The Senate (Sénat) is the upper house of the Parliament of Gabon. It has 67 members, elected in single-seat constituencies by local and départemental councillors (52 seats) or appointed by the president (15 seats) for a six-year term.[1] Beginning with the 2009 election, some constituencies elect two senators.
The status of the Parliament is unclear following the coup d'état four days after the 2023 general election.[2]
The 1991 Constitution provided for the establishment of the Senate; previously the legislature had consisted of a unicameral National Assembly. The creation of Senate was approved on 18 March 1994.[3] The Senate was not created until 1997, when an election was held to fill the seats in the upper house.[4]
The first Senate president was Georges Rawiri (1932-2006), a long-time national political figure and close ally of Omar Bongo. He served in this position until his death in 2006.
He was replaced by René Radembino Coniquet, also a member of the Myéné ethnic group.
A Senate election was held on 18 January 2009. The ruling Gabonese Democratic Party won a large majority of seats.[5] On this occasion, the number of senators was increased from 91 to 102. Following the election, Rose Francine Rogombé was elected as President of the Senate.
| Party | Seats | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 2003 | 2009 | 2014 | |
| Gabonese Democratic Party | 52 | 67 | 75 | 81 |
| National Woodcutters' Rally – Rally for Gabon | 19 | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| Gabonese Progress Party | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic and Republican Alliance | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Social Democratic Party | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| People's Unity Party | 1 | 0 | – | – |
| Union of the Gabonese People | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Gabon of the Future | – | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Common Movement for Development | 1 | – | – | – |
| Circle of Liberal Reformers | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| Rally for Democracy and Progress | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| Independent Centre Party of Gabon | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development | – | – | 3 | – |
| Independents | 8 | 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Total | 91 | 91 | 102 | 100 |
| align=left colspan=5 | Source: DSG (1997, 2002), IPU (2009), IPU (2014) | |||