2023 Gabonese general election

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2023 Gabonese general election
Flag of Gabon.svg
26 August 2023
Presidential election
←  2016
2025 →
Turnout56.65% Decrease2.svg
  President Bongo Ondimba (52054341321) (cropped 2).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Ali Bongo Ondimba Albert Ondo Ossa
Party PDG A23
Popular vote293,919140,690
Percentage64.27%30.77%
President before election

Ali Bongo Ondimba
PDG

Elected President

Election results annulled
General Brice Oligui named Transitional President

Contents

Parliamentary election
←  2018
Next →
All 143 seats in the National Assembly
72 seats needed for a majority
Prime Minister beforePrime Minister after
Alain Claude Bilie By Nze
PDG 		Election results annulled
Raymond Ndong Sima named Interim Prime Minister

General elections were held in Gabon on 26 August 2023. [1] [2] Incumbent president Ali Bongo ran for re-election, [3] representing the Gabonese Democratic Party, which had ruled the country continuously since its independence from France in 1960, including 41 years under Bongo's father, Omar.

Bongo was declared the winner on 30 August. [4] [5] A coup d'état began shortly afterward, leading to the election results being annulled. [6] [7]

Local and departmental elections were held the same day. [8]

Background

The previous presidential election was held on 27 August 2016. On the day after the elections, opposition leader Jean Ping declared victory and said that he was "waiting for the outgoing president to call to congratulate me," although no results had been officially announced. [9] Only the electoral commission was legally permitted to announce results, and the Minister of the Interior, Pacôme Moubelet-Boubeya, accused Ping of "attempt[ing] to manipulate the democratic process," while Bongo said that "you must not sell the skin of the bear before you've killed him." Nevertheless, Bongo's spokesman, Alain Claude Bilie By Nzé, asserted that Bongo was ahead and would be re-elected. [10] Official results were scheduled to be announced on 30 August, but on that date it was stated that the announcement would be delayed by a few hours. [11] Results were finally announced on 31 August, showing a narrow victory for Bongo, who won 49.8% of the vote against 48.2% for Ping. Turnout was placed at 59.5%. The opposition's representatives on the electoral commission refused to confirm the results, and they were therefore confirmed by a vote in which the opposition members abstained. Ping's supporters maintained that the mostly complete results they had independently collected showed their candidate beating Bongo by a large margin, 59% to 38%. [12] Notably, the official results from Haut-Ogooue (the Bongo family's native province) showed Bongo receiving 95.5% of the vote on an alleged 99.9% turnout, an improbable result sparking widespread protests. [13] Bongo, noting that the vote was close, stressed the importance of peacefully respecting this outcome. [12]

Following the announcement of official results, protests broke out in Libreville on 31 August, with attempts made to storm the election commission's offices. [14] Police were out in force and tried to disperse the protesters. The Parliament building was set on fire later in the day. [12] [15] The following day, Ping claimed that the presidential guard had bombed his party's headquarters, killing two people. By 2 September at least five people had been killed in the capital and 1,000 more has been arrested. The United Nations expressed "deep concern" about the violence. Along with France and the United States, it called for de-escalation on both sides of the dispute and pressed for more transparent detail on the vote outcome. [16]

Opposition call for fair elections

On 12 December 2022, the entire Gabonese opposition gathered in Libreville for the start of a series of meetings in view of the 2023 presidential and legislative elections. This meeting, at the call of the National Union, brought together fifty parties, including civil society leaders. The meeting was meant to put pressure on the government to reform the electoral process, and remind the public authorities of the need for consultation with the opposition. For Paulette Missambo, president of National Union, urgent reforms were needed in order to ensure a fair election. [17]

Electoral system

The President of Gabon is elected for a five-year term (reduced from seven years in April 2023) [18] in a single round of voting by plurality; whichever candidate places first is deemed elected, regardless of whether the candidate secured an absolute majority of votes. This system is thought to be a disadvantage to the fractious opposition, which would appear to have little chance of winning unless it unites behind a single candidate. [19]

The 143 members of the National Assembly are elected from single-member constituencies using the two-round system. [20]

The elections were held using double simultaneous vote system, with voters casting a single ballot for their preferred candidate for president and National Assembly. [21]

Candidates

19 candidates were approved by the Gabonese electoral congress for the 2023 presidential election.

