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Presidential election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Weah: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100% Boakai: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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All 73 seats in the House of Representatives 37 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 of the 30 seats in the Senate 15 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. |
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General elections were held in Liberia on 10 October 2023 to elect the President, House of Representatives and half of the Senate. [1] [2] Incumbent president George Weah was eligible for a second term. [3] No candidate won a majority in the first round, with Weah narrowly placing first over opposition leader Joseph Boakai, which meant both advanced to a runoff held on 14 November 2023. [4] [5] Boakai defeated Weah by just over one percentage point in the closest runoff in Liberia's history, and Weah conceded the election peacefully. [6] [7]
European Union observers described the runoff as remarkably close and well administered. [8] ECOWAS and the United States congratulated Liberia on the "largely" peaceful elections. [9] [10]
Liberia has an established history of civil violence following contested elections, particularly the 1985 Liberian coup d'état attempt which was the root cause of the First Liberian Civil War. This election is also notable as it is the first election without United Nations observers since the Second Liberian Civil War. [11] Linda Thomas Greenfield, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, warned that the U.S. would call out anyone who undermines the electoral process through fraud, violence, or intimidation, while ECOWAS, seeking to prevent another entry in the growing West African Coup Belt, urged for calm. [12] [13] Additionally, ECOWAS reported that the election has sharply divided the population and urged for maturity from political leaders and a peaceful transfer of power. [14]
Liberian voters stated that they felt "underwhelmed" the first term of the Weah administration, calling out the poor economic state of the country going into the election as well as a slew of corruption scandals in Weah's cabinet as Liberia is still suffering from the fallout of two civil wars and an Ebola outbreak. [15] Weah's campaign focused on the fact the Liberian economy grew by 4.8% in 2022, mostly driven by gold exports to friendly neighbors, as well as promoting a general rule of law campaign. [16] [17] Boakai, meanwhile, focused on the corruption scandals and youth unemployment vowing to save Liberia from "Weah's failed leadership" all while attempting to keep his age of 78 out of political discussions. [18] [19]
The president is elected using the two-round system, [20] while the 73 members of the House of Representatives are elected by first-past-the-post voting in single-member constituencies. [21] One of the two members of the Senate from each county were also up for election via first-past-the-post voting.
Nathaniel Barnes, a former Liberian ambassador to the United States (2008–2010), announced in January his intention to run for the presidency as an independent candidate. [22]
Clarence Moniba, the leader of the Liberia National Union, announced in January that he would run for the presidency. [23]
Joseph Boakai, former Vice President of Liberia (2006–2018) and candidate for president in 2017, announced in January that he would run for the presidency again. [24]
Alexander B. Cummings Jr., a former chief administrative officer of Coca-Cola (2008–2016) who finished fifth in the 2017 presidential election, announced he would run for president again as the Alternative National Congress candidate with Charlyne Brumskine as his running mate. [25]
George Weah, incumbent president of Liberia, announced that he would seek a second term in 2023. [26]
The election run-up and first round campaigning was generally considered fair and free by both international and domestic watchdog groups. ECOWAS's Head of Election Mission Liberia, Attahiru Jega, praised the electorate for their orderliness and decorum in casting votes. He also commended the country's politicians for the same orderliness and abiding by electoral etiquette. Jega noted that this would be the first Liberian election without the presence of United Nations election observers, with most election security being performed by domestic agencies, namely in the form of the Elections Coordinating Committee which deployed several hundred observers across the country. [27] [28] [29]
