2020–21 Nigerien general election

2020–21 Nigerien general election

27 December 2020 (first round) 21 February 2021 (second round)
Presidential election
Turnout	69.68% (first round) 62.91% (second round)
Nominee Mohamed Bazoum Mahamane Ousmane Party PNDS RDR Popular vote 2,490,049 1,983,072 Percentage 55.67% 44.33%
Second round results by region
President before election Mahamadou Issoufou PNDS Elected President Mohamed Bazoum PNDS

General elections were held in Niger on 27 December 2020 to elect the President and National Assembly. With incumbent president Mahamadou Issoufou stepping down following his two terms constitutional limit, new presidential candidates competed for office. As no presidential candidate received a majority of the vote on the first round, a second round was held on 21 February 2021. The ruling Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) candidate Mohamed Bazoum was declared the winner, beating Mahamane Ousmane in the second round with 56% of the vote. In the National Assembly elections the PNDS won 79 of the 166 seats, falling just short of a majority.

Background

Incumbent president Mahamadou Issoufou completed his second term in 2021 and publicly committed to stepping down, paving the way for the country's first peaceful transition of power since independence. A record number of 41 candidates applied to run for president, but only 30 were accepted. Included in the 11 rejected candidates was Hama Amadou, candidate of the main opposition party, whose application was denied by the constitutional court due to his previous imprisonment for a year in a case of baby trafficking. Amadou, who came second in the 2016 and third in the 2011 elections, has denied all the charges and claimed they were politically motivated.

Electoral system

The president is elected using the two-round system; if no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the first round, a second round will be held on 20 February 2021.

The 171 members of the National Assembly are elected by two methods; 158 members are elected from eight multi-member constituencies based on the seven regions and Niamey by party-list proportional representation. A further eight seats are reserved for minority groups and are elected from single-member constituencies held under first-past-the-post voting. Normally, five seats (one for each permanently-inhabited continent) are reserved for Nigeriens living abroad, all elected from single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting. However, in the months preceding the election, the registered voters list for Nigeriens living outside of the country wasn't kept up to date, leading to the elections for their five seats not being held. This de facto lowered the total of seats in the chamber to 166, and the amount needed for a majority to 84.

Results

President

Candidate		Party	First round		Second round
			Votes	%	Votes	%
	Mohamed Bazoum	Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism	1,879,629	39.30	2,490,049	55.67
	Mahamane Ousmane	Democratic and Republican Renewal	812,412	16.99	1,983,072	44.33
	Seyni Oumarou	National Movement for the Society of Development	428,083	8.95
	Albadé Abouba	Patriotic Movement for the Republic	338,511	7.08
	Ibrahim Yacouba	Nigerien Patriotic Movement	257,302	5.38
	Salou Djibo	Peace, Justice, Progress – Generation Doubara	142,747	2.98
	Oumarou Malam Alma	Rally for Peace and Progress	118,259	2.47
	Hassane Baraze Moussa	Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress	114,965	2.40
	Omar Hamidou Tchana	Alliance of Movements for the Emergence of Niger	76,368	1.60
	Amadou Ousmane	Democratic Alternation for Fairness in Niger	63,396	1.33
	Souleymane Garba	Niger Party of Change – Mu Lura	61,158	1.28
	Idi Ango Ousmane	Alliance for Democracy and the Republic – Mahita	56,100	1.17
	Nayoussa Nassirou	Convention for Democracy and Social Progress	41,697	0.87
	Ibrahim Gado	Republican Council for Progress and Democracy	39,319	0.82
	Mounkaila Issa	Nigerien Rally for Democracy and Peace	38,604	0.81
	Hamidou Mamadou Abdou	African National Gathering Party	35,934	0.75
	Intinicar Alhassane	Nigerien Party for Peace and Development	30,995	0.65
	Abdoulkadri Alpha	Gayya Zabbe	28,910	0.60
	Kane Habibou	Synergy of Democrats for the Republic	27,162	0.57
	Oumarou Abdourahamane	Union for Patriotic Pan-Africanists	20,488	0.43
	Moustapha Moustapha	Party for a Political Revolution in Niger	20,365	0.43
	Amadou Saidou	Independent	20,156	0.42
	Mahaman Hamissou Moumouni	Party for Justice and Development – Hakika	18,585	0.39
	Djibrilla Mainassara	Sawaba	17,233	0.36
	Sagbo Adolphe	Socialist Party	17,060	0.36
	Idrissa Issoufou	Citizen's Movement for Development	16,995	0.36
	Amadou Cissé	Union for Democracy and the Republic	16,835	0.35
	Mamadou Doulla	Redemption for the Sake of the Fatherland	16,768	0.35
	Abdallah Souleymane	Niger Forward (Nigerena)	14,282	0.30
	Ismael Ide	Action Front for a New Niger	12,062	0.25
Total			4,782,380	100.00	4,473,121	100.00
Valid votes			4,782,380	92.16	4,473,121	95.48
Invalid/blank votes			406,752	7.84	211,658	4.52
Total votes			5,189,132	100.00	4,684,779	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			7,446,556	69.68	7,446,556	62.91
Source: Constitutional Court - First round Constitutional Court - Second round

