Rwanda

Chamber of Deputies

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): 16 Sep 2013 to 18 Sep 2013
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: No information available
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Number of seats at stake: 80
Scope of elections: Full renewal

Candidates

Number of parties contesting the election: 8
Total number of candidates: 410

Notes: Number of candidates: 410, including 103 women candidates for the 24 women seats, 23 candidates for the two youth seats, and 15 candidates for the one seat reserved for the disabled.
The number of women candidates is not available from authoritative sources.: Yes

Voter turnout

Registered voters: 5,953,531
Voters: 5,881,874
Voter turnout: 98.8%

Results

About the election: President Paul Kagame's Rwandan Patriotic Front (FPR) took 41 of the 53 directly elected seats in the 80-member Chamber of Deputies. Two independent parties close to the FPR - the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party - took the remainder. The other 27 seats are reserved for special interest groups namely, women (24 seats), the youth (2) and people living with disabilities (1).

A record 51 women were elected, holding 23 general seats, 24 reserved seats and one representative for youth. Rwanda thus renewed its own record for the highest number of women parliamentarians, rising to 64 per cent from 56.25 per cent in 2008. Turnout was also high at 98.8 per cent of 5.9 million registered voters, up from 95.5 per cent in 2008.

The FPR ran on the government's record, citing better infrastructure and increased energy supply. It promised to boost women's welfare, maintain security and consolidate the country's progress. Among the other parties in parliament, the Social Democratic Party focused on development and social welfare. The Liberal Party promised to work for reforms in the justice sector to reduce the backlog of cases.
Number of parties winning seats: 3
Percentage of parties winning seats: 37.5%
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition: 51.3%
Alternation of power after elections: No
Number of parties in government: 3
Names of parties in government: Rwandan Patriotic Front (FPR); Ideal Democratic Party (PDI) and Party for Progress and Concord (PPC)

Parties or coalitions winning seats

Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group	Total
Rwandan Patriotic Front (FPR)	41
Social Democratic Party (PSD)	7
Liberal Party	5

Members elected, by sex

Number of men elected: 29
Number of women elected: 51
Percentage of women elected: 63.8%
Women Directly Elected: 51
Sources: Chamber of Deputies (02.10.2013, 01.01.2017)

National Electoral Commission

New legislature

Total number of men after the election: 29
Total number of women after the election: 51
Percentage of women after the election: 63.8%
First-term parliamentarians: No information available
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians: No information available
Date of the first session: 05 Oct 2013

First Speaker of the new legislature

Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature: Donatille Mukabalisa (Female)
Date of birth: 30 Jul 1960
Political party: Rwandan Patriotic Front (FPR)
Date of election: 05 Oct 2013