Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe: President, 7 August 2016

At stake in this election:

• The office of the President of São Tomé and Príncipe (second round of voting)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (since 3 September 2011)
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Patrice Emery TROVOADA (since 29 November 2014)
• Assembly: São Tomé and Principe has a unicameral Assembleia Nacional (National Assembly) composed of 55 seats, with members serving 4-year terms.

Description

• The president is directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed to serve a 5-year term, with eligibility for a second term.

Last Election:

• The presidential election was held on 17 July, in which Evaristo do Espirito Santo CARVALHO was elected with 50.1% of the vote. However, the result was later overturned due to missing votes from the town of Maria Louise and diaspora voters. The election commission determined that CARVALHO did not secure the required 50% of total votes cast to be elected, thus necessitating a second round of voting between CARVALHO and Manuel Pinto DA COSTA. 

Main candidates in the election:

• Manuel Pinto DA COSTA*
  • Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Principe - Social Democratic Party/Movimento de Libertação de São Tomé e Príncipe - Partido Social Democrat
• Evaristo do Espirito Santo CARVALHO
  • Independent Democratic Action ADI/Acção Democrática Independente

*Note: Incumbent Manuel Pinto DA COSTA withdrew from the race, citing electoral fraud, making CARVALHO the only candidate standing in the second round. 

Population and number of registered voters:

·         Population: 194,006 (July 2015 est.)

·         Registered Voters: 111,222 (2016)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 97,188 (July 2015 est.)

·         Is São Tomé a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (31 October 1995)

·         Has São Tomé ratified CEDAW: Yes (3 June 2003)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 10 (18.18%)

·         Human Development Index Position: 143 (2014)

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

Disability Data:

·         Is São Tomé and Príncipe a signatory to CRPD: N/A

·         Has São Tomé and Príncipe ratified CRPD: Yes, accession (5 November 2015)

·         Population with a disability: 29,101