Election Watch

ELECTION RESULTS (December 2006–March 2007)

Bahrain: In elections on November 25 and December 2 for the 40-member Chamber of Deputies, the Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, a Shia opposition group, won 17 seats; the Sunni Islamist Al-Menbar Islamic Society won 7; the Salafist Al Asala Islamic Society won 5; and progovernment independents won 9.

Benin: Legislative elections were scheduled for March 25; results will be reported in a future issue.

Estonia: Parliamentary elections were scheduled for March 4; results will be reported in a future issue.

Gabon: In December 17 parliamentary elections for the 120-seat National Assembly, President Omar Bongo’s Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) retained its majority, winning 82 seats, and seven other parties allied with the PDG won 17 additional seats. Other parties that won seats included the Union of the Gabonese People with 8, and the Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development with 4. Observers reported that the elections were largely peaceful, though turnout was low and opposition candidates claimed that they were not given fair access to state media and resources during campaigning.

The Gambia: Legislative elections were held January 25 for the 48 elected members of the 53-seat National Assembly. President Yahya Jammeh’s Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction won 42 seats, the United Democratic Party won 4, the National Alliance for Democracy and Development won 1, and an independent won 1. A Commonwealth observer group cited a number of shortcomings in the fairness [End Page 175] of the elections but concluded that the results were “a reflection of the wish of the people.”

Lesotho: In February 17 parliamentary elections for the 120-seat Assembly, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (led by Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili) in alliance with the National Independence Party won 82; and the All Basotho Convention (led by Tom Thabane) in alliance with the Lesotho Workers Party won 27. The Alliance of Congress Parties, led by Ntsukunyane Mphanya, won 4, the Basotho National Party won 3, and three other parties each won 1 seat. One seat remains vacant. Election observers declared the elections to be largely free and fair.

Madagascar: In a presidential election held December 3, independent Marc Ravalomanana was reelected with 54 percent of the vote. Independents Jean Lahiniriko and Roland Ratsiraka followed with 11 percent and 10 percent, respectively. The High Constitutional Court found no evidence of widespread irregularities, and observers declared the vote in large part free and fair.

Mauritania: The first parliamentary elections since the overthrow of 21-year president Maaouya Taya in August 2005 were held November 19 and December 3 for the 81-seat National Assembly. The Rally of Democratic Forces, led by Ahmed Daddah, won 15 seats; the Progress Force Union, led by Mohamed Maoloud, won 8; the former ruling Renewed Republican Democratic Party won 7; the Popular Progressive Alliance, led by Messaoud Boulkhar, won 5; and 41 independents won seats. A presidential election was scheduled for March 11; results will be reported in a future issue.

Saint Lucia: In December 11 parliamentary elections for the 17-seat House of Assembly, the opposition United Workers’ Party, led by John Compton, won 11 seats, defeating the ruling St. Lucia Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Kenny Anthony, which won 6.

Senegal: In a presidential election held February 25, Abdoulaye Wade of the Senegalese Democratic Party was reelected, winning 56 percent of the vote. Former prime minister Idrissa Seck of the Rewmi Party followed with about 15 percent, and Tanor Dieng of the Socialist Party received 14 percent.

Serbia: Parliamentary elections were held January 21 for the 250-member National Assembly. The Serbian Radical Party won 28 percent of the vote and 81 seats; President Boris Tadiæ’s Democratic Party won 22 percent and 64 seats; and Prime Minister Vojislav Ko√tunica’s Democratic Party of Serbia–New Serbia coalition won 16 percent and 47 seats. The G17 Plus party, the Socialist Party of Serbia, and the Liberal Democratic [End Page 176] Party–led coalition won 19, 16, and 15 seats, respectively. Eight seats went to ethnic-minority parties.

Turkmenistan: Following the death of “President-for-life” Sapurmurad Niyazov in December, presidential elections were held on February 11. Acting president Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov was elected over five other contenders with 89 percent of the vote. No candidates from opposition parties were allowed to run in the election.