Parliamentary elections in Djibouti

Citizens in Djibouti headed yesterday for the ballot centers to elect a new parliament in the first elections carried out in the country under the multi party system.

The voting process started at 6 a.m. morning yesterday and was expected to last 12 hours. Some 181.338 eligible voters are registered.

The candidates who compete for winning the 65 seats of the National Assembly ( parliament) belong to 8 different parties which organized themselves in two blocs each is composed of four parties. The new parliament, whose term of office lasts for five years, is expected to include 14 women for the first time since independence in 1977.

Djibouti whose populations tolls 600,000 is divided into five circles which is the city of Djibouti and its suburbs ( 37 seats), Dakhil ( 12 seats), al-Madina and Ale al-Sabeih ( 6 seats ), Tajoura ( 6 seats), and Obook ( 6 seats ).