Guyana

National Assembly

Political system
Presidential-Parliamentary
Structure of parliament
Unicameral
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)
11 May 2015
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
28 Feb 2015
Timing of election
Early elections
Number of seats at stake
65
Scope of elections
Full renewal

Candidates

Number of parties contesting the election
7

Voter turnout

Registered voters
570,708
Voters
412,012
Voter turnout
72.2%

Results

About the election

The Partnership for National Unity - Alliance for Change coalition (APNU-AFC, see note), led by former army general David Granger, narrowly won both parliamentary and presidential elections, thereby ending the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)'s 23-year rule. Outgoing President Donald Ramotar (PPP/C), who lost to Mr. Granger, claimed the elections had been rigged and demanded a recount. International observers said the elections were free and fair. On 16 May, Mr. Granger was sworn in as the new President.

The major electoral issues were measures to tackle the high crime rate, unemployment, corruption as well as drug and human trafficking. The early elections followed the prorogation of parliament by the President in November 2014, in an apparent attempt to avoid a vote of no confidence against his minority government. A motion had been tabled in August by the AFC, which accused the PPP/C of corruption, mismanagement and lack of transparency, and a successful vote would have seen the dissolution of parliament and early elections.

In January 2015, the President announced the holding of early parliamentary elections, stating that the prorogation of parliament had not eased tensions between the parliamentary parties.

Note:

In the previous elections held in 2011, the APNU and the AFC fielded candidates separately and won a total of 33 seats. This was one more than the PPP/C, which failed to secure a parliamentary majority for the first time in 19 years. Mr. Ramotar subsequently formed a minority PPP/C government, the first since Guyana gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. In 2015, the APNU and the AFC submitted a joint candidate list.

Number of parties winning seats
2
Percentage of parties winning seats
28.6%
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
50.8%
Alternation of power after elections
Yes
Number of parties in government
1
Names of parties in government
A Partnership for National Unity - Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC)

Parties or coalitions winning seats

Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group Total
A Partnership for National Unity - Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC) 33
People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) 32
Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
48
Number of women elected
21

Notes:

The statistics above refer to the 65 directly-elected seats.

As at 12 June 2015, 37 members from the government had been sworn in:

- 33 directly-elected members (including 13 women) from - A Partnership for National Unity - Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC);

- three non-elected ministers and;

- the Speaker, a non-elected member, who became an ex officio member of the National Assembly.

- 32 members of the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), including nine women, were sworn in on 17 August, bringing the number of women to 21 out of a total of 69 members.

Percentage of women elected
30.4%
Women Directly Elected
21
Other notes on the elections

Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 28 February 2015. The dissolution of the outgoing legislature was constitutionally due by 12 February 2015, three months ahead of the polling day.

Number of parties winning seats: 2 (including one coalition)

Number of parties in government: One coalition including two parties

Speaker: Mr. Barton Scotland (non-elected member)

Sources

National Assembly (12.06.2015, 01.09.2015, 01.01.2017)

New legislature

Total number of men after the election
48
Total number of women after the election
21
Percentage of women after the election
30.4%
First-term parliamentarians
20
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
29.0%
Date of the first session
10 Jun 2015

First Speaker of the new legislature

Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
Barton Scotland (Male)

Historical data for IPU membership

Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No