Burundi

National AssemblySenate

National Assembly

Election results

Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections

Background

Election date(s) The date when elections started and ended for directly or indirectly elected parliaments/chambers. The date of appointments for appointed parliaments/chambers.
29.06.2015
Timing of election Timing of election: Upon normal expiry; Early elections; Delayed elections
Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections The expected date at which the next elections should take place, based on law or practice.
31.05.2025
Number of seats at stake Number of seats contested at the elections. Where the parliament/chamber is fully renewed, this number is usually identical to the statutory number of members. Where the parliament/chamber is partially renewed or appointed, the number of seats at stake is usually less than the total number of members.
100
Scope of elections Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
Full renewal

Candidates

Number of parties contesting the election This field may include either the number of parties contesting the election, or the number of coalitions/electoral alliance.
16

Voter turnout

Registration Number of people registered to vote
3,843,024
Votes Number of people who actually voted
2,856,112
Voter turnout The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of people who actually voted by the number of people registered to vote
74.32%

Results

About the election Short description of the context and results of the election.
The ruling coalition, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD), took 77 of the 100 directly elected seats during the elections; the poll was boycotted by the major opposition parties. Hope for Burundians (Abigenga-Amizero y'Abarundi) took 21 seats (see note 1), even though this opposition coalition, led by Mr. Agathon Rwasa, had officially boycotted the elections. In order to ensure respect for the 60-40 ethnic distribution of seats and the 30 per cent quota for women, a further 21 members (see note 2) were co-opted after the elections. That increased the number of members in the new National Assembly to 121, up from 106 in the outgoing legislature. The UN mission in the country (MENUB) stated that "the environment was not conducive for free, credible and inclusive elections."

The 2015 elections followed an attempted coup on 15 May. The coup was preceded by violent protests after President Pierre Nkurunziza (CNDD-FDD) announced that he would run for a third term in the 2015 presidential elections (see note 3). Following mounting pressure from the international community, the parliamentary elections were postponed from 26 May to 5 June and then to 29 June. Before polling day, several key parliamentarians left the CNDD-FDD. They included Second Vice President of the Republic and former Senate President Mr. Gervais Rufyikiri, and outgoing Speaker of the National Assembly Mr. Pie Ntavyohanyuma. Both have fled into self-imposed exile in Belgium. According to the United Nations, 140,000 people have fled the country amid violence.

Note 1:
The names of several opposition parties were retained on the final ballot paper. The election commission stated it did not receive an official letter from those parties about the withdrawal of their candidates from the elections. Before announcing the election boycott, the major opposition parties criticized President Nkurunziza's new presidential bid and demanded the postponement of the presidential polls scheduled for 15 July.

Note 2:
Seventy-five men (56 Hutus and 19 Tutsis) and 25 women (14 Hutus and 11 Tutsis) were directly elected. In all, 18 women (3 Hutus and 15 Tutsis) and 3 Twa representatives (including one woman) were co-opted, bringing the total number of women to 44.

Note 3:
Article 96 of the 2005 Constitution stipulates that the President is directly elected for a five-year term, renewable once. President Nkurunziza was indirectly elected by parliament in 2005 and then directly elected in 2010. Supporters of the President argued that he was eligible to run again in 2015, since he was indirectly elected by parliament for his first term. On 5 May, the Constitutional Court ruled that "the renewal of the presidential term through direct universal suffrage for five years is not against the constitution of Burundi", paving the way for the President to seek a new term. The decision resulted in a wave of violent street protests. On 13 May, Major General Godefroid Niyombare staged a coup. Two days later, the government arrested him and two other leaders of the coup.
Number of parties winning seats The number of parties which won parliamentary representation in the given election.
3
Percentage of parties winning seats The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of parties which won parliamentary representation by the number of parties contesting the election.
18.75%
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of seats won by the largest party by the number of seats at stake in the election.
77%
Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political groups winning seats breakdown
Political group Total
National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) 77
Hope for Burundians coalition (Abigenga-Amizero y'Abarundi) 21
Union for National Progress (UPRONA) 2
Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
77
Number of women elected
44
Percentage of women elected The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected in the election and the number of seats at stake at the election.
44%
Note on the Distribution of seats according to sex
25 women were directly elected. In all, 18 women (3 Hutus and 15 Tutsis) and 3 Twa representatives (including one woman) were co-opted, bringing the total number of women to 44.
Other notes
Number of parties contesting the election (16) and number of parties winning seats (3): For the 100 directly elected seats.
Sources
Election Commission (23.07.2015)
Women Directly Elected
25
Women Appointed
19

New legislature

Total number of men after the election The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
77
Total number of women after the election The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
44
Date of the first session The date when the newly elected parliament/chamber was convened for the first time. It may be different from the date when members were sworn in.
27.07.2015
First Speaker of the new legislature
First Speaker of the new legislature First name of the Speaker of the new legislature following the election or renewal.
Pascal Nyabenda (Male)
Political party
National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD)
Date of election
30.07.2015