However, observers from the African Union, European Union, ECOWAS, and the United States would still be present. [30] During the course of the election, observers followed the balloting across the country and only noted a few minor incidents with the National Elections Commission (NEC) having 14 days to fully count and report all ballots. [31] However, notably, Unity Party campaign spokesman Mohammed Ali falsely claimed that the ECOWAS observers accepted a $150,000 bribe from the CDC to compromise its neutral role as an observer; in response the Unity Party quickly denounced the statement. [32] Meanwhile, the CDC accused the Election Coordinating Committee and its chairman Oscar Bloh of breaking its neutrality and coordinating with the Unity Party by posting a video of Bloh meeting with Unity Party senator Amara Konneh and other high ranking Unity Party members, with the ECC and Bloh denouncing the video as fabricated. [33]
Additionally, both Unity Party and CDC activists claimed that former president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and current vice-president, Jewel Taylor, respectively were traveling aboard to shore up support for an intervention to support their respective parties, however, both were in Ghana for the funeral of the late former First-Lady Theresa Kufuor. Local Voices Liberia , a local watchdog group, attributed the source of the disinformation to be sitting representative Yekeh Kolubah. [34]
On 13 November, the day before the presidential runoff, Justice Minister Frank Musah Dean issued a warning to the participating parties to not announce the results prior to the NEC, warning that doing so would result in partisan violence. However, as the first results started to be reported on 15 November high-ranking members of both the CDC and the Unity Party took to social media to announce that their parties had won the election. Among them was former Finance Minister, sitting senator from Gbarpolu County, and the Unity Party's campaign coordinator, Amara Konneh, who claimed that with 85% of the vote counted Joseph Boakai held a 40,910 vote lead. Other Unity Party figures, such as Yekeh Kolubah who took to the streets with his supporters celebrating a yet to be confirmed Boakai victory, and former warlord Joshua Milton Blahyi promised "retaliation" against the CDC now that they no longer held the presidency, claiming that the CDC supported political violence. [13] Members of the CDC also claimed premature victory, namely CDC secretary-general Jefferson Koijee, who took to the streets with supporters a few hours after polls closed to celebrate. [35]
Additionally, the West African Elders Forum Mission to Liberia and the Angie Brooks International Center also called for calm denouncing premature victory claims and urging against political violence. [36] [37]
By 17 November, the vast majority of the run-off election ballots had been counted, suggesting Weah had lost re-election by a slim margin and that Boakai had won. However, it was announced that the election would need to be re-held in Nimba County on 18 November, after it was revealed one polling station had a greater number of cast ballots than the number of registered voters. [38] Regardless, Weah officially conceded the election to Boakai earlier in the morning on the 18th. [39]
No candidate won a majority in the first round, with Weah narrowly placing first over opposition leader Joseph Boakai, which meant both advanced to a runoff held on 14 November 2023. [4] [5]
Boakai defeated Weah 51% to 49% in the closest runoff in Liberia's electoral history. [6] [40]
Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coalition for Democratic Change | 401,921 | 22.12 | 25 | +4 | |
Unity Party | 237,931 | 13.09 | 11 | −9 | |
Collaborating Political Parties (ANC–LP) | 137,909 | 7.59 | 6 | New | |
People's Unification Party | 78,913 | 4.34 | 2 | −3 | |
Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction | 50,408 | 2.77 | 4 | +2 | |
All Liberian Party | 45,886 | 2.53 | 1 | −2 | |
Liberia National Union | 42,179 | 2.32 | 1 | 0 | |
Movement for One Liberia | 38,884 | 2.14 | 0 | New | |
Liberian People's Party | 35,400 | 1.95 | 0 | −1 | |
National Development Party | 32,202 | 1.77 | 0 | New | |
Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia | 26,102 | 1.44 | 0 | New | |
All Liberia Coalition Party | 23,436 | 1.29 | 0 | New | |
