Union of the Comoros: President, 21 February 2016

At stake in this election:

• The office of the President of the Union of the Comoros

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Ikililou DHOININE (since 26 May 2011)
• Head of Government: President Ikililou DHOININE (since 26 May 2011)
• Assembly: Comoros has a unicameral Assembly of the Union with 33 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by absolute majority vote to serve a five year term. The office of the President rotates between Comoros’ three islands. In the presidential election, in the first round only voters on the island vote for president, while in the run-off, all three islands vote. The 2016 election will consist of candidate from Grand Comore Island.

Last Election:

• The last presidential elections were held on November 7 and December 26, 2010. In the first round, voters on Mohéli voted between ten candidates, with Ikililou DHOININE and Mohamed Said FAZUL initially advancing to the second round. After a constitutional court decision invalidating some ballots from the first round, Abdou DJABIR was added to candidates in the second round. In the second round of voting, voters on all islands elected Ikililou DHOININE as President with 61.12% of the vote.

Main candidates in the election:

• Azali ASSOUMANI
  • Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros / Convention pour le Renouveau des Comores (CRC)
• Mouigni Baraka Said SOILIHI
  • Democratic Rally of the Comoros / Rassemblement Démocratique des Comores (RDC)
• Assoumany ABOUDOU
  • L’Union Républicaine d’action Novatrice pour une Gouvernance Objective (URANGO)
• Mohamed Ali SOILIHI
  • The Union for the Development of Comoros / L’Union pour le Développement des Comores (UPDC)
• Mohamed ABDOULOIHABI
  • Alliance Politique pour la Sauvegarde des Institutions (APSI)
• Youssouf Said MAHAZI
  • Independent
• Said Hachim ACHIRAFFI
  • Convention pour l’Alternance Démocratique et l’Interaction Mutualiste (CADIM)
• Allaoui Said HAMIDOU
  • Ulezi
• Salimou Mohamed AMIRI
  • Independent
• Nassor Mohamed ALI
  • Independent
• Mohamed DAOUDOU
  • Orange Party / Le Parti Orange
• Said Ibrahim FAHMI
  • Independent
• Cheikh Ahmed Said ABDOURAHMANE
  • Movement for the Development of the Comoros / Mouvement pour le Développement des Comores (MDC)
• Larifou SAID
  • Rally for a Development Initiative with an Enlightened Youth / Rassaemblement pour une Initiative de Développement avec un Jeunesse Avertie (RIDJA)
• Bourhane HAMIDOU
  • Independent
• Mohamed Mohamed ALI DIA
  • Komor Ya Leo Na Messo
• Maecha MTARA
  • National Rally for Development-Renewal / Rassemblement National pour de Dévelopment-Renewal (RNDR)
• Youssouf Abdou MOINAECHA
  • Independent
• Salim SAADI
  • Independent
• Mahamoud Ahmed WADAANE
  • Les Réformateurs des Îles Face aux Impératifs de Développement de Comoros (RIFAID)
• Mohamed ISSIMAILA
  • Independent
• Ibrahima Hissani MFOIHAYA
  • Allice for Progressive Forces for Change / Alliance des Forces Progressistes pour le Changement (AFPC)
• Said Ahmed SAID ALI
  • Comorian Union for Progress / Union Comorienne pour le Progrès (UDZIMA)
• Mzé Abdou Soulé EL-BACK
  • Social Democratic Party of the Comoros-Dudja / Parti Social Démocrate de Comores-Dudja (PSDC-Dudja)

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 780,971 (July 2015 est.)
• Registered Voters: 160,000 (January 2016 est.)[1]

Gender Data:

• Female Population: 402,596 (July 2015 est.)
• Is Comoros a signatory to CEDAW: No
• Has Comoros ratified CEDAW: No[2]
• Gender Quota: No
• Female candidates in this election: Yes
• Number of Female Parliamentarians: 1
• Human Development Index Position: 159 (2014)
• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

• Is Comoros a signatory to CRPD: Yes (26 September 2007)
• Has Comoros ratified CRPD: No
• Population with a disability: 117,146 (July 2015 est.)