(3 minutes read)
· Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba has managed to win an overwhelming majority in the first round of Saturday’s senatorial elections
· The 52 other senators are elected for six years in an indirect uninominal ballot by members of municipal and departmental councils. These municipal and departmental bodies are largely dominated by the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) of the head
· The Senate can pass legislation like the National Assembly. But the lower house has the final say in case of disagreement
Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba has managed to win an overwhelming majority in the first round of Saturday’s senatorial elections. His party picked up 45 of the 52 seats at stake, according to the official version, given by the Gabonese Centre for Elections (CGE).
Five opposition or independent senators were elected on Saturday and two seats remain to be filled in the second round to be held on 6 February. The head of state has the mandate to appoint 15 members, taking the total number of Parliamentarians to 67.
The 52 other senators are elected for six years in an indirect uninominal ballot by members of municipal and departmental councils. These municipal and departmental bodies are largely dominated by the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) of the head of state Ali Bongo. The Senate can pass legislation like the National Assembly. But the lower house has the final say in case of disagreement.
Ali Bongo Ondimba, 61, was elected in 2009 after the death of his father Omar Bongo, who ruled the small central African oil-rich country for almost 42 years. Bongo was re-elected in 2016 in a close contest. However, his election is contested by the opposition parties.