African Liberation League | 20,562 | 1.13 | 0 | New | |
Liberia Transformation Party | 19,087 | 1.05 | 0 | −1 | |
Democratic National Allegiance | 18,959 | 1.04 | 0 | New | |
Movement for Progressive Change | 18,946 | 1.04 | 1 | +1 | |
National Democratic Coalition | 18,768 | 1.03 | 1 | New | |
Vision for Liberia Transformation | 14,641 | 0.81 | 1 | +1 | |
United Independent Democrats | 14,393 | 0.79 | 0 | New | |
Liberia Restoration Party | 13,604 | 0.75 | 1 | +1 | |
New Liberia Party | 10,057 | 0.55 | 0 | 0 | |
Democratic People's Party of Liberia | 9,850 | 0.54 | 0 | New | |
Liberia Rebuilding Party | 9,768 | 0.54 | 0 | New | |
Liberia First Movement | 8,608 | 0.47 | 0 | New | |
Rainbow Alliance (TWP−VCP) | 8,574 | 0.47 | 0 | New | |
Liberian for Prosperity Party | 4,499 | 0.25 | 0 | New | |
Reformers National Congress | 3,116 | 0.17 | 0 | New | |
African Democratic Movement of Liberia | 2,303 | 0.13 | 0 | New | |
All Liberians Solidarity Party | 1,940 | 0.11 | 0 | New | |
Greater Action Party of Liberia | 831 | 0.05 | 0 | New | |
Grassroots Development Movement | 228 | 0.01 | 0 | New | |
Independents | 467,105 | 25.71 | 19 | +6 | |
Total | 1,817,010 | 100.00 | 73 | 0 | |
Valid votes | 1,817,010 | 94.10 | |||
Invalid/blank votes | 113,962 | 5.90 | |||
Total votes | 1,930,972 | 100.00 | |||
Registered voters/turnout | 2,471,617 | 78.13 | |||
Source: NEC |
Party | Votes | % | Seats | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total before | Up | Won | Total after | +/– | ||||
Coalition for Democratic Change | 620,892 | 34.26 | 6 [lower-alpha 1] | 3 [lower-alpha 2] | 6 | 9 | +3 | |
Unity Party | 218,138 | 12.04 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | –3 | |
Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction | 128,437 | 7.09 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | +1 | |
People's Unification Party | 86,466 | 4.77 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | –1 | |
Collaborating Political Parties (ANC–LP) | 83,423 | 4.60 | 6 [lower-alpha 3] | 3 [lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 3 | –3 | |
Liberia National Union | 41,681 | 2.30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Liberian People's Party | 39,718 | 2.19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
United Independent Democrats | 30,149 | 1.66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | |
All Liberia Coalition Party | 29,362 | 1.62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Liberia Restoration Party | 26,575 | 1.47 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | |
All Liberian Party | 14,121 | 0.78 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
National Development Party | 7,077 | 0.39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | |
Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia | 6,590 | 0.36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | |
Rainbow Alliance (TWP−VCP) | 6,552 | 0.36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Movement for One Liberia | 5,823 | 0.32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Democratic National Allegiance | 5,206 | 0.29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | |
All Liberians Solidarity Party | 3,764 | 0.21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | |
Vision for Liberia Transformation | 3,609 | 0.20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
New Liberia Party | 3,425 | 0.19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Liberia Transformation Party | 2,881 | 0.16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
National Democratic Coalition | 2,443 | 0.13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | –1 | |
Greater Action Party of Liberia | 2,120 | 0.12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | |
Movement for Progressive Change | 2,046 | 0.11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Liberia Rebuilding Party | 664 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New | |
Independents | 441,001 | 24.34 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 10 | +3 | |
Total | 1,812,163 | 100.00 | 30 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 0 | |
Valid votes | 1,812,163 | 93.37 | ||||||
Invalid/blank votes | 128,694 | 6.63 | ||||||
Total votes | 1,940,857 | 100.00 | ||||||
Registered voters/turnout | 2,471,617 | 78.53 | ||||||
Source: NEC |
The following are the results for the 2023 Senate elections from the National Elections Commission. [41]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Alex J. Tyler | 16,509 | 34.46% | |
