| 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) |
3 June 2007 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for an enlarged 150-member National Assembly. They were originally due to be held in 2006 but were postponed twice. Elections to the National Assembly had previously taken place on 29 April 2001. |
On 7 March 2007
Interior Minister Ousmane Ngom announced that the twice-delayed parliamentary polls would be held on 3 June. The elections were the first to be held since the decision to enlarge the National Assembly to 150 members.
The elections were originally due to be held in 2006
but were postponed by President Abdoulaye Wade. He argued that the country should save money to support the victims of the floods which had hit the suburbs of Dakar in August 2005. In December 2005
members' terms were extended until the date of the joint parliamentary and presidential elections
subsequently set for February 2007. Opposition parties criticized the postponement
insisting that President Wade's Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) was trying to gain more time to prepare for parliamentary elections.
The parliamentary elections set for February 2007 were again postponed when the Constitutional Court upheld an appeal against a presidential decree by two opposition parties. The Party for Independence and Labour (PIT) and the Socialist Party (PS) argued that the decree disproportionately allocated seats to several constituencies in favour of the ruling party and its allies (see note). On 7 February
the National Assembly extended its term for a second time to 3 June. Consequently
presidential elections were held separately in February. The 81 year old incumbent President Wade was re-elected
amid allegations of fraud from opposition parties.
In April
15 opposition parties announced they would be boycotting the parliamentary elections
arguing the electoral roll was outdated. They demanded a new electoral roll and the creation of a "truly independent" electoral commission. On 24 April
opposition parties under the umbrella of the "Siggil Front" launched a campaign to boycott the parliamentary elections. They considered that participation in the parliamentary elections would mean accepting the 2007 presidential election results. In the end
some opposition parties participated in the elections
such as the And Defar Senegal (Build Senegal Together) coalition that promised to provide better infrastructure in rural areas.
President Wade led the "Sopi 2007 coalition" (meaning "change" in Wolof)
which comprises the PDS and 13 small parties and coalitions. Due to the boycott of the main opposition parties
the Sopi 2007 coalition was widely expected to win by a landslide. Prime Minister Macky Sall (PDS) promised to provide better education for the youth so as to facilitate their involvement in agriculture
fishery
and tourism. He also announced the construction of new roads and tramways.
Due to the boycott
turnout dropped from 68 per cent in the 2001 parliamentary elections to 34 per cent in 2007.
On 14 June
the Constitutional Court confirmed the victory of the Sopi 2007 coalition. It took a total of 131 of the 150 seats. The And Defar Senegal coalition won three seats. The remainder went to small parties. In all
27 women were elected
up from 24 in the outgoing legislature.
On June 19
Prime Minister Sall resigned. On the same day
former deputy budget minister
Mr. Hadjibou Soumaré (who is not a member of the PDS)
was sworn in as the new Prime Minister together with his cabinet members.
On 21 June
the National Assembly held its first session. Mr. Sall was elected unopposed as its new Speaker.
On 19 August
indirect elections were held for 35 seats of the 100-member Senate
which had been re-established by the National Assembly on 31 January 2007. Seven parties were in contention.
The PDS took 34 of the 35 indirectly-elected seats. The remaining seat was won by the African Party for Democracy and Socialism (AJ-PADS). In all
four women were elected.
On 23 September
President Wade appointed the remaining 65 senators (including 36 women)
bringing the number of his allies in the Senate to 99.
On 26 September
the new senators were sworn in. On 3 October
the former National Assembly Speaker
Mr. Pop Diop (PDS)
was elected as the new Senate President.
Note
On 12 January 2007
the Constitutional Court invalidated the presidential decree 2006-1350 of 8 December 2006. The decree had allocated two or more seats to several constituencies (such as Dagana
Kanel
Ziguinchor
Diourbel
Vélingara
Linguère
Gossas
and Kébémer) which have fewer inhabitants than Bakel
which was granted only one deputy for its 222
945 inhabitants. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 3 June 2007 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
5'004'096
1'738'675 (34.75%)
18'349
1'720'326 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Sopi 2007 coalition |
|
1'190'609 |
|
|
69.21 |
|
|
| And defar Senegal coalition |
|
84'998 |
|
|
4.94 |
|
|
| Takku Defarat Senegal |
|
86'621 |
|
|
5.04 |
|
|
| Waar Wi coalition |
|
74'979 |
|
|
4.36 |
|
|
| People's Rally (RP) |
|
73'183 |
|
|
4.25 |
|
|
| Convergence for Renewal and Citizenship (CRC) |
|
30'658 |
|
|
1.78 |
|
|
| National Patriotic Union (UNP) |
|
22'271 |
|
|
1.29 |
|
|
| Jef Jel Alliance |
|
33'297 |
|
|
1.94 |
|
|
| Rally of Senegalese Ecologists - Greens (RES) |
|
17'277 |
|
|
1.00 |
|
|
| Social Development Reform Movement (MRDS) |
|
20'041 |
|
|
1.16 |
|
|
| Front for Socialism and Democracy- Benno Jubel (FSD-BJ) |
|
37'427 |
|
|
2.18 |
|
|
| Social Democrat Party - Jant bi (PSD - Jant bi) |
|
15'968 |
|
|
0.93 |
|
|
| Authentic Socialist Party |
|
26'320 |
|
|
1.53 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Majority |
Proportional |
|
|
| Sopi 2007 coalition |
131
|
90 |
41 |
|
|
| And defar Senegal coalition |
3
|
0 |
3 |
|
|
| Takku Defarat Senegal |
3
|
0 |
3 |
|
|
| Waar Wi coalition |
3
|
0 |
3 |
|
|
| People's Rally (RP) |
2
|
0 |
2 |
|
|
| Convergence for Renewal and Citizenship (CRC) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
| National Patriotic Union (UNP) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
| Jef Jel Alliance |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
| Rally of Senegalese Ecologists - Greens (RES) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
| Social Development Reform Movement (MRDS) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
| Front for Socialism and Democracy- Benno Jubel (FSD-BJ) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
| Social Democrat Party - Jant bi (PSD - Jant bi) |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
| Authentic Socialist Party |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
123
27
18.00%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Source:
- National Assembly (03.07.2007
01.01.2010)
Note on distribution of seats according to sex:
Twenty-seven women were elected. After the formation of the new Government on 19 June 2007
some seats vacated by male MPs were filled by female substitute members
thus bringing the total number of women to 33
or 22 per cent.
|
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
