Liberia
Electoral Institution
National Elections Commission
Population:
5,024,912
Eligible Voting Population:
2,183,629
Minimum Voter's Age:
18
Political Regime
The Politics of Liberia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic modeled on the government of the United States, whereby the President is the head of state and head of government; unlike the United States, however, Liberia is a unitary state as opposed to a federation and has a pluriform multi-party system rather than the two-party system that characterizes US politics. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the legislature.
Number of Political Parties:
26
Number of Election Held
General elections : 51 (1847, 1849, 1851, 1853, 1855, 1857, 1859, 1861, 1863, 1865, 1867, 1869, 1871, 1873, 1875, 1877, 1879, 1881, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1895,1897,1899,1901,1903,1905,1907,1911,1915,1919,1923,1927,1931,1939,1943,1951,1955,1959,1963,1967,1971,1975,1985,1997,2005,2011,2017)
Parliamentary : 54 (1840,1847,1849,1851,1853,1855,1857,1859,1861,1863,1865,1867,1869,1871,1873,1875,1877,1879,1881,1883,1885,1887,1889,1891,1893,1895,1897,1899,1901,1903,1905,1907,1911,1915,1919,1923,1927,1931,1935,1939,1943,1951,1955,1959,1963,1967,1971,1975,1985,1997,2005,2011,2014, 2017)
Senatorial : 4 (2005, 2011, 2014, 2020)
Referendums : 7 (1846, 1847, 1935, 1975, 1984, 2011, 2020)
When are the Next Elections?
General elections : 2023 - Parliamentary elections : 2023
Africa's first republic, Liberia was founded in 1822 as a result of the efforts of the American Colonization Society to settle freed American slaves in West Africa. The society contended that the emigration of blacks to Africa was an answer to the problem of slavery and the incompatibility of the races. Over the course of forty years, about 12,000 slaves were voluntarily relocated. Originally called Monrovia, the colony became the Free and Independent Republic of Liberia in 1847. Liberia retained its independence throughout the Scramble for Africa by European colonial powers during the late 19th century, while remaining in the American sphere of influence. Liberia has been presided over by George Weah since January 22, 2018.