| Parliament name |
Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name |
National Assembly |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Senate
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
26 May 2012 |
| Purpose of elections |
No party won an outright majority in the May 2012 elections. Outgoing Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili's Democratic Congress (DC) became the largest party with 48 seats. However, three smaller parties agreed to form the first ever coalition government in Lesotho: the All Basotho Convention (ABC, 30 seats), Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD, 26 seats) and the Basotho National Party (BNP, 5 seats). The DC was formed in February 2012 when Mr. Mosisili left the ruling LCD along with 44 other MPs, including Speaker Ntlhoi Motsamai. It campaigned on the government's record, citing free primary education and free anti-retroviral drugs for people living with HIV. The DC, the LCD and the ABC all campaigned on a similar platform.
The new National Assembly elected Mr. Thomas Thabane (ABC) as Prime Minister. He succeeded Mr. Mosisili who had held the post since 1998. |
Date of previous elections: 17 February 2007
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 15 March 2012
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections: May 2017
Number of seats at stake: 120 (full renewal)
Number of candidates: Not available
Percentage of women candidates: Not available
Number of parties contesting the election: 27
Number of parties winning seats: 12
Alternation of power: Yes
Number of parties in government: 3
Names of parties in government: All Basotho Convention (ABC), Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and Basotho National Party (BNP)
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 5 June 2012
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Sephiri E. Motanyane (LCD) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 26 May 2012 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
1'127'980
564'451 (50.04%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Majority |
PR |
|
|
| Democratic Congress (DC) |
48
|
41 |
7 |
|
|
| All Basotho Convention (ABC) |
30
|
26 |
4 |
|
|
| Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) |
26
|
12 |
14 |
|
|
| Basotho National Party (BNP) |
5
|
0 |
5 |
|
|
| Popular Front For Democracy (PFD) |
3
|
1 |
2 |
|
|
| National Independent Party |
2
|
0 |
2 |
|
|
| Lesotho People's Congress (LPC) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
| Lesotho Workers Party (LWP) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
| Basotho Democratic National Party (BDNP) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
| Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
| Basotho Batho Democratic Party (BBDP) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
| Basutoland Congress Party (BCP) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
90
30
25.00%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
National Assembly (05.06.2012, 06.06.2012, 28.08.2012, 08.11.2012)
http://www.iec.org.ls/ |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
