Politics of Guinea
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Politics of Guinea takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Guinea is both head of state and head of government of Guinea. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly.
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[edit] History
A military dictatorship, led by then-Lt. Col. Lansana Conté and styling itself the Military Committee of National Recovery (CMRN), took control of Guinea in April 1984, shortly after the death of independent Guinea's first president, Sékou Touré. With Conté as president, the CMRN set about dismantling Touré's oppressive regime, abolishing the authoritarian constitution, dissolving the sole political party and its mass youth and women's organizations, and announcing the establishment of the Second Republic. The new government released all political prisoners and committed itself to the protection of human rights. In order to reverse the steady economic decline under Touré's rule, the CMRN reorganized the judicial system, decentralized the administration, promoted private enterprise, and encouraged foreign investment
In 1990, Guineans approved by referendum a new constitution that inaugurated the Third Republic, and established a Supreme Court. In 1991, the CMRN was replaced by a mixed military and civilian body, the Transitional Council for National Recovery (CTRN), with Conté as president and a mandate to manage a five-year transition to full civilian rule. The CTRN drafted laws to create republican institutions and to provide for independent political parties, national elections, and freedom of the press. Political party activity was legalized in 1992, when more than 40 political parties were officially recognized for the first time.
In December 1993, Conté was elected to a 5-year term as president in the country's first multi-party elections, which were marred by irregularities and lack of transparency on the part of the government. In 1995, Conté's ruling PUP party won 76 of 114 seats in elections for the National Assembly amid opposition claims of irregularities and government tampering. In 1996, President Conté reorganized the government, appointing Sidya Touré to the revived post of Prime Minister and charging him with special responsibility for leading the government's economic reform program. In the early hours of 23 December 2008, Aboubacar Somparé, the President of the National Assembly, announced on television that Conté had died at 6:45pm local time on 22 December "after a long illness",[1] without specifying the cause of death.[2] According to Somparé, Conté "hid his physical suffering" for years "in order to give happiness to Guinea."[2] Conté had left the country for medical treatment on numerous occasions in the years preceding his death,[1] and speculation about his health had long been widespread. Contrary to his usual practice, Conté did not appear on television to mark Tabaski earlier in December 2008, and this sparked renewed speculation, as well as concern about the possibility of violence in the event of his death. At around the same time, a newspaper published a photograph suggesting that Conté was in poor physical condition and having difficulty standing up. The editor of that newspaper was arrested and the newspaper was required to print a photograph in which Conté looked healthy.[2]
According to the constitution, the President of the National Assembly was to assume the Presidency of the Republic in the event of a vacancy, and a new presidential election was to be held within 60 days.[1] Somparé requested that the President of the Supreme Court, Lamine Sidimé, declare a vacancy in the Presidency and apply the constitution.[1][3] Prime Minister Souaré and Diarra Camara, the head of the army, stood alongside Somparé during his announcement.[2][4] The government declared 40 days of national mourning[5] and Camara called on soldiers to remain calm.[6]
[edit] 2008 coup and following
Six hours after Somparé announced Conté's death, a statement was read on television announcing a military coup d'état.[7] This statement, read by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara [8] on behalf of a group called National Council for Democracy,[7] said that "the government and the institutions of the Republic have been dissolved". The statement also announced the suspension of the constitution "as well as political and union activity".[8] In its place, the military said it had established a consultative council composed of civilian and military leaders.[9]
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Wikinews has related news: At least 50 killed in clashes in Guinea |
On 27 September 2009, the day before planned demonstrations in the capital city Conakry, the government declared demonstrations illegal. Thousands of protestors defied the ban, assembling in a soccer stadium. 157 were left dead after the level of violence used by security forces escalated.[10] Captain Moussa (Dadis) Camara told Radio France International on 28 September the shootings by members of his presidential guard were beyond his control. "Those people who committed those atrocities were uncontrollable elements in the military," he said. "Even I, as head of state in this very tense situation, cannot claim to be able to control those elements in the military."[10]
On 3 December 2009 Captain Moussa Dadis Camara suffered a head wound in an attempted assassination in Conakry led by his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Aboubacar Sidiki Diakité, who is known as Toumba. Captain Camara underwent surgery at a hospital in Morocco. Reports say Toumba's men opened fire on Captain Camara late Thursday at an army camp in the city of Conakry. [11]
In a document released in 2010, an unknown source spoke with an U.S. diplomat and described the "ethnicization" of Guinea and the risk of conflict and violence like in Rwanda. He stated that Dadis Camara has recruited mercenaries from South Africa and Israel and assembled them, along with some of his own men, in Forecariah, in the ethnically Sussu region in the west of the country, while Dadis was from the Forest region to the east. His militia numbered 2,000-3,000 and was armed with weapons from Ukraine. The risk of conflict and destabilization threatened the entire region, he said. [12]
[edit] Executive branch
The president of Guinea is normally elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president. The president governs Guinea, assisted by a council of 25 civilian ministers appointed by him. The government administers the country through eight regions, 33 prefectures, over 100 subprefectures, and many districts (known as communes in Conakry and other large cities and villages or "quartiers" in the interior). District-level leaders are elected; the president appoints officials to all other levels of the highly centralized administration.
