The Gambia
Electoral Institution
Independent Electoral Commission
Population:
2.34 Million
Eligible Voting Population:
886,578
Minimum Voter's Age:
18
Political Regime
Presidential Republic with a Unicameral Legislature. Gambia elects on national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The president is elected for a five-year term by the people. The National Assembly has 53 members, 48 members elected for a five-year term and 4 members appointed.
Number of Political Parties:
14
Number of Election Held
General elections : 8 (1982, 1987, 1992, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016) Parliamentary elections : 11 (1966, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017) Municipal elections : 5 (2002, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2023) Referendums : 3 (1965, 1970, 1996)
When are the Next Elections?
General elections: 2021 Parliamentary elections: 2022
The Gambia gained political independence on the 18th of February 1965 as a constitutional monarchy within the British Commonwealth.40 Following a referendum, The Gambia became a republic on the 24th of April 1970. Dawda Jawara was elected the first President and remained in this position until 1994. A coup, led by Kukoi Sanyang, was attempted in 1981 but failed after Senegalese intervention. From 1981 to 1989, the Gambia entered into the Senegambia Confederation, which collapsed. In 1994, Dawda Jawara was overthrown in a coup d'état led by Yahya Jammeh, who ruled as a military dictator for two years through the Armed forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC). He was elected President in 1996 and continued in this role until 201741. Following the December 1, 2016 elections, the elections committee declared Adama Barrow winner of the elections.