1965 Burundian parliamentary election
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Parliamentary elections were held in Burundi on 10 May 1965, the first since independence in 1962. Voters elected the National Assembly, which had been reduced from 64 to 33 seats.[1] They followed the assassination of Prime Minister Pierre Ngendandumwe on 15 January 1965, and were won by the ruling Union for National Progress.
Background
[edit]On January 15, 1965, Burundian Prime Minister Pierre Ngendandumwe was assassinated.[2][3] In response, Mwami Mwambutsa IV dissolved Parliament[4] on March 4[5] and called for new elections.[4] New elections were declared on March 29[5] and were held on May 10.[6]
Results
[edit]National Assembly
[edit]| Party | Seats | +/– | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union for National Progress | 21 | –37 | |
| Party of the People | 10 | +6 | |
| Other parties | 0 | 0 | |
| Independents | 2 | New | |
| Total | 33 | –31 | |
| Source: EISA, Lemarchand[7] | |||
Senate
[edit]Following the National Assembly elections, the 16-member Senate was filled. Eight members of the Senate were elected by the members of the National Assembly—each representing one of the county's provinces. The eight Senate members elected a further four members, with a further four appointed by the King.[8][9] UPRONA held eight of the 12 seats.[6]
Aftermath
[edit]Despite the decisive victory by Hutu candidates in the election, King Mwambutsa IV appointed a Tutsi prince, Léopold Biha, as Prime Minister.
Tensions finally erupted into violence following an attempted coup by Hutu army officers in October 1965. The failed coup was followed by a major purge of Hutus in the armed forces. Hutu politicians and civilians were also killed. The following year Mwambutsa was overthrown by his son Ntare V, who was deposed in a military coup later in the year, ending the country's monarchy.
References
[edit]- ^ Elections in Burundi African Elections Database
- ^ "Burundi Revolt Erupts but Is Reported Quelled". The New York Times. Associated Press. 20 October 1964. pp. 2, 10.
- ^ Weinstein 1976, pp. 14, 212.
- ^ a b Russell 2019, p. 152.
- ^ a b Cornevin 1966, p. 13.
- ^ a b Ndayizeye, Jean Bosco (10 December 2011). "Historique". Assemblée Nationale du Burundi. (in French). National Assembly of Burundi. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
- ^ Lemarchand 1970, p. 412.
- ^ Indirect Legislative Elections in Sub-Saharan Africa: Burundi African Elections Database
- ^ "Senate Election, Regulations Are Announced". Daily Report : Foreign Radio Broadcasts. No. 113. United States Foreign Broadcast Information Service. 14 June 1965. p. I1.
Works cited
[edit]- Cornevin, Robert (24 August 1966). "Chance of Re-Establishing Peace In Burundi After Coup D'Etat". Translations on Sub-Saharan Africa. No. 420. United States Joint Publications Research Service. pp. 11–16.
- Lemarchand, René (1970). Rwanda and Burundi. New York: Praeger Publishers. OCLC 254366212.
- Russell, Aiden (2019). Politics and Violence in Burundi: The Language of Truth in an Emerging State. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781108499347.
- Weinstein, Warren (1976). Historical Dictionary of Burundi. Metuchen: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810809628.