Since the 2008 Guinean coup d'état, the head of state has been Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, an army officer and President of the National Council for Democracy and Development.
[edit] Legislative branch
The National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) has 114 members, elected for a four year term, 38 members in single-seat constituencies and 76 members by proportional representation. Guinea is a one party dominant state with the Party of Unity and Progress in power. Opposition parties are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power.
[edit] Political parties and elections
| Candidates - Parties | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Lansana Conté - Party of Unity and Progress (Parti de l'Unité et du Progrès) | 95.6 | |
| Mamadou Bhoye Barry - Union for National Progress (Union pour le progrès national) | 4.4 | |
| Total (turnout 82.8 %) | ||
| Source: Rulers. The main opposition parties boycotted the elections and the result is contested. | ||
| Parties | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Party of Unity and Progress (Parti de l'Unité et du Progrès) | 1,947,318 | 61.5 | 85 |
| Union for Progress and Renewal (Union pour le Progrès et le Renouveau) | 842,270 | 21.7 | 20 |
| Union for the Progress of Guinea (Union pour le Progrès de la Guinée) | 130,065 | 4.1 | 3 |
| Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally (Parti Démocratique de Guinée-Rassemblement Démocratique Africain) | 107,666 | 3.4 | 3 |
| National Alliance for Progress (Alliance Nationale pour le Progrès) | 62,780 | 2.0 | 2 |
| Party of the Union for Development (Parti de l’Union pour le Développement) | 20,823 | 0.7 | 1 |
| Total (turnout 71.6%) | 3,162,855 | 114 | |
| Source: Democraf. The elections were boycotted by the Rassemblement du Peuple Guinéen. | |||
[edit] Administrative divisions
Guinea is divided into seven administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures. The national capital, Conakry, ranks as a special zone. The regions are Boké, Faranah, Kankan, Kindia, Labé, Mamou, Nzérékoré and Conakry.
[edit] International organization participation
Guinea's membership in the African Union was suspended after the coup.[10]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d "Guinea's long-time military leader Conte dies", AFP, 23 December 2008.
- ^ a b c d "Guinea's dictator, Lansana Conte, dies", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 23 December 2008.
- ^ "Economie et Politique : Somparé demande au président de la Cour suprême de faire constater la vacance du pouvoir", Guinéenews, 22 December 2008 (French).
- ^ "Guinea: Coup Follows Conté's Death", allAfrica.com, 23 December 2008.
- ^ "Economie et Politique : Le gouvernement décrète 40 jours de deuil national ; le programme des obsèques attendu mardi.", Guineenews, 22 December 2008 (French).
- ^ "Economie et Politique : Exclusif : Aboubacar Somparé, confirme la mort du président Conté", Guineenews, 22 December 2008 (French).
- ^ a b "Military-led group announces coup in Guinea", Associated Press, 23 December 2008.
- ^ a b "Death of Guinea dictator prompts 'coup'", AFP (Sydney Morning Herald), 23 December 2008.
- ^ "Army in Guinea dissolves government following coup after president's death". Daily Mail. 23 December 2008. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1100648/Army-Guinea-dissolves-government-following-coup-presidents-death.html. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
- ^ a b c Guinea military kills 157 in protest crackdown: rights group, CBC News
- ^ "Guinean soldiers look for ruler's dangerous rival", Malaysia News.Net (5 December 2009)
- ^ http://46.59.1.2.nyud.net/cable/2009/12/09RABAT988.html
