National Assembly of Cape Verde
Encyclopedia
The unicameral National Assembly (Portuguese
: Assembleia Nacional) is the legislative body of the Republic of Cape Verde
.
(PAIGC), which was the sole political party allowed to field candidates. They elected PAIGC Secretary-general Aristides Pereira
President on 5 July 1975, when the country officially gained independence from Portugal
.
Single-party
elections were again held on 7 December 1980 with Pereira being re-elected unopposed by the Assembly on 12 February 1981. That same year the Cape Verdean branch of the PAIGC, which was also the ruling party in Guinea-Bissau
, was renamed African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde
(PAICV).
Elections for an enlarged 83-seat National People's Assembly took place on 7 December 1985. For the first time a few independent, PAICV-endorsed candidates won seats in the legislature.
In 1990, Cape Verde became one of the first Africa
n countries to abandon single-party rule and embrace multiparty democracy
.
(MPD), which won 56 out of 79 seats compared to the PAICV's 23. The elections were considered transparent, free, and fair.
In the next election, held on 17 December 1995, the number of Assembly seats was reduced from 79 to 72. The MPD won 50 seats and the PAICV won 21. The Democratic Convergence Party
(PCD) won the remaining seat.
After the elections on 14 January 2001, the Assembly has a total of 72 directly elected members who serve five-year terms. They are elected from 16 multi-member constituencies using the D'Hondt method
of party-list proportional representation
.
Four parties and one coalition contested the election. They were the PAICV, MPD, Democratic Renewal Party
(PRD), and the Social Democratic Party
(PSD). Three parties - the Democratic Convergence Party
(PCD), Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union
(UCID), and the Labour and Solidarity Party
(PTS) - formed a coalition known as the Democratic Alliance for Change
(ADM). The election results are as follows:
PAICV - 49.50% of the vote and 40 seats
MPD - 40.55% of the vote and 30 seats
ADM - 6.12% of the vote and 2 seats
PRD - 3.38% of the vote and no seats
PSD - 0.45% of the vote and no seats
Eight women won seats in the National Assembly.
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
: Assembleia Nacional) is the legislative body of the Republic of Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
.
National People's Assembly (1975-1991)
The country's first legislative election took place in June 1975. The body was known as the National People's Assembly and its members came from the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape VerdeAfrican Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde
The African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde or PAIGC is a political party that governed Guinea-Bissau from the independence of the then Portuguese Guinea in 1974, until the late 1990s, and from 2004 to 2005. Currently it is the party with the largest number of seats in the...
(PAIGC), which was the sole political party allowed to field candidates. They elected PAIGC Secretary-general Aristides Pereira
Aristides Pereira
Aristides Maria Pereira was the first President of Cape Verde, serving from 1975 to 1991.-Biography:Pereira was born on the island of Boa Vista. His first major government job was chief of telecommunications in Guinea-Bissau...
President on 5 July 1975, when the country officially gained independence from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
Single-party
Single-party state
A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election...
elections were again held on 7 December 1980 with Pereira being re-elected unopposed by the Assembly on 12 February 1981. That same year the Cape Verdean branch of the PAIGC, which was also the ruling party in Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
, was renamed African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde
African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde
The African Party of Independence of Cape Verde is a former socialist party and presently a social-democratic political party in Cape Verde. Its members are nicknamed “os tambarinas” in Portuguese , and they identify themselves with the color yellow.-Forerunner:In 1956, its forerunner, the African...
(PAICV).
Elections for an enlarged 83-seat National People's Assembly took place on 7 December 1985. For the first time a few independent, PAICV-endorsed candidates won seats in the legislature.
In 1990, Cape Verde became one of the first Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n countries to abandon single-party rule and embrace multiparty democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
.
National Assembly (1991-Present)
The first multiparty National Assembly elections took place on 13 January 1991. The ruling PAICV was soundly defeated by the opposition Movement for DemocracyMovement for Democracy (Cape Verde)
The Movimento para a Democracia is a ideological liberal party in Cape Verde. It was in power between 1991 and 2001. MPD was created on March 14, 1990, and their first convention was held in November 1990. They won the first elections after the end of the one-party system in Cape Verde, with more...
(MPD), which won 56 out of 79 seats compared to the PAICV's 23. The elections were considered transparent, free, and fair.
In the next election, held on 17 December 1995, the number of Assembly seats was reduced from 79 to 72. The MPD won 50 seats and the PAICV won 21. The Democratic Convergence Party
Democratic Convergence Party (Cape Verde)
The Democratic Convergence Party is a centrist political party in Cape Verde. The PCD was formed in 1994, following a split in the Movement for Democracy....
(PCD) won the remaining seat.
After the elections on 14 January 2001, the Assembly has a total of 72 directly elected members who serve five-year terms. They are elected from 16 multi-member constituencies using the D'Hondt method
D'Hondt method
The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method described is named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt who described it in 1878...
of party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation systems are a family of voting systems emphasizing proportional representation in elections in which multiple candidates are elected...
.
Four parties and one coalition contested the election. They were the PAICV, MPD, Democratic Renewal Party
Democratic Renewal Party (Cape Verde)
The Democratic Renewal Party is a centrist political party in Cape Verde.In the legislative election held on 14 January 2001, the party won 3.38% of the popular vote, but failed to gain representation in the National Assembly....
(PRD), and the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Cape Verde)
The Social Democratic Party is a political party in Cape Verde.In the legislative election held on 14 January 2001, the PSD won 0.45% of the popular vote but failed to gain representation in the National Assembly....
(PSD). Three parties - the Democratic Convergence Party
Democratic Convergence Party (Cape Verde)
The Democratic Convergence Party is a centrist political party in Cape Verde. The PCD was formed in 1994, following a split in the Movement for Democracy....
(PCD), Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union
Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union
The Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union is a Center-right conservative political party in Cape Verde.At the election held on 14 January 2001, the party was part of the Democratic Alliance for Change coalition. The ADM won 6.12% of the vote and two seats in the National Assembly...
(UCID), and the Labour and Solidarity Party
Labour and Solidarity Party
The Labour and Solidarity Party is a political party in São Vicente, Cape Verde. The party is led by Aníbal Medina.The party was founded by Onésimo Silveira in November 1998....
(PTS) - formed a coalition known as the Democratic Alliance for Change
Democratic Alliance for Change
The Democratic Alliance for Change is a political alliance in Cape Verde, formed by the Democratic Convergence Party, the Labour and Solidarity Party and the Democratic and Independent Cape Verdian Union....
(ADM). The election results are as follows:
PAICV - 49.50% of the vote and 40 seats
MPD - 40.55% of the vote and 30 seats
ADM - 6.12% of the vote and 2 seats
PRD - 3.38% of the vote and no seats
PSD - 0.45% of the vote and no seats
Eight women won seats in the National Assembly.
The current National Assembly
Presidents of the National Assembly
| Name | Entered Office | Left Office |
|---|---|---|
| Abilio Duarte Abílio Duarte Abílio Augusto Monteiro Duarte was a Cape Verdean nationalist and early political leader in the independence era.... |
1975 | 1991 |
| Amilcar Spencer Lopes | 1991 | 1996 |
| António do Espírito Santo Fonseca | 1996 | 2001 |
| Aristides Raimundo Lima | February 13, 2001 | February 2011 |
| Basilio Mosso Ramos | March 2011 | Present |