1972 Portuguese Guinea National Assembly election explained

Country:Guinea-Bissau
Next Election:1976-77
Election Date:August–October 1972
Seats For Election:91 of 120 seats of the National Assembly
Majority Seats:61
Party1:African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde
Leader1:Amílcar Cabral
Percentage1:96.97
Last Election1:New
Seats1:91
Map:1972 Guinea-Bissau legislative election - Results by region.svg

Indirect elections to a National Assembly were held in the parts of Portuguese Guinea held by the rebel African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) between August and October 1972,[1] but not in the Portuguese-controlled areas of Bissau, Bolama, the Bissagos Islands and Bafatá.[2]

A single list of PAIGC candidates for Regional Councils was approved by 97% of voters with a 93.4% turnout.[3] The number of people voting was approximately 32% of the voting-age population.[4]

Electoral system

Voters elected 273 members of 11 regional councils. The elected councillors then convened to elect 91 members of the 120-seat National Assembly. The remaining 29 seats were to represent the four regions still under Portuguese control, and these members were chosen by the PAIGC.[1]

The elections took six weeks, with ballot papers carried around the country on foot. The ballot papers had been printed in neighbouring Guinea.

Aftermath

The new National Assembly met for the first time in Boe on 24 September 1973.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Michael Cowen & Liisa Laakso (2002) Multi-party Elections in Africa, James Currey Publishers, p108
  2. http://africanelections.tripod.com/gw.html Elections in Guinea-Bissau
  3. [Dieter Nohlen]
  4. Cowen & Laakso, p109