President Mahamadou Issoufou’s Niger Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS Tarayya) remained the largest party in the 171-member National Assembly (see note 1), taking 80 out of the 166 seats at stake. Former Speaker Hama Amadou’s Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation (Moden Fa. Lumana Africa, which is in the opposition CAP 20-21 coalition), came a distant second, taking 19 seats. Only two other parties took more than 10 seats: the National Movement for the Development of Society (MNSD) – Nassara (led by former Prime Minister and Speaker Seyni Oumarou) and the Movement for the Republic (MPR-Jamhuriya, led by former MNSD Secretary General Albadé Abouba). In all, 43 of 166 members elected in 2020 were women (25.9%), up from up from 25 women out of 171 members (14.6%) elected in 2016. 

The parliamentary elections were held in parallel with the presidential polls to elect the successor of President Issoufou, who was stepping down after two five-year terms. Former Interior Minister Mohamed Bazoum (PNDS Tarayya) won the run-off elections held on 21 February 2021. His rival, former President Mahamane Ousmane (see note 2), rejected the results. The announcement of the presidential election results led to clashes in the capital Niamey and several towns in the provinces. Hundreds were arrested. On 1 March, Mr. Amadou was imprisoned for his alleged role in the unrest.

On 22 March 2021, the newly elected National Assembly elected Mr. Oumarou (MNSD) as its new Speaker. The inaugural day was marked by attacks by suspected jihadists in Tahoua region, which left at least 137 people dead. On 31 March, the government announced it had foiled an attempted coup. On 2 April, Mr. Bazoum was officially sworn in as the new President, thereby marking the first peaceful transfer of power since the country’s independence in 1960. The following day, President Bazoum appointed Mr. Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou (PNDS Tarayya) as the new Prime Minister.

Note 1:
This includes five seats reserved for Nigeriens abroad. The elections to these seats were not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Note 2:
Mr. Ousmane of the Democratic and Republican Rally (RDR-Tchandji) was the first democratically elected president of Niger. In the runoff elections in 2020, he was supported by several opposition figures, including the former Speaker Amadou and 10 other candidates who did not qualify for the run-offs.