Independent | Soko Adama Dorley | 14,940 | 31.19% | |
Independent | Morris G. Saytumah | 7,690 | 16.05% | |
Independent | Duannah A. Kamara | 6,789 | 14.17% | |
MOL | Murphy M. Gibson | 1,979 | 4.13% | |
Total votes | 47,907 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 2,603 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Johnny K. Kpehe | 78,122 | 44.11% | |
PUP | Edward W. Karfiah | 56,015 | 31.63% | |
ALP | Mohammed A. Nasser | 10,382 | 5.86% | |
NDP | Mogana Szorkpor Flomo | 7,077 | 4.0% | |
RA | Ranney B. Jackson | 6,552 | 3.7% | |
ALCOP | Amos D. S. Barbu Jr. | 5,698 | 3.22% | |
LRP | Pinky Suawah Bemah | 4,233 | 2.39% | |
UP | Henrique F. Tokpa | 4,034 | 2.28% | |
LTP | Bright Fahnlon Sackie | 2,881 | 1.63% | |
GAPL | J. Alexander Zogbaye | 2,120 | 1.2% | |
Total votes | 177,114 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 14,587 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Amara Mohammed Konneh | 11,651 | 31.13% | |
CDC | Alfred G. Koiwood | 9,303 | 24.85% | |
LINU | Paul K. Kennedy | 5,095 | 13.61% | |
LRP | John K. Benda Sr. | 4,029 | 10.76% | |
MOL | Fatuma Z. Browne | 3,844 | 10.27% | |
LPP | Mohammed A. Dukuly | 2,210 | 5.9% | |
MPC | Allen M. Gbowee | 765 | 2.04% | |
NDC | Cole Sumo Payne | 535 | 1.43% | |
CPP | Daniel Naatehn [lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 0.0% | |
Total votes | 37,432 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 2,243 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Gbehzohngar Milton Findley | 55,629 | 52.24% | |
CDC | Janjay Baikpeh | 25,384 | 23.84% | |
Independent | Magdalene G. Harris | 12,396 | 11.64% | |
Independent | Jonathan L. Kaipay | 9,338 | 8.77% | |
ALP | Jeremy G. Russell | 3,739 | 3.51% | |
Total votes | 106,486 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 9,556 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
UP | Dabah M. Varpilah | 12,465 | 20.4% | |
Independent | Victor Varney Watson | 10,381 | 16.99% | |
CDC | Mambu M. Sonii | 9,128 | 14.94% | |
UID | Hanson S. Kiazolu | 8,250 | 13.5% | |
Independent | Varney Sherman | 7,142 | 11.69% | |
Independent | Gayah W. Fahnbulleh | 6,677 | 10.93% | |
EFFL | Sando Wayne | 3,121 | 5.11% | |
LPP | Lyndon G. Mabande | 1,855 | 3.04% | |
PUP | Daogogoe H. Fahnbulleh | 832 | 1.36% | |
ALCOP | Morris Salia Nyei | 648 | 1.06% | |
MPC | Edwin G. K. Zoedua | 598 | 0.98% | |
Total votes | 61,097 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 3,716 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
LRP | Thomas Nimely | 18,313 | 41.44% | |
CDC | A. Marshall Dennis | 11,891 | 26.91% | |
UP | Alex Chersia Grant | 7,977 | 18.05% | |
CPP | Cyrus S. Cooper II | 4,118 | 9.32% | |
LINU | William Y. Glay | 1,892 | 4.28% | |
Total votes | 44,191 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 2,786 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
CDC | Albert Tugbe Chie | 25,861 | 82.55% | |
CPP | Vincent Toe Doe | 5,465 | 17.45% | |
Total votes | 31,326 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 1,886 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Momo T. Cyrus | 37,621 | 28.49% | |
CDC | Moses Y. Kollie | 37,200 | 28.17% | |
Independent | Galakpai W. Kortimai | 26,849 | 20.33% | |
UP | Stephen J. H. Zargo | 15,862 | 12.01% | |
ALCOP | Mohamed O. Kamara | 6,403 | 4.85% | |
DNA | Joseph T. Machulay Sr. | 4,354 | 3.3% | |
ALSOP | Mohamed M. J. Menssalay | 3,764 | 2.85% | |
Total votes | 132,053 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 6,553 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
CDC | Nathaniel F. McGill | 52,934 | 39.89% | |
PUP | J. Yarpuyah Yarkpawolo | 24,404 | 18.39% | |
UP | Ballah G. Zayzay | 23,506 | 17.71% | |
Independent | Emmanuel J. Giddings | 9,424 | 7.1% | |
Independent | Joshua V. Robinson | 8,701 | 6.56% | |
CPP | Clarice Alpha Jah | 6,863 | 5.17% | |
EFFL | Emmanuel D. Gonquoi | 3,469 | 2.61% | |
LPP | Vandalark R. F. Patricks | 3,412 | 2.57% | |
Total votes | 132,713 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 9,939 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
CDC | J. Gbleh-Bo Brown | 12,729 | 25.61% | |
LINU | Wollor E. Topor | 11,618 | 23.37% | |
Independent | J. Tiah Nagbe | 9,125 | 18.36% | |
CPP | H. Dan Morais | 8,217 | 16.53% | |
Independent | Eric Wlea Giko | 4,523 | 9.1% | |
Independent | Henrique B. Wilson | 2,042 | 4.11% | |
NLP | William Phillip Anderson | 768 | 1.55% | |
MPC | Jennifer K. Henshaw | 683 | 1.37% | |
