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.
Nils Ole Hilmer Torvalds is a Finnish politician who has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2012. He is a member of the Swedish People's Party of Finland, part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.
The president of the Republic of Liberia is the head of state and government of Liberia. The president serves as the leader of the executive branch and as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia.
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 2004. 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 at Buchanan in 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 was, until 2017, the ruling party.
General elections were held in Liberia on 19 July 1997 as part of the 1996 peace agreement ending the First Liberian Civil War. The presidency, as well as all seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate were up for election. Voter turnout was around 89%. Former rebel leader Charles Taylor and his National Patriotic Party (NPP) won the election with 75.3% of the vote, giving it about three-quarters of the legislative seats according to the proportional representation system. Taylor was inaugurated as president on 2 August 1997.
General elections were held in Liberia on 15 October 1985. They were the first elections since the 12 April 1980 military coup that brought Samuel Doe to power. During 1984, a new draft constitutional was approved in a referendum, which provided for a 58-member civilian and military Interim National Assembly, headed by Samuel Doe as president. After a ban on political parties was lifted, four parties – Doe's National Democratic Party (NDP), the Liberian Action Party, the Unity Party and the Liberia Unification Party – contested the elections.
Milton Nathaniel Barnes is a Liberian diplomat, politician and member of the Liberian Destiny Party (LDP). In early 2022, he announced his intention to run as an independent candidate in the 2023 Liberian presidential election.
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) is a coalition of three Liberian political parties - the Liberia National Union (LINU), Liberia Education and Development Party (LEAD), and the Reformation Alliance Party (RAP) - that contested the 11 October 2005 elections.
The Legislature of Liberia is the bicameral legislature of the government of Liberia. It consists of a Senate – the upper house, and a House of Representatives – the lower house, modeled after the United States Congress. Sessions are held at the Capitol Building in Monrovia. Legislature of Liberia is considered one of the three branches of government based on the Article III of the Constitution of Liberia that stipulates all three branches ought to be equal and coordinated based on the Principle of checks and balances.
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislative branch of Liberia, and together with the House of Representatives comprises the Legislature of Liberia. Each of the fifteen counties are equally represented by two senators, elected to serve staggered nine-year terms. The Senate meets at the Capitol Building in Monrovia.
Dr. Harry Fumba Moniba was a politician from Liberia, hailing from the northwestern county of Lofa. He was the 26th vice president of Liberia from 1984 to September 1990, under the banner of the National Democratic Party of Liberia, and ran for president in 1997. He planned to run in the 2005 Liberian presidential election, but died in a two-car accident in Michigan on November 24, 2004. He was afforded one of the largest state funerals in Liberian history. He left behind his wife, Minita, and their five children. His burial site was contested, with several groups of Liberians threatening violence were he not to be buried in his home county, while others advocated his burial to be on the grounds of the national gravesite. His family decided to place his remains in the compound of their suburban Monrovia home. Two funerals were held in honor of Dr. Moniba: one in the United States and one in his home country of Liberia. At the U.S. funeral, Dr. Moniba's widow, Minita, was presented with the United States flag by Congressman Nick Smith. The flag had been flown at half mast over the U.S Capitol, making him the only Liberian in history to receive such an honor. The Congressman stated, "Dr. Moniba loved his country, and worked tirelessly to establish peace and prosperity for Liberia. He understood well the true role of a politician in a democratic society." A room was dedicated in Dr. Moniba's honor at the Liberian Embassy in Washington D.C. in February 2007. He also has a primary school named in his honor in Monrovia.
Jewel Cianeh Taylor is a Liberian politician who is currently serving as the 30th vice president of Liberia. She was married to convicted warlord and former president Charles Taylor and was First Lady of Liberia during his presidency. In 2005, Jewel Taylor was elected to the Senate of Liberia for Bong County as a member of the National Patriotic Party. She served as the Chairperson of the Senate Health and Social Welfare Committee on Gender, Women and Children.
The Dr. Harry F. Moniba Foundation (HFMF) was a 501(c)(3) U.S. nonprofit public charity, described by its directors as promoting Moniba's legacies of nonviolence and public service integrity. The foundation supported programs fighting illiteracy and raising the standard of living for Liberians. As of June 2015, the organization went through reorganization and ceased to exist in that current form. The Foundation reapplied as the Moniba Foundation with the Internal Revenue Service and was granted legal nonprofit status in November 2014.
Gbandi is an ethnic group of Liberia. It is also the language traditionally spoken by these people.
Clarence K. Moniba, Ph.D is a Liberian politician, author and former actor. He served as the youngest person in the country’s history to be named Minister of State without Portfolio, as well as the Chairman of the Board of the Liberia Electricity Corporation. He was a Principal Advisor and Project Manager to the President of Liberia and a leading figure on infrastructure development in Liberia from 2014 to 2018. Dr. Moniba at various times also headed the Diaspora Engagement Unit, the Philanthropy Secretariat and the President’s Delivery Unit which oversaw implementation of priority projects. Moniba in previous roles has worked with the African Development Bank’s High Level Panel on Post Conflict & Fragile States, as well as the United Nations Post-2015 Development Agenda. He was awarded the national medal Knight Commander of the Most Venerable Order of Pioneers, which then President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf stated was for his outstanding and distinguished service in government.
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 2024 European Parliament election is scheduled to be held in 2024 in line with the Treaty of Lisbon. This will be the tenth parliamentary election since the first direct elections in 1979, and the first European Parliament election after Brexit.
Senate elections were held in Liberia on 8 December 2020, with half the seats in the Senate up for election. the elections were held concurrently with a constitutional referendum.
General elections are scheduled to be held in Liberia in 2023 to elect the President, House of Representatives and half the Senate. Incumbent George Weah is eligible for a second term.
