1972 Portuguese Guinea National Assembly election

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Indirect elections to a National Assembly were held in the parts of Portuguese Guinea held by the rebel African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) between August and October 1972,[1] but not in the Portuguese-controlled areas of Bissau, Bolama, the Bissagos Islands and Bafatá.[2]

A single list of PAIGC candidates for Regional Councils was approved by 97% of voters with a 93.4% turnout.[3] The number of people voting was approximately 32% of the voting-age population.[4]

Electoral system[edit]

Voters elected 273 members of 11 regional councils. The elected councillors then convened to elect 91 members of the 120-seat National Assembly. The remaining 29 seats were to represent the four regions still under Portuguese control, and these members were chosen by the PAIGC.[1]

The elections took six weeks, with ballot papers carried around the country on foot. The ballot papers had been printed in neighbouring Guinea.

Results[edit]

PartyVotes%Seats
African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde75,16396.97120
Against2,3523.03
Total77,515100.00120
Registered voters/turnout83,000
Source: Nohlen et al.

Aftermath[edit]

The new National Assembly met for the first time in Boe on 24 September 1973.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Michael Cowen & Liisa Laakso (2002) Multi-party Elections in Africa, James Currey Publishers, p108
  2. ^ Elections in Guinea-Bissau African Elections Database
  3. ^ Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p466 ISBN 0-19-829645-2
  4. ^ Cowen & Laakso, p109