Comoros legislative election, 2004
Encyclopedia
Legislative elections were held in the Union of the Comoros
on April 18 and April 25, 2004. The result was a victory for opponents of the President of the Comoros, Azali Assoumani
.
The Assembly of the Union of the Comoros
consists of 33 members. Of these, 18 are elected directly from single-member constituencies. The remaining 15 are chosen by the legislatures of the three islands which constitute the Union: Ndzuwanie (also known as Anjouan
), Mwali (also known als Mohéli
) and Ngazidja (also known as Grande Comore
), with five being chosen from each island.
Candidates who polled 50% of the vote in the first round on April 18 were elected. In constituencies where no candidate polled 50% of the vote, a second round of voting was held on April 25.
There is only one national political party in the Comoros, the Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros
(Convention pour le Renouveau des Comores, CRC) of President Azali, which favours more centralised government.
At these elections the CRC was opposed by a loose coalition called the Camp of the Autonomous Islands
(Camp des Îles Autonomes), which is not a formal party but a coalition of opposition groups organised by the presidents of the three federated islands and opposed to President Azali.
Complete results of the elections have not yet been published. Media reports agree that the supporters of President Azali were heavily defeated, winning no seats in Anjouan or Mwali, and only six of nine seats in Azali's home base of Ngazidja.
Since the opposition controls the legislatures of all three of islands, the 15 members to be chosen by them will presumably also be opposition supporters. The opposition would thus control the federal legislature by 27 to 6.
Voting figures for some of the electorates are available http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/c/comoros/comoros2004.txt, but no overall national voting figures can be given.
Comoros
The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...
on April 18 and April 25, 2004. The result was a victory for opponents of the President of the Comoros, Azali Assoumani
Azali Assoumani
Azali Assoumani was a president of the Comoros. He became leader of the country on 30 April 1999 after leading a coup to depose acting president Tadjidine Ben Said Massounde, who he saw as pandering to the independence movement on Anjouan...
.
The Assembly of the Union of the Comoros
Assembly of the Union of the Comoros
The unicameral Assembly of the Union of the Comoros is the country's legislative body.The current Assembly of the Union, formed following elections held on 18 and 25 April 2004, has a total of 33 members. 18 member are directly elected in single member constituencies using the two-round system...
consists of 33 members. Of these, 18 are elected directly from single-member constituencies. The remaining 15 are chosen by the legislatures of the three islands which constitute the Union: Ndzuwanie (also known as Anjouan
Anjouan
Anjouan is an autonomous island, part of the Union of Comoros. The island is located in the Indian Ocean. Its capital is Mutsamudu and its population as of 2006 is about 277,500. The total area of the island is 424 sq. kilometers Anjouan (also known as Ndzuwani or Nzwani) is an autonomous island,...
), Mwali (also known als Mohéli
Mohéli
Mohéli, also known as Mwali, is one of the three islands which make up the nation of Comoros. Mohéli is located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa. It is by far the smallest of the Comoros islands. Its population, as of 2006, is about 38,000. Its capital city is Fomboni...
) and Ngazidja (also known as Grande Comore
Grande Comore
Grande Comore is an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa. It is the largest island in the Comoros nation. Most of its population is of the Comorian ethnic group. Its population as of 2006 is about 316,600. The island's capital is Moroni, which is also the national capital...
), with five being chosen from each island.
Candidates who polled 50% of the vote in the first round on April 18 were elected. In constituencies where no candidate polled 50% of the vote, a second round of voting was held on April 25.
There is only one national political party in the Comoros, the Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros
Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros
The Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros is a centrist political party in the Comoros. It was formed by former president Azali Assoumani. It unsuccessfully supported Ibrahim Halidi in the 2006 Presidential elections....
(Convention pour le Renouveau des Comores, CRC) of President Azali, which favours more centralised government.
At these elections the CRC was opposed by a loose coalition called the Camp of the Autonomous Islands
Camp of the Autonomous Islands
The Camp of the Autonomous Islands is a federalist political party in the Comoros. It is a loose coalition of islands leaders opposed to former president Azali Assoumani. At the last legislative election, 18 and 25 April 2004, the camp won a clear majority of the seats in parliament....
(Camp des Îles Autonomes), which is not a formal party but a coalition of opposition groups organised by the presidents of the three federated islands and opposed to President Azali.
Complete results of the elections have not yet been published. Media reports agree that the supporters of President Azali were heavily defeated, winning no seats in Anjouan or Mwali, and only six of nine seats in Azali's home base of Ngazidja.
Since the opposition controls the legislatures of all three of islands, the 15 members to be chosen by them will presumably also be opposition supporters. The opposition would thus control the federal legislature by 27 to 6.
Voting figures for some of the electorates are available http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/c/comoros/comoros2004.txt, but no overall national voting figures can be given.