The first round of the elections resulted in Mohamed Bazoum leading with 39.30% of the vote, while former president Mahamane Ousmane came second with 16.99%. Thus, a second round took place between them on February 21 to determine the next president of Niger. On 23 February, The Independent National Electoral Commission (CÉNI) announced that Mohamed Bazoum, former interior minister and candidate of the ruling party, won the second round of the Nigerien presidential election with 55.67% of the valid votes: "These results are provisional and must be submitted to the Constitutional Court for analysis," said Issaka Souna, president of the CÉNI, before the diplomatic corps and the Nigerien authorities gathered at the Niamey convention center.

National Assembly

Due to the registered voters list for Nigeriens living abroad not being kept up to date, the elections for five overseas seats were not held, lowering the total of seats to 166.

The PNDS won 79 seats. MODEN FA came second with 19 seats, the MPR third with 14 seats and the MNSD fourth with 13 seats each. The remainder were taken by smaller or minor parties.

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism	1,745,266	37.04	79	+4
	Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation	410,311	8.71	19	–6
	Patriotic Movement for the Republic	357,563	7.59	14	+1
	National Movement for the Society of Development	319,189	6.77	13	–7
	Democratic and Republican Renewal	207,592	4.41	7	New
	Congress for the Republic	195,704	4.15	8	+5
	Nigerien Patriotic Movement	187,005	3.97	6	+1
	Peace, Justice, Progress–Generation Doubara	135,576	2.88	2	New
	Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress	115,815	2.46	3	–1
	Rally for Democracy and Progress	100,363	2.13	2	–1
	Rally for Peace and Progress	99,043	2.10	2	New
	Alliance for Democratic Renewal	82,073	1.74	2	0
	Alliance of Movements for the Emergence of Niger	67,354	1.43	2	–1
	Democratic Movement for the Emergence of Niger	67,108	1.42	2	New
	Democratic Alliance for Niger	53,287	1.13	0	–1
	Democratic and Social Convention	50,892	1.08	0	–3
	Social Democratic Rally	48,368	1.03	1	–3
	Democratic Alternation for Equity in Niger	48,012	1.02	1	New
	Social Democratic Party	45,777	0.97	1	–1
	Alliance for Democracy and the Republic	41,306	0.88	1	New
	Nigerien Rally for Democracy and Peace	30,971	0.66	1	New
	Democratic Renewal	26,560	0.56	0	New
	African National Rally	23,980	0.51	0	New
	Republican Council for Progress and Democracy	18,319	0.39	0	New
	Nigerien Party for Reform	16,956	0.36	0	New
	Civic Movement for Reform	16,708	0.35	0	New
	Synergy of Democrats for the Republic	16,526	0.35	0	New
	New Generation for Niger	11,434	0.24	0	0
	Nigerien Progressive Party – African Democratic Rally	9,053	0.19	0	0
	Rally of Citizens for the Republic	8,972	0.19	0	New
	Rally of Patriots for Development	8,770	0.19	0	New
	Democratic Movement for Renewal	8,491	0.18	0	0
	Union for Democratic Renewal	8,254	0.18	0	New
	Patriotic Movement for Democracy and Development	7,670	0.16	0	New
	Movement of People for Progress	7,560	0.16	0	New
	National Convention for the Republic	6,796	0.14	0	New
	Alliance of Patriots for Progress	6,706	0.14	0	New
