Republic of Cape Verde: Parliament, 20 March 2016

At stake in this election:

• 72 seats in the Assembleia Nacional (National Assembly)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Jorge Carlos FONSECA (since 9 September 2011)
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2011)
• Assembly: The Republic of Cape Verde has a unicameral Assembleia Nacional (National Assembly) composed of 72 seats with members serving 5-year terms.

Description of electoral system:

• Members of the National Assembly are directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote, with members serving 5-year terms.

Last Election:

• Parliamentary elections were last held in Cape Verde on 6 February 2011. The African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) won 38 seats, while the Movement for Democracy party (MPD) took 32. The Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde (UCID) took 2 seats.

Main candidates in the election:

• African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV)/Partido Africano da Independência de Cabo Verde (PAICV)
  • Leader: Janira Hopffer ALMADA
  • Seats won in last election: 38
• Movement for Democracy (MPD)/Movimento para Democracia (MPD)
  • Leader: Ulissse CORREIA E SILVA
  • Seats won in last election: 32
• Union for an Independent Democratic Cape Verde (UCID)/União Caboverdiana Independente e Democrátic (UCID)
  • Leader: Antonio MONTEIRO
  • Seats won in last election: 2
• Democratic Renewal Party (PRD)/Partido da Renovação Democrática (PRD)
  • Leader: Victor FIDALGO
  • Seats won in last election: 0
• Social Democratic Party/Partido Social Democrático (PSD)
  • Leader: Joao ALEM
  • Seats won in last election: 0
• Democratic Christian Party (PDC)
  • Leader: Manuel RODRIGUES
  • Seats won in last election: 0
• Party for Democratic Convergence (PCD)/Partido da Convergência Democrática (PCD)
  • Leader: Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO
  • Seats won in last election: 0
• Party of Work and Solidarity (PTS)/Partido de Trabalho e Solidariedade (PTS)
  • Leader: Anibal MEDINA
  • Seats won in last election: 0

Population and number of registered voters:

·         Population: 545,993 (July 2015 est.)

·         Registered Voters: 304,621 (2011)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 281, 217

·         Is Cape Verde a signatory to CEDAW: N/A

·         Has Cape Verde ratified CEDAW: Yes, Accession (5 December 1980)

·         Gender Quota: Yes[1]

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 15 (20.83%)

·         Human Development Index Position: 122 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Cape Verde a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Cape Verde ratified CRPD: Yes (10 October 2011)

·         Population with a disability: 81,899