2026 Elections Monitoring
Women's Political Participation and Election Monitoring in Africa in 2025
In the parliamentary elections held on 2 July 2026, the National Liberation Front (FLN), National Democratic Rally (RND) and the El-Moustakbel Front (FM) won 221 out of 407 seats. The election saw a record-low voter turnout and an exclusion of candidates. While women’s representation in the National People’s Assembly continues to decline, the Assembly elected its first female speaker in a historic first.
Incumbent President Denis Sassou Nguesso won a fifth term in office after obtaining the majority of votes in the presidential elections held on 15 March 2026. Some opposition members called the election a farce and did not participate. Women were absent from the recently concluded as no female presidential candidate contested.
Djibouti held its latest presidential elections on 10 April 2026. The election was won by incumbent Ismaël Omar Guelleh, who received 97.01% of the vote. No woman stood as a candidate, and the election took place in a context of near-total absence of meaningful political opposition. No woman ran in the presidential election.