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{{Politics of Gambia}}

'''Politics of The Gambia''' takes place within the framework of a [[presidential system|presidential]] [[republic]], whereby the [[President of The Gambia]] is both [[head of state]] and [[head of government]], and of a [[multi-party system]]. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the government and parliaments.

The 1970 constitution of [[The Gambia]], which divided the government into independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches, was suspended after the 1994 military coup. As part of the transition process, the [[Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council]] (AFPRC) established the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) through decree in March 1995. In accordance with the timetable for the transition to a democratically elected government, the commission drafted a new constitution for The Gambia which was approved by referendum in August 1996. The constitution provides for a presidential system, a unicameral legislature, an independent judiciary, and the protection of human rights.

Historically, The Gambia was one of Africa's most stable democracies.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Harris |first1=David |last2=Jaw |first2=Sait Matty |date=2024 |title=A 'New Gambia'? Managing political crisis and change in an African small state |journal=Commonwealth & Comparative Politics |volume=62 |pages=45–64 |doi=10.1080/14662043.2024.2308948 |issn=1466-2043|doi-access=free }}</ref> The [[1994 Gambian coup d'état|1994 military coup]] led to the semi-authoritarian regime of [[Yahya Jammeh]] who held power until he was defeated during the [[2016 presidential election|2016 Gambian presidential election]].<ref name=":0" /> 

==Political conditions==

Before the [[coup d'état]] in July 1994, The Gambia was one of the oldest existing multi-party democracies in [[Africa]]. It had conducted freely contested elections every 5 years since independence. The coup led to the start of the semi-authoritarian [[Yahya Jammeh]] regime After the military coup, politicians from deposed [[Dawda Jawara|President Jawara]]'s [[People's Progressive Party (Gambia)|People's Progressive Party]] (PPP) and other senior government officials were banned from participating in politics until July 2001. 

The People's Progressive Party (PPP) project preparation plan, headed by former president Jawara, had dominated Gambian politics for nearly 30 years. The last elections under the PPP regime were held in April 1992.

Following the coup, a presidential election took place in September 1996, in which retired Col. [[Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh]] won 56% of the vote. The legislative elections held in January 1997 were dominated by the [[Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction]] (APRC, the new incarnation of AFPRC), which captured 33 out of 45 seats. In July 2001, the ban on Jawara-era political parties and politicians was lifted. Four registered opposition parties participated in the 18 October 2001 presidential election, which the incumbent, President Yahya Jammeh, won with almost 53% of the votes. The APRC maintained its strong majority in the [[National Assembly of The Gambia|National Assembly]] in legislative elections held in January 2002, particularly after the main opposition [[United Democratic Party (Gambia)|United Democratic Party]] (UDP) boycotted the legislative elections.[[File:1994gambiamemorial.jpg|thumb|right|[[Arch 22]] Monument commemorating the 1994 coup]]

In 2005 the political scenario was changed, as five opposition parties united under the umbrella of the [[National Alliance for Democracy and Development]] (NADD). NADD thus represented virtually all political opposition forces in the country. Following the registration of NADD, the High Court ruled that dual party membership was unconstitutional, and as NADD had been registered as a political party all four opposition MPs were dismissed from the National Assembly. By-elections were held on 29 September, in which NADD retained three of the four seats. On 15 November the same year, three high-ranking NADD leaders (including the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, [[Halifa Sallah]]) were arrested on the grounds of subversion.

On 21 and 22 March 2006, amid tensions preceding the [[Gambian presidential election, 2006|2006 presidential elections]], an alleged planned military coup was uncovered.  President [[Yahya Jammeh]] was forced to return from a trip to [[Mauritania]], many suspected army officials were arrested, and prominent army officials, including the army chief of staff, fled the country.
There are claims circulating that this whole event was fabricated by the President incumbent for his own devious purposes—however, the veracity of these claims is not known, as no corroborating evidence has as yet been brought forward. It is doubtful whether the full truth will ever be known, however, as anyone with any evidence would not be likely to come forward with it in light of the poor human rights record of the National Intelligence Agency, and their well-known penchant for torturing and detaining indefinitely anyone who speaks up against the Government.

