Editing Elections in Niger

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{{Politics of Niger}}

'''Elections in Niger''' take place within the framework of a [[semi-presidential system]]. The [[President of Niger|President]] and [[National Assembly (Niger)|National Assembly]] are elected by the public, with elections organised by the [[Independent National Electoral Commission (Niger)|Independent National Electoral Commission]] (CENI).

==Electoral history==
Following [[World War II]], French political reforms meant that [[Niger]] began to elect members to the [[National Assembly (France)|French National Assembly]]. The [[French legislative election, 1945 (French Sudan−Niger)|first of these elections]] took place on 21 October 1945, with Niger and neighbouring [[French Sudan]] (now [[Mali]]) combined into a single constituency. Two MPs were elected using separate electoral colleges for French citizens and Africans. The next elections for the combined constituency held in [[French legislative election, June 1946 (French Sudan−Niger)|June 1946]]. By the [[French legislative election, November 1946 (Niger)|November 1946 elections]], Niger had become a single-member seat, which was won by [[Hamani Diori]] of the [[Nigerien Progressive Party – African Democratic Rally|Nigerien Progressive Party]] (PPN).

A General Council was established in the same period and was [[Nigerien General Council election, 1946−47|first elected]] in December 1946 and January 1947.<ref name=S>[[Dolf Sternberger]], [[Bernhard Vogel (politician)|Bernhard Vogel]], [[Dieter Nohlen]] & Klaus Landfried (1978) ''Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Zweiter Halbband'', p1461</ref> In 1948 Niger was given a second seat in the French National Assembly, which was filled in [[1948 Niger by-election|a by-election]] in June that year, with [[Georges Condat]] of the [[Union of Nigerien Independents and Sympathisers]] elected. French elections were held again in [[French legislative election, 1951 (Niger)|1951]], with both seats won by UNIS. The General Council was converted into the Territorial Assembly in 1952, with the [[1952 Nigerien Territorial Assembly election|first elections]] to the new body resulting in a victory for UNIS, which won all 35 Second College seats.

The final French National Assembly election in Niger was held in [[French legislative election, 1956 (Niger)|1956]], with the PPN and an alliance of the [[Nigerien Action Bloc]] (BNA) and [[Nigerien Progressive Union]] (UPN) of Condat winning one seat each. The [[1957 Nigerien Territorial Assembly election|1957 Territorial Assembly elections]] were won by [[Sawaba]], which took 41 of the 60 seats. However, in [[1958 Nigerien Constituent Assembly election|early elections]] the following year, Sawaba was defeated by the [[Union for the Franco-African Community]] alliance, which included the PPN.

Upon independence in 1960, the PPN became the sole legal party. The country's first [[1965 Nigerien presidential election|presidential elections]] were held in September 1965, with Diori as the sole candidate. [[1965 Nigerien parliamentary election|Parliamentary elections]] later in the year resulted in the PPN winning all 50 seats. [[1970 Nigerien presidential election|Presidential]] and [[1970 Nigerien parliamentary election|parliamentary elections]] in 1970 were held under the same system with the same result.

A [[1974 Nigerien coup d'état|1974 coup]] removed the PPN from power, and elections were not held again until 1989, when [[1989 Nigerien general election|general elections]] were called, with the [[National Movement for the Society of Development]] (MNSD), established earlier in the year, as the sole party. [[Ali Saibou]] (who had been in power since 1987) was re-elected President, with the MNSD winning all 93 seats in the National Assembly.<ref>[http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2237_89.htm Elections held in 1989] Inter-Parliamentary Union</ref>

By 1993 other political parties had been legalised, and the first multi-party [[1993 Nigerien parliamentary election|parliamentary elections]] since independence were held in February 1993.<ref name=IPU93>[http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2237_93.htm Elections held in 1993] Inter-Parliamentary Union</ref> The MNSD emerged as the largest party, but won only 29 of the 83 seats; opposition parties subsequently formed the [[Alliance of the Forces of Change]], which had a parliamentary majority.<ref name=IPU93/> In the [[1993 Nigerien presidential election|presidential elections]] shortly afterwards, [[Mahamane Ousmane]] of the [[Democratic and Social Convention]] was elected in the second round, defeating [[Mamadou Tandja]] of the MNSD (who had received the most votes in the first round). Following a split in the AFC, [[1995 Nigerien parliamentary election|early parliamentary elections]] were held in 1995,<ref>[http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2237_95.htm Elections held in 1995] Inter-Parliamentary Union</ref> but did not significantly alter the makeup of the National Assembly.

