Some 43 candidates are declared elected in the first round of legislative poll and the other 97 members will be elected in the second round.
The task ahead of President-elect Faustin-Archange Touadéra is enormous as he has to fight to have a majority in the 140-seat National Assembly before forming a government when he takes over power toward the end of March. The task is further compounded by the fact that he was elected as an independent candidate, though supported by many parties and candidates.
There is indeed no time for Touadéra to waste as consultations with other independent candidates and members of political parties who have already been declared elected in the first round of the legislative election is imperative. He also has to negotiate with independent candidates and political parties that will be taking part in the second round of the election whose date is still to be announced. Touadéra counts on the support of over 20 political parties and also over 20 candidates beaten in the first round of the presidential election in order to have at least 71 seats in the National Assembly that will enable him form a government. Crépin Mboli-Goumba, chairperson of the platform of political parties that supported Touadéra told RFI that he rejoiced that independent parliamentarians constitute a greater number and they always have the tendency to ally with the authorities in power.
The National Elections Authority (ANE) announced that 43 candidates had been elected in the February 14, 2016 first round of the legislative election. ANE announced a 52 per cent participation rate in the legislative election. Many of the elected candidates are members of Anicet-Georges Dologuélé’s party whom Touadéra defeated in the presidential runoff. Some key candidates declared elected are Martin Ziguélé, President of the Movement for the Liberation of the People of the Central African Republic who came fifth in the first round of the presidential poll. There are also Jean-Michel Mandaba, President of the Party of Democratic Governance, Bertin Béa, Secretary General of Kwa Na Kwa (KNK).