The next presidential election took place on 22 September 2006. The nominations for party presidential candidates were held on 28 August 2006, amid reports of the Government intimidating and unfairly detaining Opposition members and sympathisers, and of using the machinery of state (including the national media arm of the Government, [[GRTS]]), to gain an unfair advantage during political campaigns. These reports follow a widely publicised signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and Opposition parties, initiated by the Nigerian President [[Olusegun Obasanjo]] during a recent visit to the country. Incumbent president, Yahya Jammeh, was reelected.

On 31 December 2014, a coup was attempted when a military deserter along with supporters attacked the presidential palace. The coup failed and the alleged ringleader, Lamin Sanneh, was amongst those killed by forces loyal to Jammeh.<ref name="n24_coup">{{cite web | url=http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/Dlamini-Zuma-calls-for-calm-after-failed-coup-in-Gambia-20150101 | title=Dlamini-Zuma calls for calm after failed coup in Gambia | publisher=News24 | access-date=1 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.latimes.com/world/africa/la-fg-gambia-failed-coup-attempt-20141230-story.html | title=Gambia Failed Coup Attempt | website=[[Los Angeles Times]] | date=30 December 2014 | access-date=1 June 2015}}</ref>

Following the [[Gambian presidential election, 2016|1 December 2016 elections]], the elections commission declared [[Adama Barrow]] as the elected president who won the presidential election to take over the Nation from the former president.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38183906 Gambia's Jammeh loses to Adama Barrow in shock election result]. BBC News (2 December 2016). Retrieved 18 December 2016.</ref> Jammeh, who had ruled for 22 years, first announced he would step down after losing the 2016 election before declaring the results void and calling for a new vote, sparking a [[Gambian presidential election, 2016|constitutional crisis]] and leading to an [[Invasion of The Gambia|invasion]] by an [[Economic Community of West African States|ECOWAS]] coalition.<ref name="bbc.com">[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38271480 Gambia leader Yahya Jammeh rejects election result]. BBC News (10 December 2016). Retrieved 18 December 2016.</ref> On 20 January 2017, Jammeh announced that he had agreed to step down and would leave the country allowing Barrow to take up office.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maclean |first1=Ruth |title=The Gambia: defeated president backs down and agrees to go into exile |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/20/the-gambia-jammeh-has-agreed-to-leave-new-president-tweets |access-date=15 October 2018 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=21 January 2017}}</ref>
On 4  December 2021, Gambian President Adama Barrow won re-election in the [[2021 Gambian presidential election|presidential election]]. Opposition candidates rejected the results because of unspecified irregularities.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Felix |first1=Bate |last2=Saine |first2=Pap |title=Gambian President Barrow wins re-election; opposition cries foul |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/president-barrow-holds-early-lead-gambias-election-2021-12-05/ |work=Reuters |date=5 December 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

==Executive branch==

[[File:Gambia Ministry signboard.jpg|thumb|A government ministry signboard]]

{{Office-table}}
|[[President of The Gambia|President]]
|[[Adama Barrow]]
|[[United Democratic Party (Gambia)|Independent]]
|19 January 2017
|-
|[[Vice-President of The Gambia|Vice-President]]
|[[Muhammad B.S. Jallow]]
|[[United Democratic Party (Gambia)|Independent]]
|15 March 2019
|} 
        
The President is elected by popular vote for a five-year term; the number of terms is not restricted. The President appoints the members of the [[Cabinet of The Gambia|Cabinet]].

==Legislative branch==

The [[National Assembly of The Gambia|National Assembly]] has 53 members, 48 members elected for a five-year term, and 4 members appointed.
The Gambia was effectively a [[one party dominant state]] when the [[Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction]] was in power. [[Opposition (politics)|Opposition]] [[political parties|parties]] were allowed but were widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power.

==Judicial branch==

[[Supreme Court of the Gambia]] (since 1998).

Until 1998, there was a right of appeal from the [[Court of Appeal of The Gambia]] to the [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council]] in [[London]].