A [[1996 Nigerien coup d'état|coup]] in January 1996 led to [[1996 Nigerien presidential election|presidential elections]] in July, in which coup leader [[Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara]] was elected. The [[National Union of Independents for Democratic Renewal]], formed to support him, won an absolute majority in the [[1996 Nigerien parliamentary election|parliamentary elections]] later in the year amidst an opposition boycott.<ref>[http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2237_96.htm Elections held in 1996] Inter-Parliamentary Union</ref> [[1999 Nigerien coup d'état|Another coup]] in 1999 led to [[1999 Nigerien general election|general elections]] that year. Tandja was elected president and the MNSD emerged as the largest party in the National Assembly with 38 of the 83 seats.<ref>[http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2237_99.htm Elections held in 1999] Inter-Parliamentary Union</ref> The [[2004 Nigerien general election|2004 elections]] saw Tandja re-elected and the MNSD remain the largest party.<ref>[http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2237_04.htm Elections held in 2004] Inter-Parliamentary Union</ref>

A 2009 referendum resulted in the constitution being suspended and presidential elections being delayed. The [[2009 Nigerien parliamentary election|parliamentary elections]] went ahead, with an opposition boycott allowing the MNSD to win a majority.<ref>[http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2237_09.htm Elections held in 2009] Inter-Parliamentary Union</ref> However, Tandja was removed from office in a [[2010 Nigerien coup d'état|2010 coup]] and [[2011 Nigerien general election|general elections]] were held in 2011, which saw [[Mahamadou Issoufou]] of the [[Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism]] (PNDS) elected president and the PNDS become the largest party in the National Assembly.<ref>[http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2237_11.htm Elections held in 2011] Inter-Parliamentary Union</ref> Issoufou was re-elected in [[2016 Nigerien general election|2016 general elections]], with the second round of the presidential elections boycotted by the opposition. The PNDS made significant gains in the parliamentary elections, but failed to win a majority.<ref>[http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2237_E.htm Last elections] Inter-Parliamentary Union</ref>

==Electoral system==
The President is elected for a five-year term using the [[two-round system]]. The 171 members of the National Assembly are elected by three methods. The majority, 158, are elected from eight multi-member constituencies based on the [[Regions of Niger|seven regions]] and the [[Niamey]] metropolitan region; seats are allocated using the simple quotient and the [[highest averages method]] under [[proportional representation]], and there is a 5% electoral threshold. A further eight members are elected from single-member constituencies to represent ethnic minorities, whilst five are elected from single-member constituencies to represent Nigeriens living abroad, with one constituency for each continent. The single member constituencies are elected on a [[first-past-the-post voting|first-past-the-post]] basis.<ref>[http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2237_B.htm Electoral system] Inter-Parliamentary Union</ref>

==Referendums==
During the French colonial era, French citizens in Niger were able to vote in French referendums held in [[French constitutional referendum, 1945 (French Sudan−Niger)|1945]], [[French constitutional referendum, May 1946 (French Sudan−Niger)|May 1946]] and [[French constitutional referendum, October 1946 (French Sudan−Niger)|October 1946]]. In 1958 a constitutional referendum was held across the French colonial empire; rejection would result in immediate independence, whilst approval would result in the territory joining the [[French Community]]. In Niger the [[1958 Nigerien constitutional referendum|referendum]] was approved by 78% of voters.

The [[1987 Nigerien National Charter referendum|next referendum]] was held in 1987 on a National Charter that would establish non-elective, consultative institutions at both national and local levels, with official results showing 99.6% voting in favour. A [[1989 Nigerien constitutional referendum|constitutional referendum]] two years later saw the new constitution approved by a similar margin. Another [[1992 Nigerien constitutional referendum|constitutional referendum]] in 1992, which proposed reintroducing multi-party democracy, was approved by 90% of voters.

The 1996 coup led to a [[1996 Nigerien constitutional referendum|referendum]] that saw a new constitution approved by 92% of voters, whilst the 1999 coup resulted in another new constitution receive the [[1999 Nigerien constitutional referendum|approval]] of 90% of voters. A [[2009 Nigerien constitutional referendum|referendum in 2009]] proposed suspending the constitution pending a rewrite, and was approved by 92.5% of voters, although it led to a [[2009–10 Nigerien constitutional crisis|constitutional crisis]] that resulted in another coup and [[2010 Nigerien constitutional referendum|another constitutional referendum]] in 2010, with 90% backing the new constitution.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://ceni-niger.org/ CENI]
*[http://africanelections.tripod.com/ne.html Niger] African Elections Database
*[http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/n/niger/ Niger] Psephos

{{Nigerien elections|state=expanded}}
{{Africa in topic|Elections in}}
{{Niger topics}}

[[Category:Elections in Niger| ]]