IFES Election Guide - Election Profile for Mozambique

Election Profile:

Overview

Results

Of Interest/Links

Sources

Country: Mozambique
Official Name: Republic of Mozambique
Election Type: Parliamentary
Date: October 28, 2009

Source for election date

At stake in this election:

250 seats in the Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República)

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Armando GUEBUZA *
Head of Government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO
Assembly: Mozambique has a unicameral Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República) with 250 seats.

* The electoral system is two-round.

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by absolute majority vote to serve a 5-year term.
In the Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República), 248 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system to serve 5-year terms and 2 members are elected in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.***

*** 248 seats are apportioned among 11 multi-member constituencies corresponding to the provinces in proportion to their populations. Two single-seat constituencies represent Mozamibcans living abroad in Africa and "other countries," respectively. According to the electoral law (2007) these seats are "both based in Maputo."

Main parties in the electoral race:

Party: Front for the Liberalization of Mozambique (Frelimo)
Leader: Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO
Seats won in this election: 51
Seats won in last election: 133
Party: Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Renamo-UE)
Leader: Afonso DHLAKAMA
Seats won in this election: 191
Seats won in last election: 117
Party: Mozambique Democratic Movement****
Leader: Davis SIMANGO
Seats won in this election: 8
Seats won in last election: 0

**** This is a new party in 2009.