Total votes | 49,705 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 3,686 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
CDC | Saah Hardy Joseph | 375,392 | 56.45% | |
UP | Wilmot J. M. Paye | 152,040 | 22.86% | |
CPP | Victoria Torlo Koiquah | 50,292 | 7.56% | |
LINU | Chernor M. Jalloh | 23,076 | 3.47% | |
UID | Ayouba S. Sheriff | 21,899 | 3.29% | |
LPP | Saye M. Boyou | 19,571 | 2.94% | |
Independent | Saranfoday Kanneh | 11,714 | 1.76% | |
ALCOP | Idrissa Kaba | 11,039 | 1.66% | |
Total votes | 665,023 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 51,001 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MDR | Prince Johnson | 128,437 | 54.92% | |
Independent | Nya D. Twayen Jr. | 56,651 | 24.23% | |
CDC | Roland G. Duo | 20,015 | 8.56% | |
LPP | James D. Hallowanger | 10,931 | 4.67% | |
Independent | Armstrong Gobac Selekpoh | 8,626 | 3.69% | |
ALCOP | Lawrenso Paye Korquoi | 5,574 | 2.38% | |
VOLT | Wuo Garbie Sokpah | 3,609 | 1.54% | |
Total votes | 233,843 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 14,066 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
CDC | Bill Teah Twehway | 12,780 | 47.89% | |
CPP | Gabriel B. Smith | 8,468 | 31.73% | |
NLP | Emmanuel Sear Toe | 2,657 | 9.96% | |
NDC | Francis S. Paye | 1,908 | 7.15% | |
LPP | Jay Jonathan Banney | 875 | 3.28% | |
Total votes | 26,688 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 2,149 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Francis Saidy Dopoh II | 10,104 | 36.4% | |
CDC | Charles K. Bardyl | 7,805 | 28.12% | |
PUP | Francis Saywon Younge | 5,215 | 18.79% | |
UP | Conmany Wesseh | 2,254 | 8.12% | |
LPP | Gbaye K. Synyenlentu | 864 | 3.11% | |
DNA | Chelle S. Noring | 852 | 3.07% | |
REBUILDERS | Commany B. W. Pah Sr. | 664 | 2.39% | |
Total votes | 27,758 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 1,886 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
CDC | Crayton O. Duncan | 20,470 | 52.72% | |
Independent | J. Milton Teahjay | 11,168 | 28.76% | |
Independent | Matthew Gee Zarzar | 7,189 | 18.52% | |
Total votes | 38,827 | 100.0 | ||
Rejected ballots | 2,037 |
Incumbent president Weah conceded the election peacefully. [6] [7]
President-elect Boakai in his victory speech promised to form a government of inclusion that reflects the political, social and religious diversity of the citizens. [43]
As crowds gathered at the Unity Party headquarters in Monrovia to celebrate Boakai's victory on 20 November, they were rammed by a jeep without license plates, killing three people and injuring 17. The driver, who had switched off the vehicle's lights prior to the incident, fled the scene while the vehicle was set on fire by angry onlookers. While police said the incident was accidental, the Unity Party called it an "act of terrorism" and cancelled upcoming celebrations until further notice. The outgoing government called on the public "to refrain from making unsubstantiated claims about the incident," citing the potential for post-election violence. [44] [45]
European Union observers described the runoff as remarkably close and well administered, saying; "the conduct of the voting process in observed polling stations as very good". EU observers further added the campaign was largely peaceful and quiet. EU observers concluded political freedoms of candidates and supporters were largely respected, but the use of state resources by the ruling party distorted the level playing field. [8]
ECOWAS also congratulated all stakeholders on the "largely" peaceful elections, although it noted isolated incidents in the counties of Lofa, Nimba, Bong and Montserrado, which resulted in "injuries and hospitalisation". [10]
The United States congratulated Liberia on holding a peaceful presidential runoff election. United States Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement; "it notes the broad participation of Liberians across the country and applauded the commitment and dedication of Liberian citizens in exercising their right to vote and in engaging in the electoral process peacefully." [9]
The Politics of Liberia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic modeled on the government of the United States, whereby the President is the head of state and head of government; unlike the United States, however, Liberia is a unitary state as opposed to a federation and has a pluriform multi-party system rather than the two-party system that characterizes US politics. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the legislature.
