| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Parlement / Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Assemblée nationale / National Assembly |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Sénat / Senate
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) (from/to) | 17 December 2006
24 December 2006 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all the seats in the National Assembly on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
Parliamentary elections were held on 17 December 2006. The 2006 elections were held in a single round
whereas previous elections had been held over two rounds. For logistical reasons
elections for seven constituencies were held separately on 24 December.
In the 2001 elections
which had been boycotted by the main opposition Union of the Gabonese People (UPG)
the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) of President Omar Bongo Ondimba and its allies took 96 of the 120 seats in the National Assembly. President Bongo
the longest-serving head of State in Africa
has led the country since 1967.
In the 2006 elections
President Bongo's PDG led a coalition comprising over 40 parties. The coalition included the Rally for Gabon (RPG)
led by former opposition figure
Mr. Paul Mba Abessole
who joined the government in 2002 as Vice Prime Minister. The PDG pledged to tackle inequality and promised to improve living conditions in a country where half the population reportedly lives below the poverty line.
The UPG participated in the 2006 elections under the leadership of Mr. Pierre Mamboundou. Another opposition party
the Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development (UGDD)
was founded by former PDG member
Mr. Zacharie Myboto in April 2005. Both opposition leaders were unsuccessful candidates in the November 2005 presidential elections. The UPG pledged to deal with poverty and unemployment
while the UGDD promised to provide better infrastructure and transport services in the country.
A total of 877 candidates contested the elections. As in 2001
turnout was low
ranging from 12 to 30 per cent in major cities. No national figures were announced.
Election observers from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) declared that the elections had been held in a peaceful atmosphere
although they noted that in some cases polling stations had opened late or material been delayed.
The final results gave a total of 100 seats to the PDG and its allies
while opposition parties took 16. The four remaining seats went to pro-government independent candidates. Apart from the PDG (82 seats) and the RPG (eight seats)
six other parties of President Bongo's coalition entered the National Assembly. The opposition UPG and its supporters organized street protests
claiming electoral fraud.
The newly elected National Assembly held its first session on 24 January 2007 and re-elected Mr. Guy Nzouba-Ndama (PDG) as its Speaker.
|
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 (from/to) | 17 December 2006
24 December 2006 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
640'000
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) |
82
|
|
|
|
|
| Rally for Gabon (RPG) |
8
|
|
|
|
|
| Union of the Gabonese People (UPG) |
8
|
|
|
|
|
| Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development (UGDD) |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| Independents |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| Democratic and Republic Alliance (ADERE) |
3
|
|
|
|
|
| Circle of Liberal Reformers (CLR) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Democrat Party (PSD) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
| Gabonese Progress Party (PGP) |
2
|
|
|
|
|
| African Forum For Reconstruction (FAR) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| National Rally of Woodcutters (RNB) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| African Development Movement (MAD) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Rally of Republican Democrats (RDR) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Congress for Democracy and Justice (CDJ) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
105
15
12.50%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
- http://www.assemblee.ga/
- National Assembly (01.01.2008
01.01.2010) |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