PartyCandidate
RPM Hugues Alexandre Barro Chambrier
PDG Ali Bongo Ondimba (incumbent)
FPGGérard Ella Nguéma Mitoghé
IndependentJean Delors Biyogué Bi Ntougou
PPGJean Romain Fanguinoveny
PRCThérence Gnembou Moutsona
IndependentAxel Stophène Ibinga Ibinga
Independent Mike Steeve Dave Jocktan
IndependentVictoire Lasseni Duboze
PSD Pierre-Claver Maganga Moussavou
FDRJoachim Mbatchi Pambo
IndependentAbel Mbombe Nzoundou
UN Paulette Missambo
MESPJean Victor Mouanga Mbadinga
IndependentEmmanuel Mvé Mba
IndependentThierry Yvon Michel N'goma
Independent Raymond Ndong Sima
A23 Albert Ondo Ossa [22]
IndependentGervais Oniane

Jean Ping, the former chair of the African Union Commission who received 48% of the vote in the 2016 presidential election, declined to stand, saying "I cannot be a candidate in an election that is a foregone conclusion". [23]

Conduct

The government announced the indefinite restriction of internet access and a nightly curfew on the evening of the election following the end of voting. The same day, the government suspended broadcasts of French media channels France 24, RFI, and TV5Monde. [24]

Results

President

The national electoral body announced on Wednesday, 30 August, that President Ali Bongo Ondimba, already in office for 14 years, won re-election for a third term with 64.27 percent of the vote.

According to Michel Stephane Bonda, head of the Gabonese Elections Centre, on state television, Bongo defeated his major competitor Albert Ondo Ossa, who received 30.77 percent of the vote, in a single round of voting, while 12 other candidates split the remaining votes. The voter turnout was 56.65%. [25]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Ali Bongo Ondimba Gabonese Democratic Party 293,91964.27
Albert Ondo Ossa Alternance 2023 140,69030.77
Pierre Claver Moussavou Social Democratic Party 5,1781.13
Gervais Oniane Union for the Republic 3,6390.80
Victoire Lasseni DubozeIndependent2,1980.48
Emmanuel Mvé MbaIndependent1,4120.31
Jean Romain Fanguinoveny Party of the Gabonese People 1,2720.28
Jean Delors Biyogué Bi NtougouIndependent1,2660.28
Gérard Ella Nguéma Gabonese Patriotic Front 1,2390.27
Axel Stophène Ibinga IbingaIndependent1,1240.25
Abel Mbombe NzoundouIndependent1,0570.23
Jean Victor Mouanga Mbadinga People's Social Emancipation Movement 1,0340.23
Joachim Mbatchi Pambou Union of Forces for Change 9670.21
Thierry Yvon Michel N'gomaIndependent8250.18
Other candidates1,4680.32
Total457,288100.00
Valid votes457,28895.34
Invalid/blank votes22,3644.66
Total votes479,652100.00
Registered voters/turnout846,82256.64
Source: Gabon Review

National Assembly

The status of the Parliament of Gabon is unclear following the coup d'état four days after the general election. [26]

Aftermath

After Ali Bongo Ondimba's election victory was announced, a military-led coup took place, which annulled the results of the election. [27] [28]

The coup occurred just minutes after Bongo's re-election was declared at 3:30 am WAT by the Gabonese electoral commission with 64.27% of the vote. During a televised morning address from the Presidential Palace in Libreville [29] on the state channel Gabon 24, around a dozen military personnel announced the end of the existing regime, with a military spokesperson claiming to be speaking on behalf of a "Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions," [30] [31] [32] citing "irresponsible, unpredictable governance" that had led to "a continuous degradation of social cohesion, risking pushing the country into chaos." [31] They announced the annulment of the recent election, the dissolution of state institutions, [33] and the closure of the country's borders. Internet access, which had been cut since the election, was reported to have been restored. [34] Among the officers seen during the announcement were army colonels and members of the Republican Guard. [35]

Following the announcement of the coup, celebrations broke out in the streets of Libreville and in other cities across the country. [34]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabon</span> Country on the west coast of Central Africa

Gabon, officially the Gabonese Republic, is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, on the equator, bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo on the east and south, and the Gulf of Guinea to the west. It has an area of 270,000 square kilometres (100,000 sq mi) and a population of 2.3 million. There are coastal plains, mountains, and a savanna in the east. Libreville is the country's capital and the largest city.

