Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Parliament, 20 March 2016

At stake in this election:

• 149 seats in the Sapha Heng Xat (National Assembly)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President BOUNNYANG Vorachit (since 20 April 2016)
• Head of Government: Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 20 April 2016)
• Assembly: Laos has a unicameral Sapha Heng Xat (National Assembly) composed of 132 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• Members of the National Assembly are directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote from candidate lists provided by the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party. Members serve 5-year terms.

Last Election:

• Elections for the National Assembly were last held on 30 April 2011. 128 seats went to members of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and 4 seats went to independent candidates.

Main candidates in the election:

• Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP)
  • Leader: BOUNNYANG Vorachit
  • Seats won in last election: 128
• Independents
  • Seats won in last election: 4

Population and number of registered voters:

·         Population: 6,911,544 (July 2015 est.)

·         Registered Voters: 3,240,000 (2011)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 3,481,760 (July 2015 est.)

·         Is Laos a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Laos ratified CEDAW: Yes (14 August 1981)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 33 (25%)

·         Human Development Index Position: 141 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Medium (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Laos a signatory to CRPD: Yes (15 January 2008)

·         Has Laos ratified CRPD: Yes (25 September 2009)

·         Population with a disability: 1,036,732