Chamber:
	Assemblée nationale
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	19 December 1997
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.
Background and outcome of elections:
	The 1997 election date was announced on 11 November. Once again, in conformity with the terms of the Constitution, the number of contending political parties was limited to four. This time, the ruling Popular Rally for Progress (RPP) of President of the Republic Hassan Gouled Aptidon was allied with a faction of the Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD), the rebel Afar movement, in opposition to the duo comprising the Party of Democratic Renewal (PRD) headed by Mr. Abdillahi Amareiti Guelleh and the National Democratic Party (PND) led by Mr. Aden Robleh Awaleh. During the two-week campaign, the RPP/FRUD coalition, fielding common candidates in Djibouti’s five electoral districts, urged voters to endorse their programme of peace and reconciliation; its slogan was « new contract, new generation ». The PRD/PND opposition countered by focusing on the country’s economic and financial crisis (stemming largely from the 1991-1994 civil war), corruption, widespread poverty and unemployment; they together had 61 candidates, 55 of these belonging to the PRD. On polling day, voter turnout was low as the RPP - in power since 1979 - and FRUD candidates captured all 65 National Assembly seats. On 28 December, President Aptidon reshuffled the Cabinet, which remains headed by Prime Minister Barkat Gourad Hamadou; he has held this post since 1978.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (19 December 1997): Elections results
Number of registered electors	165,942
Voters	94,303 (56.82%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	2,556
Valid votes	91,747

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Votes	%
Popular Rally for Progress (RPP)-Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD)	72,073	78.55
Party of Democratic Renewal (PRD)	17,607	19.19
National Democratic Party (PND)	2,067	2.25

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
Popular Rally for Progress (RPP)-Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD)	65
Party of Democratic Renewal (PRD)	0
National Democratic Party (PND)	0

Comments:
	54 seats for RPP and 11 for FRUD

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	65
Women:	0
Percent of women:	0