	Alliance for Democracy and Development	6,705	0.14	0	New
	Union for Democracy and the Republic	6,667	0.14	0	–2
	Party for Justice and Development	6,248	0.13	0	New
	Democratic Party of the People	6,192	0.13	0	New
	Party of Energetic Youth of Niger	5,073	0.11	0	New
	Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Development	5,061	0.11	0	New
	Socialist Party	4,962	0.11	0	0
	Democratic Movement for Development and Defence of Freedoms	4,703	0.10	0	New
	African Awakening – Yunkuri	3,972	0.08	0	New
	Steps of Patriots for National Progress	3,900	0.08	0	New
	Party of the Masses for Labour	3,486	0.07	0	New
	Gayye Zabbe	3,311	0.07	0	New
	Action Front for a New Niger	3,308	0.07	0	New
	Movement for Justice, Democracy and Development	3,264	0.07	0	New
	Socialist Democratic Rally	3,014	0.06	0	New
	Republican Party for Democracy and Development	2,720	0.06	0	New
	Redemption for the Salvation of the Fatherland	2,542	0.05	0	New
	Socio-Revolutionary Movement for Democracy	2,522	0.05	0	0
	Democratic and Socialist Union for Renewal	2,516	0.05	0	New
	Rally of Democrats	2,480	0.05	0	New
	Daraja	2,298	0.05	0	New
	All for the Republic	2,056	0.04	0	New
	Converge of Patriots for Reform	1,993	0.04	0	New
	Union of Socialist Nigeriens	1,877	0.04	0	0
	Alliance for Democracy and Progress	1,865	0.04	0	New
	Sawaba	1,647	0.03	0	New
	Nigerien Self-Management Party	1,217	0.03	0	0
	Union of Nigerien Patriots for Renewal	1,046	0.02	0	New
	Party of Renewal and Equity	1,045	0.02	0	New
	Nigerien Convergence for Progress	628	0.01	0	New
	Convention for Democracy and Social Progress	588	0.01	0	New
	Patriotic Movement for Salvation	563	0.01	0	New
	Nigerien Party for Peace and Development	374	0.01	0	New
	Party of Progress for a United Niger	350	0.01	0	New
	Force of Hope	292	0.01	0	New
	APPAD	216	0.00	0	New
	Union of Independent Nigeriens	196	0.00	0	0
	Nigerien Party for Democracy and Development	94	0.00	0	New
	Patriotic Front for Justice and Development	45	0.00	0	New
	Niger Forward	27	0.00	0	New
	Union of Patriots for Democracy and Progress	23	0.00	0	New
	Independents	17	0.00	0	0
Total		4,712,433	100.00	166	–5
Valid votes		4,712,433	91.46
Invalid/blank votes		440,194	8.54
Total votes		5,152,627	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		7,446,556	69.19
Source: Constitutional Court

Aftermath

Following the elections, protesters demanded the government resign and the result be recounted. Two people were killed during the demonstrations on 25–26 February when police fired tear gas at protesters. Protesters threw stones at the soldiers in military vehicles who patrolled and clashed with demonstrators in Niamey. Protests lasted three days, starting on 23 February.

On 31 March 2021 a coup attempt was launched by dissident soldiers two days before Bazoum's inauguration but was thwarted, leading to the inauguration pushing through on 2 April. In July 2023, Bazoum was deposed from office after a coup d'état led by members of the presidential guard and the armed forces.

External links

• Independent National Electoral Commission of Niger (in French)
• Niger's 2010 (present) Constitution with amendments through 2017 from constituteproject.org