AFRICAN ELECTIONS DATABASE
Home | About the Database | Site Updates | Recent Elections | Terms and Definitions | Election Calendar | Electoral Authorities | Election Chronology | Freedom, Democracy, and Human Rights
Elections in the Comoros
 
Political Profile
Political System: Democracy
Union President: Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi [since 26 May 2006; elected 2006] The Union President is elected by direct popular vote for a 4-year term. The union presidency rotates between the three islands (Anjouan 2006-2010; Mohéli 2010-2014; Grande Comore 2014-2018). Electoral System: Two Round (Run-off).
Assembly of the Union [unicameral] (33 Seats) 18 members are elected by direct popular vote in single-member constituencies using the two round (run-off) system, 15 members are indirectly elected by the assemblies of the three islands (5 each); members serve 5-year terms.
Political Situation since Independence
1975         Emerging Democracy
1975-1982 Restricted Democratic Practice
1982-1990 One Party State (UDZIMA)
1990-1995 Emerging Democracy
1995-1996 Transitional Government
1996-1999 Emerging Democracy
1999-2002 Military Regime
2002         Transitional Government
2002-2004 Emerging Democracy
2004-        Democracy
2007 Freedom House Rating: Political Rights - 3, Civil Liberties - 4, Status: Partly Free
Next Scheduled Union Presidential Election: 2010
Next Scheduled Assembly of the Union Election: 2009
Political Parties: CHUMA - Islands' Fraternity and Unity Party, DJAWABU*, DPA-Mwangaza - Dialogue Proposition Action, Espoir 2000 - Hope 2000, FD - Democratic Front, FDC - Democratic Front of the Comoros, FNJ - National Front for Justice (Islamist), FPC - Comoran Popular Front, Maecha Bora*, MDP-NGDC - Movement for Democracy and Progress-New Democratic Generation of the Comoros, MPC - Movement for the Comoros, PCDP-Djamnazi - Comoran Party for Democracy and Progress, RACHADE - Rally for Change and Democracy, RIDJA - Rally for a Development Initiative with an Enlightened Youth, RDR - Rally for Democracy and Renewal, RND - National Rally for Development (right-wing), RND-R - National Rally for Development-Renewal, SHAWIRI*, UDD - Union for Democracy and Decentralization, UDZIMA - Comoran Union for Progress, UNDC - National Union for Democracy in the Comoros, UWEZO - Realizing Freedom’s Capability.
Coalitions: Rally for Democracy and Renewal-Union for Democracy and Decentralization-Dialogue Proposition Action (RDR-UDD-DPA Mwangaza) [Contested the 1993 Federal Assembly Election]; Camp of the Autonomous Islands (CdÎA) [Contested the 2004 Assembly of the Union Election] A coalition of opposition parties organized by the Presidents of the three Islands and opposed to the Union President. The group on Grande Comore (Ngazidja) is called Mdjidjengo (autonomy).
*Translated version of the political party acronym is not available.
 
Election Results
 
 
Presidential
--Multiparty: 1978, 1990, 1996, 2002, 2006
--Single Party: 1982, 1987
Legislative
--Multiparty: 1978, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2004
--Single Party: 1984
Referenda: 1974, 1977, 1978, 1989, 1992, 2001
 
 
22 December 1974 Referendum [Results by Island]
Main Points: Independence of the Territory of Comoros from France

Registered Voters

174,918

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

163,167 (93.3%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

       130

Total Valid Votes

163,037

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

154,184

94.57%

"No" Votes

8,853

05.43%

 
28 October 1977 Referendum
Main Points: Endorsement of Ali Soilih as President of the Comoros

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (92.2%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

151,971

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

86,065

56.63%

"No" Votes

65,906

43.37%

 
01 October 1978 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: Presidential and Federative Republic

Registered Voters

187,124

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Results

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

99.31%

"No" Votes

00.69%

 
22 October 1978 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Ahmed Abdallah, the sole candidate, was elected unopposed.
 
1978 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

No Figures Available.
 
Single Party Elections
Sole Legal Party: Comoran Union for Progress (UDZIMA)

March 1982 National Assembly Election

30 September 1984 Presidential Election (Ahmed Abdallah re-elected unopposed with 99.4% of the vote)

22 March 1987 National Assembly Election

05 November 1989 Referendum 
Main Points: Third Presidential Term, Creation of the post of Prime Minister 

Registered Voters

265,222

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

259,781

"Yes" Votes

240,281 (92.50%)

"No" Votes

  19,500 (07.50%)

 
March 1990 Presidential Election
First Round (04 March 1990)

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Second Round (11 March 1990)

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Candidate (Party)

First Round

Second Round

% of Votes

% of Votes

Said Mohamed Djohar (UDZIMA)

23.07%

55%

Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim (UNDC)

24.35%

45%

Others

52.58%

-

 
07 June 1992 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: Not Available

Registered Voters

213,000 (approx.)

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (63.5%)

Results

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

74.25%

"No" Votes

23.49%

 
November-December 1992 Federal Assembly Election*

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

Number of Seats (42)

Union for Democracy and Decentralization (UDD)

07

Movement for Democracy and Progress-New Democratic Generation of the Comoros (MDP-NGDC)

05

Islands' Fraternity and Unity Party (CHUMA)

03

Maecha Bora

02

Democratic Front of the Comoros (FDC)

02

Comoran Popular Front (FPC)

02

Dialogue Proposition Action (DPA-Mwangaza)

01

Realizing Freedom's Capability (UWEZO)

01

Rally for Change and Democracy (RACHADE)

01

Independents & Others

18

*The Comoran Union for Progress (UDZIMA) and National Union for Democracy in the Comoros (UNDC) boycotted the election.
 
