AFRICAN ELECTIONS DATABASE
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Elections in Côte d'Ivoire
 
Political Profile
Political System: Restricted Democratic Practice
President: Laurent Gbagbo (FPI) [since 26 October 2000; elected 2000] The President is elected by direct popular vote for a 5-year term. Electoral System: Two Round (Run-off). Note: In late 2005, Gbagbo's term was extended by one year to October 2006.
Prime Minister: Guillaume Soro [since 04 April 2007] The Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
National Assembly [unicameral] (225 Seats) Members are elected by direct popular vote in single-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post (simple majority) system; members serve 5-year terms.
Political Situation since Independence
1960-1990 One Party State (PDCI-RDA)
1990         Multiparty Transition
1990-1999 Restricted Democratic Practice
1999-2000 Military Regime
2000-        Restricted Democratic Practice
2007 Freedom House Rating: Political Rights - 7, Civil Liberties - 6, Status: Not Free
Next Scheduled Presidential Election: 2008
Next Scheduled National Assembly Election: 2008
Political Parties: FPI - Ivorian Popular Front (left-wing, social-democratic), MFA - Movement of Forces of the Future, PDCI-RDA - Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally (authoritarian), PIT - Ivorian Workers’ Party (far-left), RDR - Rally of the Republicans (centrist, liberal), UDCI - Union of Democrats of Côte d'Ivoire.
 
Election Results
 
 
Presidential
--Single Party: 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985
--Multiparty: 1990, 1995, 2000
Legislative
--Single Party: 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985
--Multiparty: 1990, 1996, 2000
Constitutional Referendum: 2000
 
 
Single Party Elections
Sole Legal Party: Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA)

27 November 1960 Presidential Election (Félix Houphouët-Boigny elected unopposed)

27 November 1960 National Assembly Election (70 Seats)

07 November 1965 Presidential Election (Félix Houphouët-Boigny re-elected unopposed)

07 November 1965 National Assembly Election (85 Seats)

29 November 1970 Presidential Election (Félix Houphouët-Boigny re-elected unopposed)

29 November 1970 National Assembly Election (100 Seats)

16 November 1975 Presidential Election (Félix Houphouët-Boigny re-elected unopposed)

16 November 1975 National Assembly Election (120 Seats)

12 October 1980 Presidential Election (Félix Houphouët-Boigny re-elected unopposed)

23 November 1980 National Assembly Election (147 Seats)

27 October 1985 Presidential Election (Félix Houphouët-Boigny re-elected unopposed)

10 November 1985 National Assembly Election (175 Seats)

 
28 October 1990 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

 4,408,810

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (69.2%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

 2,993,806 

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Félix Houphouët-Boigny (PDCI-RDA)

2,445,365

81.68%

Laurent Gbagbo (FPI)

548,441

18.32%

 
25 November 1990 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

 Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (approx. 40%)

Party

Number of Seats (175)

Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA)

163

Ivorian Popular Front (FPI)

09

Ivorian Workers’ Party (PIT)

01

Independents

02

 
22 October 1995 Presidential Election*

Registered Voters

 Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (56.0%)

Candidate (Party)

% of Votes

Henri Konan Bédié (PDCI-RDA)

96.44%

Francis Wodié (PIT)

3.52%

*Boycotted by the opposition Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) and Rally of the Republicans (RDR)
 
25 November 1996 National Assembly Election*

Registered Voters

 Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

Number of Seats (175)

Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA)

148

Rally of the Republicans (RDR)

14

Ivorian Popular Front (FPI)

12

Vacant

01

*Elections were annulled in some constituencies following the election. Elections were held in late December to fill the vacant seats.
 
23-24 July 2000 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: Presidential Republic, Parliament with one chamber, Both parents of the President candidates must have been born in Côte d'Ivoire

Registered Voters

 5,017,087

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

2,808,157 (56.0%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     85,143

Total Valid Votes

 2,723,014

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

2,356,161

86.53%

"No" Votes

366,853

13.47%

 
22 October 2000 Presidential Election*

Registered Voters

 5,475,143

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

2,049,018 (37.4%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

   254,012

Total Valid Votes

 1,795,006

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Laurent Gbagbo (FPI)

1,065,597

59.4%

Robert Guéï

587,267

32.7%

Francis Wodié (PIT)

102,253

5.7%

Théodore Mel (UDCI)

26,331

1.5%

Nicolas Dioulou

13,558

0.8%

*The Rally of the Republicans (RDR) and Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA) boycotted the election.
 
10 December 2000 National Assembly Election*

Registered Voters

 5,517,593

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,740,240 (31.5%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

   192,442

Total Valid Votes

 1,547,798

Party

Number of Seats (225)

Ivorian Popular Front (FPI)

96

Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA)

94

Rally of the Republicans (RDR)

05

Ivorian Workers’ Party (PIT)

04

Union of Democrats of Côte d'Ivoire (UDCI)

01

Movement of Forces of the Future (MFA)

01

Independents

22

Vacant

02

*Balloting was not held on 10 December 2000 for 28 seats in northern constituencies because of unrest affiliated with an election boycott by the main faction of the Rally of Republicans (RDR). Balloting for 26 of the outstanding seats was conducted in a by-election on 14 January 2001.