The last case from The Gambia to be decided by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council was 'West Coast Air Limited v. Gambia Civil Aviation Authority and Others U.K.P.C. 39 (15 September 1998).<ref>[http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKPC/1998/39.html West Coast Air Limited v. Gambia Civil Aviation Authority and Others (The Gambia)], bailii.org</ref> West Coast Air Limited contested the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority's rulings in this matter, claiming that several of the decisions were illegal and harmful to their company's operations. A pivotal point in The Gambia's legal history occurred before the nation eliminated appeals to the Privy Council when the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which at the time was the country's highest court of appeal, rendered a decision on the case. This case emphasizes the intricate relationship that exists between corporate interests and regulatory bodies, as well as the value of judicial supervision in guaranteeing the impartiality and constitutionality of administrative decisions.

==Political parties and elections==

{{Elect|List of political parties in The Gambia|Elections in The Gambia}}

===Presidential elections===
Summary of the 1 December 2016 [[Gambian presidential election, 2016|Gambian presidential election results]]

{| class=wikitable style=text-align:right
!Candidate
!Party
!Votes
!%
|-
|align=left|[[Adama Barrow]]||align=left|[[Coalition 2016]]||227,708||43.3
|-
|align=left|[[Yahya Jammeh]]||align=left|[[Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction]]||208,487||39.6
|-
|align=left|[[Mammah Kandeh|Mamma Kandeh]]||align=left|Gambia Democratic Congress||89,768||17.1
|-
|align=left colspan=2|'''Total'''||'''525,963'''||'''100'''
|-
|align=left colspan=2|Registered voters/turnout||886,578||59.3
|-
|align=left colspan=4|Source: [https://web.archive.org/web/20161207154235/http://iec.gm/error-in-the-total-of-final-election-results/ IEC] (votes) [http://iec.gm/registration/registration-statistics/# IEC] (registered voters)
|}

===Parliamentary elections===
{{#section-h:2017 Gambian parliamentary election|Results}}

==Administrative divisions==

Local government in The Gambia varies. The capital city, [[Banjul]], has an elected town council. Outside of the capital, five rural regions exist (Lower River, Central River, North Bank, Upper River, Western), each with their own elected council. Each regional council has its own treasury and is responsible for local government services. Tribal chiefs retain traditional powers authorised by customary law in some instances.{{citation-needed|date=November 2025}}

==International organisation participation==

{{Portal|The Gambia|Politics}}
The Gambia is a member of these international organisations:

[[African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States|ACP]], 
[[African Development Bank|AfDB]], 
[[Commonwealth of Nations]]
[[Customs Cooperation Council|CCC]], 
[[Economic Commission for Africa|ECA]], 
[[Economic Community of West African States|ECOWAS]], 
[[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]], 
[[Group of 77|G-77]], 
[[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]], 
[[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]], 
[[International Confederation of Free Trade Unions|ICFTU]], 
[[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], 
[[International Development Association|IDA]], 
[[Islamic Development Bank|IDB]], 
[[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]], 
[[International Finance Corporation|IFC]], 
[[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|IFRCS]], 
[[International Labour Organization|ILO]], 
[[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], 
[[International Maritime Organization|IMO]], 
[[Intelsat]] (nonsignatory user), 
[[International Criminal Police Organization|Interpol]], 
[[International Olympic Committee|IOC]], 
[[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], 
[[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]], 
Shelter Afrique-A regional housing institution owned by 42 African Countries 
[[Organization of African Unity|OAU]], (Now replaced by the [[African Union]] abbreviated AU)
[[Organisation of Islamic Cooperation|OIC]], 
[[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]], 
[[United Nations|UN]], 
[[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]], 
[[United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization|UNESCO]], 
[[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], 
[[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], 
[[World Confederation of Labour|WCL]], 
[[World Federation of Trade Unions|WFTU]], 
[[World Health Organization|WHO]], 
[[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]], 
[[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]], 
[[World Tourism Organization|WToO]], 
[[World Trade Organization|WTrO]].

==Further reading==

* Bendel, Petra (1999), Nohlen, Dieter; Thibaut, Bernard; Krennerich, Michael (eds.), "[[doi:10.1093/0198296452.003.0022|Gambia]]." in ''Elections in Africa: A Data Handbook.'' Oxford University Press.
* Hughes, Arnold; Perfect, David (2006). ''[https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/a-political-history-of-the-gambia-1816-1994/60EAF9FDA05F18C4E05F2367062449B7 A Political History of the Gambia, 1816–1994]''. Boydell & Brewer.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Africa in topic|Politics of}}
{{Gambian elections}}
{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:Politics of the Gambia| ]]