Politics of the Gambia

Politics of The Gambia takes place within the framework of a unitary 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, and legislative power is vested in both the government and parliaments.

National laws made from the capital city and by the national government are implemented for the entire country but local governmental authorities are allowed to make by-laws. As a unitary state, laws from the capital city are made for the entire country but local governmental authorities are allowed to make by-laws Though the A National Policy for Decentralization and Local Development program, the Gambia is currently going through the process of decentralisation since the late 1980's-early 1990's. The 1994 military coup led to the semi-authoritarian regime of Yahya Jammeh who held power until he was defeated during the 2016 Gambian presidential election.

Following the 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. 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 constitutional crisis and leading to an invasion by an ECOWAS coalition. On 20 January 2017, Jammeh announced that he had agreed to step down and would leave the country allowing Barrow to take up office.

On 4 December 2021, Gambian President Adama Barrow won re-election in the presidential election. Opposition candidates rejected the results because of unspecified irregularities.

Executive branch

thumb|A government ministry signboard

|President

|Adama Barrow

|Independent

|19 January 2017

|Vice-President

|Muhammad B.S. Jallow

|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.

Legislative branch

The 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 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). 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

Presidential elections

Parliamentary elections

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.

International organisation participation

The Gambia is a member of these international organisations:

ACP,

AfDB,

Commonwealth of Nations

CCC,

ECA,

ECOWAS,

FAO,

G-77,

IBRD,

ICAO,

ICFTU,

ICRM,

IDA,

IDB,

IFAD,

IFC,

IFRCS,

ILO,

IMF,

IMO,

Intelsat (nonsignatory user),

Interpol,

IOC,

ITU,

NAM,

Shelter Afrique-A regional housing institution owned by 42 African Countries

OAU, (Now replaced by the African Union abbreviated AU)

OIC,

OPCW,

UN,

UNCTAD,

UNESCO,

UNIDO,

UPU,

WCL,

WFTU,

WHO,

WIPO,

WMO,

WToO,

WTrO.