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 Chad
 
Political Profile
Political System: Restricted Democratic Practice
President: Idriss Déby Itno (MPS) [since 21 March 1990; seized power in 1990 military rebellion, elected 1996, re-elected 2001 and 2006] The President is elected by direct popular vote for a 5-year term. Electoral System: Two Round (Run-off). Note: Déby added Itno to his name on 26 January 2006.
Prime Minister: Delwa Kassiré Coumakoye (RNDP) [since 26 February 2007] The Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
National Assembly [unicameral] (155 Seats) Members are elected by direct popular vote through parallel systems - 25 single-member constituencies using the two-round (run-off) system and 34 multi-member constituencies using the party-list proportional representation system; members serve 4-year terms.
Political Situation since Independence
1960-1962 [De-Facto] One Party State (PPT)
1962-1975 One Party State (PPT/MNRCS)
1975-1979 Military Regime
1979-1982 Transitional Government
1982-1984 Military Regime
1984-1989 Military Regime & [De-Facto] One Party State (UNIR)
1989-1990 One Party State (UNIR)
1990-1993 Military Regime
1993-1996 Multiparty Transition
1996-        Restricted Democratic Practice
2007 Freedom House Rating: Political Rights - 6, Civil Liberties - 6, Status: Not Free
Next Scheduled Presidential Election: 2011
Next Scheduled National Assembly Election: 2009
Political Parties: ACTUS - Action for Unity and Socialism, AND - National Alliance for Democracy and Development, ARD - Action for the Republic, Democracy, and Development, CNDS - National Democratic and Social Convention, FAR - Front of Action Forces for the Republic/Federation Action for the Republic, MNRCS - National Movement for the Cultural and Social Revolution, MPDT - People's Movement for Democracy in Chad, MPS - Patriotic Salvation Movement (authoritarian), MSA-R - Renewed African Socialist Movement, PLD - Party for Liberty and Development, PPT - Chadian Progressive Party, RDP - Rally for Democracy and Progress, RNDP [Viva-RNDP] - National Rally for Democracy and Progress, RNDT-Le Réveil - National Rally of Chadian Democrats, UDPT - Democratic Union for Progress in Chad, UDR - Union for Democracy and the Republic, UN - National Union, UNDR - National Union for Democracy and Renewal, UNIR - National Union for Independence and Revolution, URD - Union for Renewal and Democracy.
 
Election Results
 
 
Presidential
--Single Party: 1962, 1969
--Multiparty: 1996, 2001, 2006
Legislative
--Single Party: 1962, 1963, 1969, 1990
--Multiparty: 1959, 1997, 2002
Referenda: 1989, 1996, 2005
 
 
31 May 1959 Territorial Assembly Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

Number of Seats (85)

Chadian Progressive Party (PPT)

57

Others

28

 
Single Party Elections
Sole Legal Party: Chadian Progressive Party (PPT) 1962-1973; National Movement for the Cultural and Social Revolution (MNRCS) 1973-1975

March 1962 National Assembly Election

22 April 1962 Presidential Election* (François Tombalbaye elected unopposed)

22 December 1963 National Assembly Election

15 June 1969 Presidential Election (François Tombalbaye re-elected unopposed)

14 December 1969 National Assembly Election

*The president was elected by an Electoral College. He received 678 votes (97.1%) out of a total of 698.
 
10 December 1989 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: Hissène Habré as president, Presidential Republic, unicameral legislature, sole legal party

Registered Voters

2,894,825

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

2,693,282 (93.0%)

Results

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

99.9%

"No" Votes

00.1%

 
Single Party Elections
Sole Legal Party: National Union for Independence and Revolution (UNIR)

08 July 1990 National Assembly Election (123 Seats) Voter Turnout: 56% (approx.)

 
31 March 1996 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: Presidential Republic, bicameral legislature, division of powers, independent judiciary

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Results

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

63.50%

"No" Votes

36.50%

 
June/July 1996 Presidential Election
First Round (02 June 1996)

Registered Voters

3,565,913 

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

2,406,962 (67.5%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     88,224 

Total Valid Votes

2,318,738 
Second Round (03 July 1996)

Registered Voters

3,565,913 

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (approx. 77%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

Not Available

Candidate (Party)

First Round

Second Round

% of Votes

% of Votes

Idriss Déby (MPS)

43.82%

69.09%

Wadal Abdelkader Kamougué (URD)

12.39%

30.91%

Saleh Kebzabo (UNDR)

8.61%

-

Jean-Bawoyeu Alingué (UDR)

8.30%

-

Lol Mohamed Shawa [Lol Mahamat Choua] (RDP)

5.93%

-

Younous Ibédou

3.29%

-

Adoum Moussa Seif (CNDS)

2.91%

-

Abdoulaye Lamana (UN)

2.74%

-

Delwa Kassiré Coumakoye (RNDP)

2.29%

-

Ngarlejy Yorongar (FAR)

2.08%

-

Mahamat Abdoulaye (MPDT)

2.06%

-

Abbas Mahamat Ambadi

1.62%

-

Naimbaye Lossimian (ARD)

1.52%

-

Adoum Hassan Issa

1.24%

-

Elie Romba (UDPT)

1.12%

-

 
05 January/23 February 1997 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

3,524,469

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

Number of Seats (125)

Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS)

65

Union for Renewal and Democracy (URD)

29

National Union for Democracy and Renewal (UNDR)

15

Union for Democracy and the Republic (UDR)

04

Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP)

03

Party for Liberty and Development (PLD)

03

National Alliance for Democracy and Development (AND)

02

Action for Unity and Socialism (ACTUS)

02

National Democratic and Social Convention (CNDS)

01

Front of Action Forces for the Republic (FAR)

01

 
20 May 2001 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

4,069,099 

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

2,497,215 (61.4%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     69,657 

Total Valid Votes

2,427,558

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Idriss Déby (MPS)

1,533,509

63.17%

Ngarlejy Yorongar (FAR)

396,864

16.35%

Saleh Kebzabo (UNDR)

169,917

7.00%

Wadal Abdelkader Kamougué (URD)

146,125

6.02%

Ibni Oumar Mahamat Saleh (PLD)

70,248

2.89%

Delwa Kassiré Coumakoye (RNDP)

57,382

2.36%

Jean-Bawoyeu Alingué (UDR)

53,513

2.20%

 
21 April 2002 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

4,171,169

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

2,185,646 (52.4%)

Party

Number of Seats (155)

Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS)

110

Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP)

12

Federation Action for the Republic (FAR)

09

National Rally for Democracy and Progress (Viva-RNDP)

05

National Union for Democracy and Renewal (UNDR)

05

Union for Renewal and Democracy (URD)

03

Others

11

 
06 June 2005 Referendum [Results by Region]
Main Points: Removal of Presidential term limits; Replacing the Senate with an Economic, Social, and Cultural Council; Clause making constitutional revisions a presidential prerogative

Registered Voters

4,958,156 

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

2,866,382 (57.8%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     74,810 

Total Valid Votes

2,791,592 

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

1,835,392

65.75%

"No" Votes

956,180

34.25%

 
03 May 2006 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

5,697,922

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

3,024,226 (53.1%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

   143,237

Total Valid Votes

2,880,989

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Idriss Déby Itno (MPS)

1,863,042

64.67%

Delwa Kassiré Coumakoye (Viva-RNDP)

436,002

15.13%

Albert Pahimi Padacké (RNDT-Le Réveil)

225,368

7.82%

Mahamat Abdoulaye (MPDT)

203,637

7.07%

Brahim Koulamallah (MSA-R)

152,940

5.31%

*Boycotted by most opposition parties.