2014 Mozambican general election explained

Country:Mozambique
Previous Election:2009 Mozambican general election
Previous Year:2009
Next Election:2019 Mozambican general election
Next Year:2019
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Election Name:Presidential election
Type:presidential
Nominee1:Filipe Nyusi
Party1:FRELIMO
Popular Vote1:2,803,536
Percentage1:57.00%
Party2:RENAMO
Popular Vote2:1,800,448
Percentage2:36.60%
Party3:Democratic Movement of Mozambique
Nominee3:Daviz Simango
Popular Vote3:314,759
Percentage3:6.40%
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Election Name:Parliamentary election
Party1:FRELIMO
Percentage1:55.68
Seats1:144
Last Election1:191
Party2:RENAMO
Percentage2:32.95
Seats2:89
Last Election2:51
Party3:Democratic Movement of Mozambique
Percentage3:8.47
Last Election3:8
Seats3:17
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Election Name:Maps
President
Before Election:Armando Guebuza
Before Party:FRELIMO
After Party:FRELIMO

General elections were held in Mozambique on 15 October 2014. Filipe Nyusi, the candidate of the ruling FRELIMO, was elected president, and FRELIMO retained its parliamentary majority.

Electoral system

The President was elected using the two-round system.[1] Incumbent President Armando Guebuza was constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.[2] [3]

The 250 members of the Assembly of the Republic were elected in 11 multi-member constituencies based on the country's provinces and two single-member constituencies representing Mozambican citizens in Africa and Europe. Seat allocation in the multi-member constituencies was based on proportional representation using the D'Hondt method, with an electoral threshold of 5%.[4]

Campaign

Presidential candidates

Candidate Party
Filipe Nyusi[5] Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO)
Alfonso Dhlakama[6] Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO)
Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM)

Conduct

Electoral observers from the European Union stated there were positive aspects: new electoral legislation, a non-disputed voter register and a generally peaceful electoral campaign and an orderly election day, but issues with the tabulation process, and acts of violence and intolerance during the electoral campaign underlined the necessity for important improvements for the future electoral processes.[7]

Electoral observers from the Mozambican Electoral Observatory group concluded that their parallel vote count was broadly in line with the official results. However, the group still termed the elections "partly free and fair, and not very transparent", citing politicization and a lack of transparency of the electoral bodies, voters being turned away and other irregularities.[8]

Results

Provincial elections

ProvinceFRELIMORENAMOMDM
Cabo Delgado Province67141
Gaza Province6901
Inhambane Province58111
Manica Province49391
Maputo Province59129
Nampula Province46461
Niassa Province42344
Sofala Province30457
Tete Province37423
Zambezia Province37514
align=left colspan=4Source Mozambique News Agency

Aftermath

The leader of RENAMO, Afonso Dhlakama claimed the results of the election were fraudulent and called for a national unity government, threatening to set up a parallel government if FRELIMO did not agree.[9] However, he later abandoned the call.[10] RENAMO also boycotted the swearing in of the provincial parliaments, and have threatened to boycott the swearing in of the Assembly of the Republic on 12 January 2015.[11]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/2327/ Republic of Mozambique: Election for President (President)
  2. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/07/31/mozambique-leader-sets-date-for-2014-elections/ Mozambique leader sets date for 2014 elections
  3. Web site: Nyusi Set to Rule Gas-Rich Mozambique Under Guebuza's Shadow . 14 October 2014 . Bloomberg . 15 October 2014.
  4. http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2223_B.htm Electoral system
  5. Web site: Mozambican Opposition Leader Registers As Voter. 9 May 2014. 15 May 2014. Bernama. https://web.archive.org/web/20140517193235/http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/wn/newsworld.php?id=1036983. 17 May 2014. dead.
  6. Web site: Mozambique: Dhlakama registered as Voter for Presidential Elections. 9 May 2014. 15 May 2014. nsnbc international. https://web.archive.org/web/20150731142320/http://nsnbc.me/2014/05/09/mozambique-dhlakama-registered-as-voter-for-presidential-elections/. 31 July 2015. dead.
  7. Web site: UNIÃO EUROPEIA MISSÃO DE OBSERVAÇÃO ELEITORAL Moçambique – Eleições Gerais 2014 PRESS RELEASE. 7 January 2015.
  8. News: Elections "partially free and fair, and not very transparent". 7 January 2015. 6 January 2015.
  9. News: allAfrica.com: Mozambique: Dhlakama Threatens to Set Up His Own Government. 7 January 2015. Mozambique News Agency. 26 November 2014.
  10. News: allAfrica.com: Mozambique: Dhlakama Abandons 'Caretaker Government' Demand. 7 January 2015. Mozambique News Agency. 5 December 2014.
  11. News: allAfrica.com: Mozambique: Parliament Meets On Monday, Regardless of Renamo Boycott. 7 January 2015. Mozambique News Agency. 7 January 2015.