Little is known of the history of Gabon before European contact. Bantu migrants settled the area beginning in the 14th century. Portuguese explorers and traders arrived in the area in the late 15th century. The coast subsequently became a center of the transatlantic slave trade with European slave traders arriving to the region in the 16th century. In 1839 and 1841, France established a protectorate over the coast. In 1849, captives released from a captured slave ship founded Libreville. In 1862–1887, France expanded its control including the interior of the state, and took full sovereignty. In 1910 Gabon became part of French Equatorial Africa and in 1960, Gabon became independent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Gabon</span> Overview

The politics of Gabon takes place in a framework of a republic whereby the president of Gabon is head of state and in effect, also the head of government, since he appoints the prime minister and his cabinet. The government is divided into three branches: the executive headed by the prime minister, the legislative that is formed by the two chambers of parliament, and the judicial branch. The judicial branch is technically independent and equal to the two other branches, although in practice, since its judges are appointed by the president, it is beholden to the same president. Since independence the party system is dominated by the conservative Gabonese Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabonese Democratic Party</span> Former ruling and dominant political party of Gabon

The Gabonese Democratic Party is a political party in Gabon. It was the dominant political party in Gabonese politics from 1961 until 2023, when it was deposed in a coup d'état against President Ali Bongo Ondimba. It was also the sole legal party between 1968 and 1990.

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Jean Ping is a Gabonese diplomat and politician who served as Chair of the African Union Commission from 2008 to 2012. Born to a Chinese father and Gabonese mother, he is the first individual of Chinese descent to lead the executive branch of the African Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ali Bongo</span> President of Gabon from 2009 to 2023

Ali Bongo Ondimba, also known as Ali Bongo and Ali Ben Bongo, is a Gabonese former politician who was the third president of Gabon from 2009 to 2023. He is a member of the Gabonese Democratic Party. He is the son of Omar Bongo, who was president of Gabon from 1967 until his death in 2009. During his father's presidency, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1989 to 1991, represented Bongoville as a deputy in the National Assembly from 1991 to 1999, and was the Minister of Defense from 1999 to 2009. After his father's death, he won the 2009 Gabonese presidential election. He was reelected in 2016, in elections marred by numerous irregularities, arrests, human rights violations, and post-election protests and violence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 Gabonese presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in Gabon on 27 November 2005. Incumbent President Omar Bongo, in power since 1967, sought another seven-year term against four other candidates. According to an announcement of results by the country's interior minister, the result was a victory for Bongo, who received 79.2% of the vote. Bongo was sworn in for another seven-year term on 19 January 2006.

Pierre Mamboundou was a Gabonese politician. He was President of the Union of the Gabonese People (UPG), an opposition party in Gabon, from 1989 to 2011.

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Casimir Marie Ange Oyé-Mba was a Gabonese politician. After serving as Governor of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) from 1978 to 1990, Oyé-Mba was Prime Minister of Gabon from 3 May 1990 to 2 November 1994. Subsequently, he remained in the government as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs from 1994 to 1999, Minister of State for Planning from 1999 to 2007, and Minister of State for Mines and Oil from 2007 to 2009.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Gabonese presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in Gabon on 27 August 2016. Incumbent President Ali Bongo Ondimba ran for re-election and was challenged by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean Ping. On 31 August, the electoral commission proclaimed Bongo's re-election with a margin of less than two percent. Large protests broke out in the capital Libreville after the results were announced. Irregularities such as Haut-Ogoou showing that 99.9% of the electorate had voted and Bongo had received 95.5% of the votes led to observers questioning the conduct of the election.

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Events in the year 2023 in Gabon.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Gabonese coup d'état</span> Military coup against President Ali Bongo

On 30 August 2023, a coup d'état occurred in Gabon shortly after the announcement that incumbent president Ali Bongo Ondimba had won the general election held on 26 August.

