| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Sapha Heng Xat / National Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
30 April 2006 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all seats in the National Assembly one year before the normal expiry of the member's term of office. General elections had previously taken place on 24 February 2002. |
Parliamentary elections were held on 30 April 2006
almost a full year ahead of the scheduled expiry of the members' term. The elections followed the Congress of the ruling communist Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) in February/March 2006. During the Congress
the President of the Republic
Mr. Khamtai Siphandone
announced his resignation as LPRP leader in favour of his deputy
Mr. Choummaly Sayasone
who was subsequently elected as the party's leader on 21 March 2006.
In the last elections held in February 2002
independent candidates were allowed to run for the first time. However
the ruling LPRP
which has held power since 1975
won all but one of the 109 seats in the National Assembly.
In the 2006 elections
175 candidates
including 40 women
contested 115 seats in an enlarged National Assembly. All but two candidates were members of the LPRP.
Approximately 2.8 million people were registered to vote. Despite heavy rain in the capital city Vientiane
turnout remained high.
The LPRP swept 113 of the 115 seats at stake. The number of women elected increased from 25 to 29.
The newly-elected National Assembly held its first session on 8 June 2006 and elected Mr. Thongsing Thammavong as its new Speaker. It also appointed the LPRP leader Mr. Choummaly Sayasone as the new President of the Republic and former deputy prime minister Mr. Bouasone Bouphavanh as the new Prime Minister
replacing Mr. Boungnang Vorachit. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 30 April 2006 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
2'826'580
2'819'904 (99.76%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Independents |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) |
113
|
|
|
|
|
| Independents |
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
86
29
25.22%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
31 to 40 years
41 to 50 years
51 to 60 years
61 to 70 years
|
3
36
62
14
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Source: IPU Group (13.06.2006)
|
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
