Côte d'Ivoire

National Assembly

Political system: Presidential-Parliamentary
Structure of parliament: Bicameral
IPU membership: Yes

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): 18 Dec 2016
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: No information available
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Number of seats at stake: 255
Scope of elections: Full renewal

Candidates

Number of parties contesting the election: 39
Total number of candidates: 1,336
Number of male candidates: 1,170
Number of female candidates: 166

Notes: The statistics above refers to the number of titular candidates. In addition, there were 1,336 substitute candidates including 162 women (12.13%).
Percentage of women candidates: 12.4%

Voter turnout

Registered voters: 6,268,113
Voters: 2,137,364
Voter turnout: 34.1%

Results

About the election: President Alassane Ouattara's Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) retained its majority in the 255-member National Assembly, taking 167 seats. Two pro-presidential parties – the Union for Democracy and Peace in Côte d'Ivoire (UDPCI) and the Union for Côte d'Ivoire (UPCI) - won a total of nine seats. A faction of the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI, of the ousted former President Laurent Gbagbo) led by Mr. Pascal Affi N'Guessan, participated in the 2016 elections and took three seats. Other FPI members vowed to continue their boycott until Mr. Gbagbo - on trial at the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity – returns to the country. During the election campaign, the RHDP ran on the government's record, promising to accelerate the progress of the country.

The 2016 elections followed the approval of a new Constitution in a referendum in October 2016. The new Constitution was proposed in May 2016 by President Ouattara (who was re-elected for a second and final five-year term in October 2015). It provides for the post of Vice-President and a Senate, which is yet to be established. The Senate will be a representative body of territorial communities and Ivoirians abroad. The new Constitution also loosened the eligibility conditions for the presidency: henceforth, only one parent must be Ivorian, instead of both parents previously.
Number of parties winning seats: 4
Percentage of parties winning seats: 10.3%
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition: 65.5%
Alternation of power after elections: No

Parties or coalitions winning seats

Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group	Total
Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP)	167
Independents	76
Union for Democracy and Peace in Côte d'Ivoire (UDPCI)	6
Ivorian Popular Front (FPI)	3
Union for Côte d'Ivoire (UPCI)	3

Members elected, by sex

Number of men elected: 226
Number of women elected: 29
Percentage of women elected: 11.4%
Women Directly Elected: 29
Other notes on the elections: Two candidates won exactly the same number of votes in one constituency. A male independent candidate won the run-off elections held on 29 December.

In January 2017, the Constitutional Council invalidated the results in two other constituencies. Fresh elections were held on 28 January. The male candidates who were initially elected (one independent, one from UPCI) won the fresh elections. The results above reflect these elections.

In mid-January 2017, two women members were appointed ministers and replaced by their male substitutes. As at 22 February, there were 27 women out of 255 members.
Sources: National Assembly (01.01.2017, 22.02.2017)

Commission Electorale Indépendante

France 24

Infos Abidjan

Africa News

Mail & Guardian

New legislature

Total number of men after the election: 226
Total number of women after the election: 29
Percentage of women after the election: 11.4%
First-term parliamentarians: 141
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians: 55.3%
Date of the first session: 09 Jan 2017

First Speaker of the new legislature

Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature: Guillaume Soro (Male)
Date of birth: 1972
Political party: Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP)
Date of election: 09 Jan 2017