At stake in this election:       

• The 18 (of 33) seats in Comoros’ Assembly of the Union (Assemblée de l'Union)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Ikililou DHOININE (since 26 May 2011) *
• Head of Government: President Ikililou DHOININE (since 26 May 2011)
• Assembly: Comoros has a unicameral Assembly of the Union (Assemblée de l'Union) with 33 seats.

*The president is both chief of state and head of government.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve a 4-year term.
• In the Assembly of the Union (Assemblée de l'Union), 15 members are elected by regional legislatures to serve 5-year terms and 18 members are elected by absolute majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.*

* The electoral system for directly elected seats is two-round (TRS). There are no nationally mandated electoral rules for the seats filled by local assemblies.

Election Note:

• On Sunday 25 January 2015, Comoros will hold an election for the Assembly of the Union (Assemblée de l'Union).[i]

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Camp of the Autonomous Islands (CdIA)
  • Leader: N/A
• Party: Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros (CRC)
  • Leader: AZALI Assowmani
• Party: Front National pour la Justice (FNJ)
  • Leader: Ahmed RACHID
• Party: Mouvement pour law Democratie et le Progress (MDP-NGDC)
  • Leader: Abbas DJOUSSOUF
• Party: Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress (PCDP)
  • Leader: Ali MROUDJAE
• Party: Rassemblement National pour le Development (RND)
  • Leader: Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE

Last election:

• The last election for the Assembly of the Union (Assemblée de l'Union) in Comoros was held on 7 November 2010 and 26 December 2010.[ii] There were 363,967 registered voters for the election.[iii] The Pro-Union Coalition won 19 seats (of 33; including appointed seats), while the Autonomous Coalition won 4 seats, and an Independent won one seat.[iv] Results can be found here.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 766,865 (July 2014 est)[v]
• Registered Voters: 363,967(2011)[vi]

Gender Data:

• Female Population: 395,176 (July 2014 est)[vii]
• Is Comoros a signatory to CEDAW: No.[viii]
• Has Comoros ratified CEDAW: Yes (31 October 1994).[ix]
• Gender Quota:  No.[x]
• Female Candidates in this election: N/A
• Number of Female Legislators: 1 (3%) of 33 seats in Comoros’ Assembly of the Union (Assemblée de l'Union).[xi]
• Human Development Index (HDI) Position: 159.[xii]
• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Not Categorized (latest categorizations are from 2014)[xiii]

Disability Data:

• Is Comoros a signatory to CRPD: Yes (26 September 2007).[xiv]
• Has Comoros ratified CRPD: No.[xv]