References

  1. ↑ Rédaction Africanews and AFP (27 June 2023). "Gabon: elections to be held on August 26". Africa News. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  2. ↑ "Gabon: Bongo promises to "be there" for next election". Africanews. 13 March 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  3. ↑ Mouahidi, Khalid Al. "Gabon 2023 presidential elections: President Ali Bongo promises that he "will be there" – Medafrica Times". Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  4. ↑ "Ali Bongo Re-elected As President Of Gabon: Official Results". www.barrons.com. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Gabon's Ali Bongo re-elected president in disputed election". France 24. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "Gabon soldiers say Bongo 'regime' ended, borders closed". Africanews. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "Gabonese soldiers stage coup, say election lacked credibility". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "Gabon: élections présidentielle, législatives et locales le 26 août". LEFIGARO (in French). 27 June 2023. Archived from the original on 30 June 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  9. ↑ Gabon opposition chief claims election victory Archived 2017-02-17 at the Wayback Machine Agence France-Presse, 28 August 2016
  10. ↑ Gabon leader and top rival both claim presidential victory, allege fraud Archived 22 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine Reuters, 28 August 2016
  11. ↑ Gabon's interior minister postpones announcement of presidential polls amid tension Archived 22 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine Africanews, 30 August 2016
  12. 1 2 3 Gerauds Wilfried Obangome, "Gabon's President Bongo re-elected, parliament set on fire" Archived 22 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine , Reuters, 31 August 2016.
  13. ↑ Celia Lebur and Samir Tounsi, "Gabon parliament set ablaze after Bongo declared winner" Archived 2016-09-20 at the Wayback Machine , Agence France-Presse, 31 August 2016.
  14. ↑ Gabon election: Protests as Ali Bongo beats Jean Ping Archived 11 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine Al Jazeera, 31 August 2016
  15. ↑ Gabon election: Parliament set alight amid street clashes Archived 22 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine BBC News, 31 August 2016
  16. ↑ "Gabon violence: Two killed amid protests over re-election of Ali Bongo". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2 September 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  17. ↑ "Gabon: l'opposition se met en ordre de marche pour des élections « sincères » en 2023". RFI (in French). 13 December 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  18. ↑ "Gabon: Presidential term reduced from seven to five years". Africa News. 7 April 2023. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  19. ↑ Gabon's President Ali Bongo to seek second term in office Archived 2017-02-09 at the Wayback Machine France 24, 29 February 2016
  20. ↑ Communiqué final du conseil des ministres du 26 janvier 2018 (Tout le texte + découpage électoral) Archived 9 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine Gabon Actu, 26 January 2018
  21. ↑ "Gabon election: President Ali Bongo aims for third term". BBC News. 26 August 2023. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  22. ↑ Yves Laurent Goma (18 August 2023). "Gabon: Albert Ondo Ossa, candidat unique et "consensuel" de l'opposition pour la présidentielle". Radio France internationale. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  23. ↑ "L'Entretien - Jean Ping : "Je ne peux pas être candidat à une élection qui est pipée d'avance"". France 24 (in French). 13 July 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  24. ↑ Tasamba, James (29 August 2023). "Internet blackout continues in Gabon amid delays in release of election results". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  25. ↑ "Ali Bongo Re-elected As President Of Gabon: Official Results". Barrons. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  26. ↑ Beaumont, Peter (30 August 2023). "Gabon military officers declare coup after Ali Bongo wins disputed election". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  27. ↑ "Gabon military officers declare coup after Ali Bongo wins disputed election". The Guardian. 30 August 2023. ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  28. ↑ "Gabon Military Officers Declare Coup". VOA. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  29. ↑ Diekhans, Antje. "Nach Präsidentschaftswahl: Militär stürzt Regierung in Gabun". tagesschau (in German). Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  30. ↑ Kwon, Jake; Yeung, Jessie; Stambaugh, Alex; Kennedy, Niamh; Halasz, Stephanie; Noor Haq, Sana (30 August 2023). "Gabon military officers claim to have seized power after election". CNN. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  31. 1 2 "Gabon: Ali Bongo réélu pour un 3e mandat, des militaires veulent annuler les résultats". BFM TV (in French). 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  32. ↑ "Au Gabon, des militaires proclament l'annulation des élections après l'annonce de la victoire d'Ali Bongo". Le Monde. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  33. ↑ "Gabon: après l'annonce de la réélection d'Ali Bongo, des militaires proclament l'annulation du scrutin". RFI. 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  34. 1 2 Wright, George; Armstrong, Kathryn (30 August 2023). "Gabon: Army officers say they are taking power". BBC . Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  35. ↑ "Gabon soldiers say Bongo 'regime' ended, borders closed". Africanews . 30 August 2023. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
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