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Polity
Article by: Bradley Dubbelman Published: 16 Oct 2009
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| Pre-election report: Niger | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Previous election results (National Assembly).
For Previous election results see pdf above Introduction. Since achieving independence from France in 1960, the political climate in Niger has been one that has varied between being a one-party State, to being governed by a series of military regimes to varying forms of democracy. Once independence was achieved, Niger experienced single-party and military rule up until 1991, when General Ali Saibou was pressured by the public to allow multiparty elections. The elections subsequently led to a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting within government effectively crippled the running of the country that led to a coup in 1996 by Colonel Ibrahim Bare. Three years later in 1999, Bare was killed in another coup orchestrated by military officers that led to the restoration of democratic rule and elections in the same year, as well as the adoption of a new constitution. The subsequent elections brought the incumbent Mamadou Tandja of the MNSD into power. Tandja was re-elected in the presidential election of 2004. Since the signing of the new Constitution in 1999, also known as the Fifth Republic, the country's politics have been dominated by the MNSD, with President Tandja having served a constitutionally maximum of two terms as the country's President, which is due to expire on December 22, 2009. Just months before the National Assembly elections, in an attempt to cling to power for another term, Tandja called for a controversial constitutional referendum to test whether the Nigerien public would support the notion of him staying on another term. According to the 1999 Constitution, the President has a right to call a referendum on any matter, except on presidential term limits. Subsequently, on May 25, 2009, the country's highest court ruled that the proposed referendum would be unconstitutional. Just hours after the ruling, Tandja announced that he had dissolved the National Assembly, as well as the Constitutional Court. Furthermore, through decree, Tandja announced the October 20, 2009 date for new National Assembly elections and went ahead with the referendum. Tandja thus changed the Constitution to give himself three more years in power without elections, as well as shifted the country's governing system from being semipresidential to fully presidential. According to Tandja, changing the constitution allows him to complete large scale-mining projects that will benefit the Nigerien people. Tandja's actions have received stern resistance from opposition parties which boycotted the referendum (only 5% of the electorate took part in the process), and have called for a boycott of the upcoming National Assembly elections on the grounds that the President's actions are undermining democracy and even went as far as calling it a coup d'etat. Tandja's bid to cling onto power has even alienated some of his allies as the main party backing him, the CDS-Rahama, announced that it was withdrawing it's eight ministers from Niger's government in protest. In addition to the growing domestic resistance and protest to Tandja's recent actions, West African trade group, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has called on regional leaders to seek ways to resolve the political conflict, with Nigeria's President, Umaru Yar' Adua, warning that tensions in Niger, along with recent political violence in Guinea, could destabilise the region. The Electoral System Niger has a multi-party democratic system, with two or three strong parties, as well as a number of smaller parties that contest elections to take seats in the National Assembly. The National Assembly is unicameral and contains 113 seats. 105 of these members are elected by direct popular vote through eight district multi-member constituencies using the party list proportional representation system. The other eight members are elected from special single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post system. All members are elected for a five-year term. The MNSD - CDS Coalition Owing to the nature and political culture in Niger many of the parties enter into coalitions with one another in an attempt to increase their membership in the National Assembly. The most prominent coalition in the National Assembly is that of the MNSD and the CDS. Most other parties and coalitions in the country have sought to stop the powerful MNSD-CDS coalition, however, with this being their only common policy, many of the coalitions have splintered into various factions and have been unable to established unified opposition to the ruling coalition. The MNSD-CDS coalition, however, has threatened to unravel amidst allegations that the MNSD has failed to implement a power-sharing agreement between the two parties. There has also been widespread allegations of corruption under Tandja's government which have resulted in widespread opposition and protest amongst student and trade union groups. Amidst the constitutional crisis, the coalition between the MNSD and the CDS appears to have hit a deadend as eight ministers have withdrawn from the government in protest. It is evident that, in Tandja's efforts to cling onto power he has affectively alienated himself from former allies and has antagonised opposition parties and provoked widespread opposition. Electoral Issues Shrouded in controversy, the focus of the upcoming National Assembly elections will be on the actions of President Tandja. With a number of opposition parties calling for a boycott of the process, the outcome of the elections are unlikely to have any democratic credibility amongst the country's opposition, as well as amongst the international community. Tandja is likely to have more power than ever before with parliamentary membership predicted to be almost completely derived from his own supporters and allies. Fears amongst the Niger population is that Tandja's recent actions are indicative of a dictatorship in the making as he has gone to extreme lengths in making sure that he clings onto power. Main Sources African Elections Database - Elections in Niger (October 8, 2009). Afrospear - "Niger's referendum to dictatorship" by Nkwazi N. Mhango (September 4, 2009). CIA Factbook - Africa: Niger (October 13, 2009). Encyclopedia of the Nations - Niger Political background (October 13, 2009). Encyclopedia of the Nations - Niger - Political parties (October 12, 2009). International Foundation for Electoral Systems - Country profile: Niger (October 12, 2009). International Foundation for Electoral Systems - Niger - News Archive (October 12, 2009). Mail & Guardian - Opposition cries foul over Niger Referendum (August 7, 2009). Newsahead - Niger 20 October 2009 (New Date) President of west African country resets parliamentary poll date (September 1, 2009). News from Africa - Niger Opposition Urges Election Boycott (September 30, 2009). Polity - Ecowas to meet on Guinea, Niger Concerns (October 13, 2009). Reuters Africa - Niger opposition renews call for election boycott (October 7, 2009). Research Channel - Niger (July 10, 2009). |
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