Lesotho general election, 1998

The parliamentary elections in Lesotho in 1998 took place in the Kingdom of Lesotho on 23 May 1998. Was elected the National Assembly, which chooses the Prime Minister and for the government. The distribution of the 80 mandates were determined by majority vote.

Starting position

In the last elections in 1993, the Basotho Congress Party ( BCP) had won Ntsu Mokhehle all 65 mandates. In 1994, the government was overthrown Mokhehle about four weeks by rebels. 1997 Mokhehle had left with about two-thirds of the deputies, the BCP and established the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD). Mokhehle retired at the end of its term for reasons of age. For the LCD Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili stood as the top candidate.

Expiration

The choice was between twelve candidates of parties and independents. The election took place in 79 constituencies on May 23, 1998 ( Saturday). In the constituency Moyeni was due to the death of a candidate a by-election is required, which took place on 1 August 1998.

Result

584 740 people (69.7% of the electorate ) - without the voters at the election - took part in the election. The LCD was thanks to the electoral system 79 seats ( including one in the by-election ), the Basotho National Party ( BNP) won a seat the LCD while 60.6 % of the vote, the BNP 24.2%, BCP 10.6% that Marematlou Freedom Party ( MFP) 1.3% and other parties and Independents 3.1%.

The elections were recognized by independent observers as free and fair. Mosilisi was elected by Parliament as the new prime minister.

Follow

After the 1998 elections, there was a constitutional crisis that had been initiated by some unterlegenenen opposition parties and in the course of public policy came to a standstill. Only with the deployment of South African troops and botswanischer the democratically elected government could be reinstated. As a result, the Interim Political Authority ( IPA, such as " Political transition committee ") was formed, which was occupied by two representatives of the twelve parties and as a result a new electoral law adopted, which still exists today of a combined majority and proportional representation.