Cameroonian parliamentary election, 2013

Cameroonian parliamentary election, 2013

30 September 2013

Party Leader % Seats ± RDPC Paul Biya 148 -5 FSD John Fru Ndi 18 +2 UNDP Bello Bouba Maigari 5 -1 UDC 4 0 UPC Pierre Sende 3 +3 MRC Maurice Kamto 1 New MDR 1 +1

This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

Prime Minister before Prime Minister after Philémon Yang RDPC Philémon Yang RDPC

Parliamentary elections were held in Cameroon on 30 September 2013, alongside local elections.^[1] They were originally scheduled for July 2012, February 2013 and July 2013, but were repeatedly postponed.^[2]

Background

Following a controversial presidential election in 2011, Islamic and Christian leaders met with Samuel Fonkam Azu'u, the head of the electoral commission ELECAM, in order to push for reforms demanded by the opposition. The measures included: biometric registration of voters as the previous election had multiple and non-existing voters,^[3] a single ballot paper for presidential elections, eligibility of independent candidates, eligibility of 18-year-olds to vote from the current 20 minimum requirement, recompilation of voter registers, two-round presidential election, establishing an electoral calendar, "harmonisation" of electoral laws and a "truly independent" electoral commission. Azu'u and Prime Minister Philemon Yang then worked with leaders of various political parties, religions, traditional groups leaders and foreign service officers to create an electoral code. Modibo Bouba Bello, the vice president of the Islamic Council, said that "it is our duty as servants of Allah to ensure that truth, transparency and justice reigns in our country, and this begins with elections in which every ballot counts," while he was supported by Reverend Sebastian Wongo Behong, the secretary general of the Cameroon Episcopal Conference, and Reverend Robert Ngoyek, the president of the Council of Protestant Churches. Behong said that "many democratising countries have frequently gone into chaos because of badly-organized elections. [The] electoral malpractices that are frequently observed in Cameroon could be leading the country towards a precipice."^[4]

Results

Official results were announced on 17 October 2013, showing that the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (RDPC) had again won an overwhelming majority of seats in the National Assembly. The RDPC won 148 out of 180 seats, a slight decrease from the number of seats it won in 2007, while the main opposition party, the Social Democratic Front, won 18 seats, a slight increase.^[5][6] The National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP) won five seats and the Cameroon Democratic Union (UDC) won four. The Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (UPC) and the Movement for the Defense of the Republic (MDR), two smaller parties which had been absent from the National Assembly for a time, regained representation; the UPC won three seats and the MDR obtained a single seat. One seat was also won by the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, which obtained parliamentary representation for the first time.^[6]

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Cameroon People's Democratic Movement			148	–5
Social Democratic Front			18	+2
National Union for Democracy and Progress			5	–1
Cameroon Democratic Union			4	0
Union of the Peoples of Cameroon			3	+3
Cameroon Renaissance Movement			1	New
Movement for the Defence of the Republic			1	+1
22 other parties			0	–
Total	4,208,796	100	180	0
Registered voters/turnout	5,481,226	76.79	–	–
Source: ThinkAfrica Press, IPU

Aftermath

When the National Assembly began meeting for its new parliamentary term, Cavaye Yeguié Djibril, an RDPC deputy, was re-elected as President of the National Assembly on 4 November 2013. Cavayé received the votes of 150 deputies, while 23 deputies cast invalid votes. Hilarion Etong, another RDPC deputy, was also re-elected as First Vice-President. Jean-Bernard Ndongo Essomba was retained in his post as President of the RDPC Parliamentary Group, while Joseph Banadzem was retained in his post as President of the SDF Parliamentary Group.^[7] The remainder of the National Assembly's bureau was elected on 5 November: five vice presidents, four quaestors, and 12 secretaries. Four of the vice presidents were RDPC deputies, while one was an SDF deputy. Three of the quaestors were RDPC deputies, while one was an SDF deputy. 10 of the secretaries were RDPC deputies, while one was a UNDP deputy and one was a UDC deputy.^[8]

References

1. Cameroon election date set after year of delay Fox News, 2 July 2013
2. Cameroun : pas d'élections locales avant juillet 2013 RFI, 1 June 2012 (French)
3. 'Dead people' voted in Cameroon election The Telegraph, 23 October 2011
4. Muslims and Christians in Cameroon support electoral reform ENI News, 30 March 2012
5. Cameroon ruling party wins another massive majority in parliament AFP, 17 October 2013
6. Cameroun: le parti au pouvoir de Paul Biya remporte haut la main les législatives Radio France Internationale, 17 October 2013 (French)
7. Cavaye Yeguié Djibril rempile au perchoir Cameroon Tribune, 4 November 2013 (French)
8. National Assembly: Permanent Bureau ready for work Cameroon Tribune, 6 November 2013