Elections in Western Sahara
Encyclopedia
Elections in the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic gives information on election
and election results in the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
.
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic claims the Western Sahara
, a territory largely administered by Morocco
since Spain
abandoned it in 1975. The sovereignty
over Western Sahara is unresolved: the territory is contested by Morocco
and Polisario Front
(Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
(SADR). The United Nations
, which considers Western Sahara a non-decolonized
territory, is attempting to hold a referendum
on the issue through the mission Minurso. The UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991.
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
(SADR) elects a legislature
, the Sahrawi National Council
(SNC), on a national level. The SNC, which is also referred to as the republic's parliament
, has 52 members, elected after the General Popular Congress (GPC) of the Polisario Front
. The most recent election
for the Sahrawi National Council took place between 17 February and 19 February 2008, with Mahfoud Ali Beiba
being reelected Speaker of the Council on 27 February. Elections take place within the framework of the Polisario Front, candidates are elected individually and no political parties
are allowed. The 12th and most recent GPC was held in Tifariti
in the so-called Free Zone
between 14 December and 21 December 2007. The GPC also elects the National Secretariat, an executive organ of the Polisario, and its Secretary-General, who then becomes President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Present Secretary-General is Mohamed Abdelaziz
. Local and regional officials, as well as delegates to the GPC, are elected at biannual Popular Congresses (or Popular Base Congresses) in the refugee camps in Tindouf Province, Algeria
.
The constitution of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, first proclaimed in 1976 and last amended in 1996, stipulates that the above-described system is an emergency mechanism that will be in place only for as long as Western Sahara is non-sovereign. After the creation of an independent Western Saharan state, a transformational period defined in the constitution will begin, ending with the installment of a multi-party system on European lines. The Polisario will then be dissolved or transformed into an ordinary political party .
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
and election results in the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Politics of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
The politics of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic take place in a framework of an area disputed and claimed by Morocco, and the Polisario Front's proclaimed republic in exile, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic....
.
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic claims the Western Sahara
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
, a territory largely administered by Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
since Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
abandoned it in 1975. The sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
over Western Sahara is unresolved: the territory is contested by Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and Polisario Front
Polisario Front
The POLISARIO, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro is a Sahrawi rebel national liberation movement working for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco...
(Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a partially recognised state that claims sovereignty over the entire territory of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony. SADR was proclaimed by the Polisario Front on February 27, 1976, in Bir Lehlu, Western Sahara. The SADR government controls about...
(SADR). The United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, which considers Western Sahara a non-decolonized
Decolonization
Decolonization refers to the undoing of colonialism, the unequal relation of polities whereby one people or nation establishes and maintains dependent Territory over another...
territory, is attempting to hold a referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on the issue through the mission Minurso. The UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991.
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a partially recognised state that claims sovereignty over the entire territory of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony. SADR was proclaimed by the Polisario Front on February 27, 1976, in Bir Lehlu, Western Sahara. The SADR government controls about...
(SADR) elects a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
, the Sahrawi National Council
Sahrawi National Council
The Sahrawi National Council or simply National Council is the legislature of the government in exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Its structure and competences are guided by the Constitution of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic...
(SNC), on a national level. The SNC, which is also referred to as the republic's parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
, has 52 members, elected after the General Popular Congress (GPC) of the Polisario Front
Polisario Front
The POLISARIO, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro is a Sahrawi rebel national liberation movement working for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco...
. The most recent election
Sahrawi legislative election, 2008
The most recent election for the Sahrawi National Council took place between 17 February and 19 February 2008. More than 126 candidates competed for the 53 seats of the Sahrawi National Council, which is the unicameral legislature of the partially recognized Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. The...
for the Sahrawi National Council took place between 17 February and 19 February 2008, with Mahfoud Ali Beiba
Mahfoud Ali Beiba
Mahfoud Laroussi Ali Beiba was a Sahrawi nationalist politician and co-founder of the Polisario Front, an organisation that seeks independence for Western Sahara...
being reelected Speaker of the Council on 27 February. Elections take place within the framework of the Polisario Front, candidates are elected individually and no political parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
are allowed. The 12th and most recent GPC was held in Tifariti
Tifariti
Tifariti is an oasis town located in POLISARIO-controlled Western Sahara, east of the Moroccan Berm, and 15 km. north the Mauritanian border. It is part of what POLISARIO call the Liberated Territories and Morocco call the Buffer Zone. It has a hospital, a school, a mosque and a museum...
in the so-called Free Zone
Free Zone (region)
The Free Zone or Liberated Territories is a term used by the Polisario Front to describe the part of Western Sahara that lies to the east of the Moroccan Berm and west and north of the borders with Algeria and Mauritania, respectively...
between 14 December and 21 December 2007. The GPC also elects the National Secretariat, an executive organ of the Polisario, and its Secretary-General, who then becomes President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Present Secretary-General is Mohamed Abdelaziz
Mohamed Abdelaziz
Mohamed Abdelaziz is the 3rd and current Secretary General of the Polisario Front and President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic since 1976...
. Local and regional officials, as well as delegates to the GPC, are elected at biannual Popular Congresses (or Popular Base Congresses) in the refugee camps in Tindouf Province, Algeria
Refugee camps in Tindouf Province, Algeria
The Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, are a collection of refugee camps, set up in the Tindouf Province, Algeria in 1975-76 for Sahrawi refugees fleeing from Moroccan forces, who advanced through Western Sahara during the Western Sahara War...
.
The constitution of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, first proclaimed in 1976 and last amended in 1996, stipulates that the above-described system is an emergency mechanism that will be in place only for as long as Western Sahara is non-sovereign. After the creation of an independent Western Saharan state, a transformational period defined in the constitution will begin, ending with the installment of a multi-party system on European lines. The Polisario will then be dissolved or transformed into an ordinary political party .
See also
- Sahrawi legislative election, 2008Sahrawi legislative election, 2008The most recent election for the Sahrawi National Council took place between 17 February and 19 February 2008. More than 126 candidates competed for the 53 seats of the Sahrawi National Council, which is the unicameral legislature of the partially recognized Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. The...
- Electoral calendar
- Electoral system