The National Patriotic Party (NPP) is a political party in Liberia. It was formed in 1997 by members of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia following the end of the First Liberian Civil War.
Elections in Liberia occur solely at the national level. The head of state, the President of Liberia, is elected to a six-year term in a two-round system, in which a run-off between the two candidates with the highest number of votes is held should no single candidate earn a majority of the vote in the first round. The Legislature has two elected chambers.
General elections were held in Liberia on 11 October 2005, with a runoff election for the presidency held on 8 November. The presidency and all seats in the House of Representatives and Senate were up for election. The elections were the first held since 1997 and marked the end of the political transition following the second civil war, having been stipulated in the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2003. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former World Bank employee and Liberian finance minister, won the presidential contest and became the first democratically elected female African head of state in January 2006.
The Unity Party (UP) is a political party in Liberia that was started in 1984 by Edward B. Kesselly, also its first standard bearer. Officially founded in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, the party was established on 27 July 1985. The Unity Party participated in the first elections after the 1980 coup, running against President Samuel Doe in October 1985. The party has remained active in Liberian politics since and is the current ruling party following the 2023 Liberian general election.
The Liberty Party (LP) is a political party in Liberia. It first fielded candidates in the 2005 elections.
Joseph Nyumah Boakai is a Liberian politician who is the 26th and current president of Liberia. He previously served as the 29th vice president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018, under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and as the minister of agriculture from 1983 to 1985. Boakai ran for president in 2017, losing the election to George Weah. He went on to defeat Weah in the 2023 election.
A new civil war began in 1999 when a rebel group backed by the government of neighboring Guinea, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), emerged in northern Liberia. By the spring of 2001, they were posing a major threat to the Taylor government. Liberia was now engaged in a complex three-way conflict with Sierra Leone and the Guinea Republic. By the beginning of 2002, both of these countries were supporting the latest addition to the lexicon of Liberian guerrilla outfits – Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), while Taylor was supporting various opposition factions in both countries. By supporting Sierra Leonean rebels, Taylor also drew the enmity of the British and Americans.
General elections were held in Liberia on 11 October 2011, with a second round of the presidential election on 8 November. The presidency, as well as all seats in the House of Representatives and half of the seats in the Senate, were up for election. The election was overseen by the National Elections Commission (NEC).
A referendum to amend the Constitution of Liberia was held on 23 August 2011. Voters chose whether to ratify four amendments regarding judge tenure, elections scheduling, presidential candidate requirements and the electoral system. The National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC) oversaw the referendum.
General elections were held in Liberia on 10 October 2017 to elect the President and House of Representatives. No candidate won a majority in the first round of the presidential vote, so the top two finishers – CDC standard-bearer Amb. George Weah and UP standard-bearer Vice President Joseph Boakai – competed in a run-off on 26 December. The second round was originally scheduled for 7 November, but was postponed after LP standard-bearer Cllr. Charles Brumskine, in third place, challenged the result in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court dismissed the challenge, which would have forced a re-run of the first round had it been successful, and the second round was held on 26 December. Weah emerged victorious with 60% of the vote.
The All Liberian Party (ALP) is a political party in Liberia.
Gbehzohngar Milton Findley is a Liberian politician and businessman. He is a former President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate and also the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the administration of President Weah until 28 July 2020.
Events in the year 2016 in Liberia.
Events in the year 2023 in Liberia.
Jeremiah Kpan Koung is a Liberian politician who is the 31st and current vice president of Liberia. He served in the House of Representatives of Liberia from 2012 to 2020. He was elected to the Senate of Liberia in 2020. He became standard bearer of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction in 2022. In 2023, Joseph Boakai selected Koung as his running mate during his presidential run.
The Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) is a political party in Liberia.
The Vision for Liberia Transformation (VOLT) is a political party in Liberia.
The Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) was a political alliance in Liberia. The alliance was originally formed in 2018 by four opposition political parties: the All Liberian Party (ALP), the Unity Party (UP), the Alternative National Congress (ANC), and the Liberty Party (LP). It was certified by the National Elections Commission (NEC) in 2020. By February 2022, the ALP and UP had withdrawn the alliance. By March 2022, a large faction of the LP had left as well. In April 2024, the CPP had officially dissolved.
The Victory for Change Party (VCP) is a political party in Liberia. It is a part of the Rainbow Alliance.