12-20 December 1993 Federal Assembly Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party/[Coalition]

Number of Seats (42)

Rally for Democracy and Renewal-Union for Democracy and Decentralization-Dialogue Proposition Action [RDR-UDD-DPA Mwangaza]

22

 

Rally for Democracy and Renewal (RDR)

  

15

Union for Democracy and Decentralization (UDD)

05

Dialogue Proposition Action (DPA-Mwangaza)

02

Comoran Union for Progress (UDZIMA)

08

Others

10

Vacant

02

 
March 1996 Presidential Election
First Round (06 March 1996)

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (approx. 64%)

Second Round (16 March 1996)

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (61.9%)

Candidate (Party)

First Round

Second Round

% of Votes

% of Votes

Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim (UNDC)

21.28%

64.29%

Abbas Djoussouf (MDP-NGDC)

15.51%

35.71%

Omar Tamou (UDZIMA)

13.26%

-

Mtara Maécha (UDZIMA)

 

49.95%

-

Said Ali Kemal (CHUMA)

-

Mouzaoir Abdallah (UWEZO)

-

Mahamed Adamo (RDR)

-

Said Hassan Said Hachim (RACHADE)

-

Others

-

 
20 October 1996 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: Presidential Term of 6-years, Unicameral Legislature, Island legislatures with limited authority

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (approx. 64%)

Results

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

85%

"No" Votes

15%

 
01 & 08 December 1996 Federal Assembly Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

Number of Seats (43)

National Rally for Development (RND)

36

National Front for Justice (FNJ)

03

Independents

04

 
23 December 2001 Constitutional Referendum [Results by Island]

Registered Voters

230,211

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

173,521 (75.4%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

    6,487

Total Valid Votes

167,034

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

128,601

76.99%

"No" Votes

38,433

23.01%

 
March/April 2002 Presidential Election
First Round (17 March 2002; Grande Comore Primary) [Results by Prefecture]

Registered Voters

 150,867

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

115,078 (76.3%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

    3,795

Total Valid Votes

 111,283
Second Round (14 April 2002; National)

Registered Voters

223,396

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

  87,251 (39.1%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

    5,700

Total Valid Votes

  81,551

Candidate (Party)

First Round

Second Round

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Azali Assoumani

44,298

39.81%

81,551

100.00%

Mahamoud Mradabi (SHAWIRI)

17,462

15.69%

*

Said Ali Kemal (CHUMA)

11,881

10.68%

*

Abbas Djoussouf (MDP-NGDC)

8,761

7.87%

-

-

Mtara Maécha (RND-R)

8,748

7.86%

-

-

Youssouf Said (DJAWABU)

6,752

6.07%

-

-

Abdallah Halifa (Espoir 2000)

4,998

4.49%

-

-

Ali Mroudjaé (PCDP-Djamnazi)

4,624

4.16%

-

-

Moustoifa Cheick (FDC)

3,759

3.38%

-

-

*The second round was boycotted by Mahamoud Mradabi and Said Ali Kemal.
 
18 & 25 April 2004 Assembly of the Union Election

Registered Voters

 225,000

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (approx. 65%)

Party/[Coalition]

 Number of Seats (18)*

Camp of the Autonomous Islands [CdÎA]

12

Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros (CRC)

06

*Seats filled through direct election; an additional 15 members are indirectly elected by the assemblies of the three islands.
 
April/May 2006 Presidential Election
First Round (16 April 2006; Anjouan Primary)

Registered Voters

117,249

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

  64,340 (54.9%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

    2,873

Total Valid Votes

  61,467

Second Round (14 May 2006; National)

Registered Voters

310,177

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

177,601 (57.3%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

170,812

Candidate (Party)

First Round

Second Round

Number of Votes**

% of Votes**

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi

14,568

26.93%

99,112

58.02%

Mohamed Djaanfari

8,052

14.88%

23,322

13.65%

Ibrahim Halidi (MPC)*

6,376

11.79%

48,378

28.32%

Caabi El-Yachroutu Mohamed

5,877

10.86%

-

-

Nourdine Midiladji

5,221

9.65%

-

-

Nassuf Ahmed Abdallah

3,276

6.06%

-

-

Halidy Charif

2,868

5.30%

-

-

Said Ali Youssouf

2,353

4.35%

-

-

Chadhouli Abdou (RIDJA)

1,918

3.55%

-

-

Moussa Houmadi (FD)

960

1.77%

-

-

Loutfi Soulaimane (PCDP-Djamnazi)

952

1.76%

-

-

Abdourahmane Mohamed Ben Ali

939

1.74%

-

-

Mohamed Ahmed Chamanga

738

1.36%

-

-

*Ibrahim Halidi was also supported by the Islands' Fraternity and Unity Party (CHUMA), Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros (CRC), and the Djawabu Party (DJAWABU).
**Official results published by the constitutional court state that 61,467 valid votes were cast, but the distribution of votes among candidates totals 54,098 (a difference of 7,369 votes). Percentage figures in the table are based on the latter number of valid votes cast. Results based on the first figure (61,467 valid votes) are as follows: Sambi (23.70%), Djaanfari (13.10%), Halidi (10.37%), El-Yachroutu Mohamed (9.56%), Midiladji (8.49%), Abdallah (5.33%), Charif (4.67%), Youssouf (3.83%), Abdou (3.12%), Houmadi (1.56%), Soulaimane (1.55%), Ben Ali (1.53%), and Chamanga (1.20%).