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Comoros Page |
Welcome to ElectionInfo.com's pages on Comoros
Official Name: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
Capital: Moroni
Area: 2,230 square kilometres (861 square miles)
Major cities (Population): Moroni 24,000 (1990 estimate)
Population: 653,000 (1995 estimate)
Population growth rate: 3.7 per cent (1990-1995 average)
Type of government: Independent republic
Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)
Constitution: 7 June 1992
Voting Rights: Universal at age 18
Government
The country’s president, who is the head of state and head of government, is directly elected for a five-year term. The 42 members of the Federal Assembly are elected for four-year terms, and the Senate has five representatives from each island. More than 20 parties are represented in the legislature and none has a majority, contributing to political instability. Each island has an appointed governor, and each prefecture an elected prefect. All citizens may vote from the age of 18. The democratic constitution, last revised in 1992, is based on the French model.
Recent History
Since independence in 1975, the government of Comoros has experienced a number of coups. The most recent coup being against the government of Saïd Mohammed Djohar, the head of the supreme court, who was elected president in 1990. After the elections, economic crisis and political unrest gripped the country, and there were several attempted coups. Elections in 1993 were marred by violence. In an effort to stabilize the country in 1994, Djohar named Halifa Houmadi as prime minister. Houmadi set out to obtain international aid to pay striking public servants and also tried to address the problems caused by secessionist movements and political rivalries.
On 28 September 1995 French mercenary Bob Denard and his mercenaries stormed the presidential palace in Moroni and took President Djohar hostage. They seized the airport and released all the inmates from the Moroni prison—among them were those who had been imprisoned for their role in a 1992 coup attempt that Denard had masterminded. Denard has a 30-year history of interfering in African politics, and this was his fourth attempt to overthrow the government in Comoros. The rebels surrendered to French troops on 5 October, and Denard was flown to France, where he was jailed on criminal charges. After the French invasion, Comoran Prime Minister Mohammed Caabi el-Yachroutou announced a new coalition government and the end of Djohar’s rule. The new government, led by el-Yachroutou, consisted of members of the former ruling party—excluding Djohar—and a small number of opposition leaders. Although France officially recognized the new government, various opposition groups in Comoros said they would not accept it and called for immediate elections.
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