IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Djibouti

Republic of Djibouti

957,273
Population (as of Feb. 10, 2023)

243,471
Registered Voters (as of Feb. 24, 2023)

67.80%
Average Turnout

10
Elections in our database

V-Dem* Score: 0.250
Regimes of the World Classification: Electoral Autocracy
*Varieties of Democracy Electoral Democracy Index (2024)

CEDAW Status: Ratified
Ratified Date: Dec. 2, 1998

SIGI Score: N/A

CRPD Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: None
Ratified Date: June 18, 2012

HDI* Score: 0.513
Category: Low
*UNDP Human Development Index (2023)

Name	Official Name	Type
Djiboutian Presidency	None	Head of State
Djiboutian National Assembly	Assemblée nationale	Assembly

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH
Head of Government: Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil MOHAMED
Legislature: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) with 65 seats.

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 5-year term.
The Prime Minister is appointed by the president.
In the National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) 52 members are directly elected by plurality vote in multi-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms. There are 6 multi-member constituencies (cercles), with 4 to 37 seats each. The election law was changed in November 2012 to allow for a mixed list electoral system, with the remaining 13 seats (20% of seats) being awarded proportionally. Previously the party that received the most votes in each district received all of the district’s seats.

Elections

2023-02-24 | Status: Held
Djiboutian National Assembly
Votes 170,430
Registered 243,471
Turnout 70.0

2021-04-09 | Status: Held
Djiboutian Presidency
Votes 164,866
Registered 215,687
Turnout 76.44

2018-02-23 | Status: Held
Djiboutian National Assembly
Votes 123,934
Registered 194,169
Turnout 63.83

2016-04-08 | Status: Held
Djiboutian Presidency
Votes 131,778
Registered 191,103
Turnout 68.96

2013-02-22 | Status: Held
Djiboutian National Assembly
Votes 122,333
Registered 176,878
Turnout 69.16

2011-04-08 | Status: Held
Djiboutian Presidency
Votes 111,547
Registered 152,000
Turnout 73.39

2008-02-08 | Status: Held
Djiboutian National Assembly
Votes 109,999
Registered 151,490
Turnout 72.61

2005-04-08 | Status: Held
Djiboutian Presidency
Votes 156,484
Registered 198,332
Turnout 78.9

2003-01-10 | Status: Held
Djiboutian National Assembly
Votes 86,482
Registered 178,617
Turnout 48.42

1999-04-09 | Status: Held
Djiboutian Presidency
Votes 96,368
Registered 171,232
Turnout 56.28

Election For	Date	Status	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Djiboutian National Assembly	2023-02-24	Held	170,430	243,471	70.0
Djiboutian Presidency	2021-04-09	Held	164,866	215,687	76.44
Djiboutian National Assembly	2018-02-23	Held	123,934	194,169	63.83
Djiboutian Presidency	2016-04-08	Held	131,778	191,103	68.96
Djiboutian National Assembly	2013-02-22	Held	122,333	176,878	69.16
Djiboutian Presidency	2011-04-08	Held	111,547	152,000	73.39
Djiboutian National Assembly	2008-02-08	Held	109,999	151,490	72.61
Djiboutian Presidency	2005-04-08	Held	156,484	198,332	78.9
Djiboutian National Assembly	2003-01-10	Held	86,482	178,617	48.42
Djiboutian Presidency	1999-04-09	Held	96,368	171,232	56.28

Voter Turnout

Hover to view election details.