At stake in this election:

• 55 seats in the National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Fradique DE MENEZES
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Joachim Rafael BRANCO
• Assembly: Sao Tome and Principe has a unicameral National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional) with 55 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 5-year term.
• The Prime Minister is elected by parliament.
• In the National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional) 55 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system to serve 4-year terms.***

*** There are 7 multi-member constituencies.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Alliance: Force for Change Democratic Movement - Democratic Convergence Party (MDFM-PCD)
  • Leader: João Manuel DA COSTA ALEGRE AFONSO
  • Seats won in this election: 1
  • Seats won in last election: 23
• Alliance: Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe - Social Democratic Party / MLSTP-PSD
  • Leader: Rafael BRANCO
  • Seats won in this election: 21
  • Seats won in last election: 20
• Party: Independent Democratic Action (IDA) / (ADI)***
  • Leader: Patrice TROVOADA
  • Seats won in this election: 26
  • Seats won in last election: 11
• Party: Democratic Convergence Party – Reflection Group / Partido de Convergência Democrática-Grupa de Reflexão
  • Leader: Leonel Mário DALVA
  • Seats won in this election: 7
  • Seats won in last election: 0

*** Four members quit the party after the last elections.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 170,880 (2010)
• Registered Voters: 79,296 (2010)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 85,878 (2010)

·         Is São Tomé a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (31 October 1995)

·         Has São Tomé ratified CEDAW: Yes (3 June 2003)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 10 (following the 2010 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 143 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is São Tomé and Príncipe a signatory to CRPD: N/A

·         Has São Tomé and Príncipe ratified CRPD: Yes, accession (5 November 2015)

·         Population with a disability: 25,632 (est.)