Politics of Comoros
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2008-06-17T16:12:09Z
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/* Political background */
{{Politics of Comoros}}
'''Politics of the Union of the Comoros''' takes place in a framework of a [[federation|federal]] [[presidential system|presidential]] [[republic]], whereby the [[President of the Comoros]] is both [[head of state]] and [[head of government]], and of a [[multi-party system]]. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. Federal [[legislative power]] is vested in both the [[government]] and parliament.
==Political background==
The Union of the Comoros, known as the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros until [[2003]], is ruled by [[Ahmed Abdallah Sambi]]. The political situation in [[Comoros]] has been extremely fluid since the country's independence in 1975, subject to the volatility of coups and political insurrection. Colonel [[Azali Assoumani]] seized power in a bloodless coup in April 1999, overthrowing Interim President [[Tadjidine Ben Said Massounde]], who himself had held the office since the death of democratically elected President [[Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim]] in November, 1998.
In May 1999, Azali decreed a constitution that gave him both executive and legislative powers. Bowing somewhat to international criticism, Azali appointed a civilian Prime Minister, [[Bainrifi Tarmidi]], in December 1999; however, Azali retained the mantle of Head of State and army Commander. In December 2000, Azali named a new civilian Prime Minister, [[Hamada Madi]], and formed a new civilian Cabinet. When Azali took power he also pledged to step down in April 2000 and relinquish control to a democratically elected president--a pledge with mixed results.
In a separate nod to pressure to restore civilian rule, the government organized several committees to compose a new constitution, including the August 2000 National Congress and November 2000 Tripartite Commission. The opposition parties initially refused to participate in the Tripartite Commission, but on [[17 February]], representatives of the government, the Anjouan separatists, the political opposition, and civil society organizations signed a "Framework Accord for Reconciliation in Comoros," brokered by the [[Organization for African Unity]]
The accord called for the creation of a new [[Tripartite Commission for National Reconciliation]] to develop a "New Comorian Entity" with a new constitution. The new federal Constitution came into effect in [[2002]]; it included elements of [[consociationalism]], including a presidency that rotates every four years among the islands and extensive autonomy for each island. [[Comoros Presidential elections, 2002|Presidential elections]] were held in 2002, at which Azali Assoumani was elected President. In April [[2004]] [[Comoros legislative election, 2004|legislative elections]] were held, completing the implementation of the new constitution.
The new Union of the Comoros consists of three islands, [[Grande Comore]], [[Anjouan]] and [[Mohéli]]. Each island has a president, who shares the presidency of the Union on a rotating basis. The president and his vice-presidents are elected for a term of four years. The constitution states that, "the islands enjoy financial autonomy, freely draw up and manage their budgets".
President Assoumani Azali of Grande Comore is the first Union president. President Mohamed Bacar of Anjouan formed his 13-member government at the end of April, 2003.
On [[15 May]], 2006, [[Ahmed Abdallah Sambi]], a cleric and successful businessman educated in [[Iran]], [[Saudi Arabia]] and [[Sudan]], was declared the winner of elections for President of the Republic. He is considered a moderate [[Islamist]] and is called [[Ayatollah]] by his supporters. He beat out retired French air force officer [[Mohamed Djaanfari]] and long-time politician [[Ibrahim Halidi]], whose candidacy was backed by [[Azali Assoumani]], the outgoing president. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4772499.stm]
==The Islands==
The constitution gives Moheli, Anjouan and Grande Comore the right to govern most of their own affairs with their own presidents.
==Executive branch==
{{office-table}}
|[[List of Presidents of Comoros|President]]
|[[Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi]]
|
|[[26 May]] [[2006]]
|-
|}
The federal presidency is rotated between the islands' presidents.
The Comoros abolished the position of [[Heads of Government of the Comoros|Prime Minister]].
==Legislative branch==
The [[Assembly of the Union of the Comoros|Assembly of the Union]] has 33 seats, 18 elected in single seat constutuencies and 15 representatives of the [[Assemblies of the Autonomous Islands of the Comoros|regional assemblies]].
==Judicial branch==
The Supreme Court or Cour Supremes, has two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one by the Council of each island, and former presidents of the republic.
==Political parties and elections==
{{elect|List of political parties in the Comoros|Elections in Comoros}}
[[Comoros legislative election, 2004|Elections were held in 2004]] where federal president Azali suffered a major setback by only winning 6 of the 18 seats in the National assembly, the other going to the supporters of the presidents of the semi-autonomous islands.
{{Comoros presidential election, 2006}}
{{Comoros parliamentary election, 2004}}
==International organization participation==
The Comoros are member of the [[ACCT]], [[ACP countries|ACP]], [[AfDB]], [[Arab Monetary Fund|AMF]], [[African Union]], [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]], [[Group of 77|G-77]], [[IBRD]], [[ICAO]], [[International Criminal Court|ICCt]] (signatory), [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], [[International Development Association|IDA]], [[IDB]], [[IFAD]], [[IFC]], [[IFRCS]], [[International Labour Organization|ILO]], [[IMF]], [[InOC]], [[Interpol]], [[IOC]], [[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], [[League of Arab States|LAS]], [[NAM]], [[Organization of the Islamic Conference|OIC]], [[OPCW]] (signatory), [[UN]], [[UNCTAD]], [[UNESCO]], [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], [[UPU]], [[World Customs Organization|WCO]], [[World Health Organization|WHO]], [[WMO]].
==External links==
*{{cite web
| title = Official website of the Presidency
| language = French
| url = http://www.beit-salam.km/
| accessdate = 2008-04-16}}
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{{Politics of Africa}}
[[Category:Politics of Comoros| ]]
[[el:Πολιτική και εκλογές στις Κομόρες]]
[[fr:Politique de l'Union des Comores]]