IFES Election Guide - Country Profile: Gabon

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Parliamentary
January 2015
Presidential
2016

Gabon
Gabonese Republic
Region: Africa

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Ali Ben BONGO Ondimba
Head of Government: Prime Minister Raymond NDONG SIMA
Assembly: Gabon has a bicameral Parliament (Parlement) consisting of the Senate (Sénat) with 91 seats and the National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) with 120 seats.

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 7-year term.
The Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
In the Senate (Sénat) 91 members are elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies to serve 5-year terms*. In the National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale), 111 members are elected by absolute majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms and 9 members are appointed by the president to serve 5-year terms.**

* One member is elected by the regional assembly from each constituency. Most sources report that the election is by plurality.

** According to the electoral law, seats are apportioned to each province or department in proportion to population. The manner of election is fixed by law. Various sources report that 111 members are elected from single-member districts by plurality or two-round majority, and that 9 members are appointed by the President.