. After the poll
the MPD claimed election fraud and declared it would not recognize the results. The National Elections Commission (CNE) refuted the allegations.
In the presidential elections held on 12 February 2006
Mr. Pedro de Verona Rodrigues Pires (PAICV) won 51 per cent of the vote
narrowly defeating his rival
Mr. Carlos Veiga (MPD).
The National Assembly held its first session on 27 February 2006 and re-elected Mr. Aristides Raimundo Lima as Speaker.
Note:
The Democratic Alliance for Change (ADM) was composed of the Democratic Convergence Party (PCD)
the Labour and Solidarity Party (PTS) and the Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde (UCID). Only the UCID fielded candidates in the 2006 elections. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 22 January 2006 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
322'767
174'858 (54.17%)
4'690
170'168 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) |
|
88'965 |
|
|
52.28 |
|
|
| Movement for Democracy (MPD) |
|
74'909 |
|
|
44.02 |
|
|
| Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde (UCID) |
|
4'495 |
|
|
2.64 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) |
41
|
|
|
|
|
| Movement for Democracy (MPD) |
29
|
|
|
|
|
| Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde (UCID) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
61
11
15.28%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
31 to 40 years
41 to 50 years
51 to 60 years
61 to 70 years
|
29
32
7
4
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
| Engineers/PC experts |
13 |
| Educators |
10 |
| Unknown |
8 |
| Others |
8 |
| Legal professions |
8 |
| Medical professions (doctors
dentists
nurses) |
7 |
| Scientists |
5 |
| Business/trade/industry employees
including executives |
4 |
| Bankers (including invest bankers)/accountants |
4 |
| Consultants (including real estate agents) |
2 |
| Economists |
2 |
| Farmers/agricultural workers (including wine growers) |
1 |
|
| Comments |
Sources:
- http://www.cne.cv/
- National Assembly (01.01.2008)
Of the 11 elected women
seven come from the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) and four from the Movement for Democracy.
Source: Angola Press |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
