The legislative elections gave Gambian President Adama Barrow a relative, but not absolute, majority. If he wants to remain calm during his mandate, he will have to rally at least six deputies to his cause.
Last Saturday, Gambian voters went to the polling stations, just four months after electing incumbent President Adama Barrow to the highest office. Upon his inauguration, the Head of State then announced that he wanted to propose a new Constitution, which would include a term limit and the possibility of a second round in the presidential elections in the event of not obtaining an absolute majority in the first rounds.
But before being able to retouch the Constitution, Adama Barrow had to benefit from a strong majority in parliament. In 2020, elected officials rejected the constitutional change. However, after last weekend's legislative elections, it is clear that the Gambian president will have to take the time to rebuild his camp. Because if the National People's Party (NPP), created in 2020 after Barrow put the lead in the wing to the coalition which had allowed him to be elected, obtained a majority in the Assembly, this remains all relative.
To which deputies to turn?
Indeed, Adama Barrow's NPP obtained 19 seats out of the 53 that were at stake. In reality, it will obtain 24, the Gambian president having the possibility of appointing five deputies, including the speaker of the Assembly. The Unified Democratic Party (UDP) of Adama Barrow's former friend and ally, Ousainou Darboe, won 15 seats. Formerly in the majority, the UDP therefore becomes a minority. But that doesn't mean the game is over. Because the game of coalitions will make it possible to draw the future assembly.
Who could the NPP ally with? Despite their former alliance, not sure that Barrow and Darboe can find a compromise. The President of the Republic and his lieutenants will undoubtedly have to turn to other political forces: the Patriotic Alliance for the Reorientation and Construction (APRC) of ex-dictator Yahya Jammeh, with whom an agreement was initially reached during the presidential, is an option. But with only six MPs to convince to join them, NPP members can also turn to the Independents, who won 11 seats.
In addition to the future Constitution, Adama Barrow will have to rely on his Parliament to move forward on the issue of national reconciliation - the president must make decisions after the submission of a report on the actions of the Yahya Jammeh regime — but also on the issue of the fight against corruption.