Elections in Namibia
Encyclopedia
Elections in Namibia gives information on election
and election results in Namibia
.
Namibia elects on national level a head of state
- the president
- and a legislature
. The president is elected for a five year term by the people. Parliament
has two chambers
. The National Assembly
has 78 members, elected for a five year term, 72 members elected by proportional representation
and 6 members appointed by the president. The National Council
has 26 members, elected for a six year term in double-seat constituencies (regions).
Namibia is a democratic but one party dominant state with the South-West Africa People's Organisation
in power. Opposition
parties
are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power.
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
and election results in Namibia
Politics of Namibia
Politics of Namibia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Namibia is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in...
.
Namibia elects on national level a head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
- the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
- and a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. The president is elected for a five year term by the people. Parliament
Parliament of Namibia
Parliament is the law-making body of Namibia legislature. It consists of two chambers:#The National Assembly initiates and approves laws...
has two chambers
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
. The National Assembly
National Assembly of Namibia
The National Assembly of Namibia is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It has a total of 78 members. 72 members are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Six additional members are appointed by the President.The...
has 78 members, elected for a five year term, 72 members elected by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
and 6 members appointed by the president. The National Council
National Council of Namibia
The National Council of Namibia is the upper chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament.The 26 National Council members are chosen by regional councils, which are directly elected for a term of six-years. Each of the 13 regional councils chooses two of its members to serve on the National Council...
has 26 members, elected for a six year term in double-seat constituencies (regions).
Namibia is a democratic but one party dominant state with the South-West Africa People's Organisation
South-West Africa People's Organisation
The South West Africa People's Organization is a political party and former liberation movement in Namibia. It has been the governing party in Namibia since achieving independence in 1990...
in power. Opposition
Opposition (politics)
In politics, the opposition comprises one or more political parties or other organized groups that are opposed to the government , party or group in political control of a city, region, state or country...
parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power.