Chamber:
	Assemblée nationale
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	12 January 1995
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament following the premature dissolution of this body on 17 October 1994. General elections had previously taken place in February 1993.
Background and outcome of elections:
	Following the previous (February 1993) parliamentary elections, Mr. Mahamane Ousmane was elected President of the Republic the next month. On 16 October 1994, the minority Government of Prime Minister Abdoulaye Souley – which had been formed 10 days earlier – resigned after a motion of no confidence was backed by a majority of the Deputies of the National Assembly. Parliament was dissolved the next day, with polling set for 31 December. This date was subsequently reset twice. The one-month campaign took place against a backdrop of a serious economic and social crisis, the economic situation having been aggravated by the devaluation of the CFA franc and the opposition of all the major parties to the terms of agreement with international financial institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank. Polling day, monitored by international and national observers, was marked by a low turnout (34.9%). Final results gave the most seats (29 – the same number won in 1993) to the National Movement for a Development Society (MNSD), the former sole (from 1974 to 1991) party and the main opposition in the outgoing legislature. It and its allies squeaked by with an absolute majority total of 43 seats to 40 for its rivals, led by the Social Democratic Convention (CDS) – Rahama. Third place went to the Niger Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) – Tarayya, the group which had precipitated the elections by withdrawing from the ruling Alliance of the Forces for Change (AFC) the previous September. A total of five seats, finally, went to two small parties closely related to the Tuarerg community, which thus gained parliamentary representation for the first time. In the wake of this tight outcome, the AFC “presidential tendency” called for new voting in several constituencies where it claimed that its rivals had committed grave irregularities. But, based on a Supreme Court ruling, the results stood and meant that President Ousmane would have to cohabit with an opposing Cabinet, named on 25 February and led by Prime Minister Hama Amadou of the MNSD.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (12 January 1995): Elections results
Number of registered electors	4,376,031
Voters	1,530,198 (34.9%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	84,077
Valid votes	1,446,121

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Candidates	Votes
National Movement for a Development Society (MNSD) – Nassara	82	467,080
Social Democratic Convention (CDS) – Rahama*	83	428,760
Niger Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) – Tarayya	83	203,629
Niger Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress (ANDP) – Zaman Lahiya*	81	186,247
Party for National Unity and Development (PUND) – Salama*	57	34,610
Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) – Amana*	83	45,724
Nigerian Social Democratic Party (PSDN) – Alehri*	30	21,010
Nigerian Progressive Party (PPN)-African Democratic Rally (RDA)	44	18,294
Union of Progressive Patriots and Democrats (UPDP) – Chamoua	37	13,589

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
National Movement for a Development Society (MNSD) – Nassara	29
Social Democratic Convention (CDS) – Rahama*	24
Niger Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) – Tarayya	12
Niger Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress (ANDP) – Zaman Lahiya*	9
Party for National Unity and Development (PUND) – Salama*	3
Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) – Amana*	2
Nigerian Social Democratic Party (PSDN) – Alehri*	2
Nigerian Progressive Party (PPN)-African Democratic Rally (RDA)	1
Union of Progressive Patriots and Democrats (UPDP) – Chamoua	1

Comments:
	* Members of the Alliance of the Forces for Challenge (AFC).

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	80
Women:	3

Distribution of seats according to age:
Under 31 years	1
31-40 years	17
41-50 years	36
51-60 years	23
61-70 years	6
Distribution of seats according to profession:
Businessmen	24
Teachers	20
Other civil servants	17
Retired civil servants	8
Private sector employees	7
Farmers, cattle rearers	7