IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Lesotho

Kingdom of Lesotho

2,311,470
Population (as of Jan. 1, 2023)

1,253,540
Registered Voters (as of None)

56.07%
Average Turnout

7
Elections in our database

V-Dem* Score: 0.658
Regimes of the World Classification: Electoral Democracy
*Varieties of Democracy Electoral Democracy Index (2024)

CEDAW Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: July 17, 1980
Ratified Date: Aug. 22, 1995

SIGI* Score: 32.8
Level of Discrimination: Medium
*Social Institutions and Gender Index (2023)

CRPD Status: Ratified
Ratified Date: Dec. 2, 2008

HDI* Score: 0.550
Category: Low
*UNDP Human Development Index (2023)

Name	Official Name	Type
Lesotho National Assembly		Lower House
Lesotho Senate		Upper House

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE (since 28 October 2022)
Assembly: bicameral Parliament consisting of the Senate with 33 seats and the National Assembly with 120 seats

Description of electoral system:

The King is the hereditary head of state. Under traditional law, the college of chiefs has the power to depose and/or invest a monarch
The Prime Minister is selected by parliament.
In the Senate, 22 members are reserved for tribal leaders, and 11 members are appointed by the ruling party. All members serve renewable 5-year terms.
In the National Assembly, 80 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies, and 40 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system. All members serve renewable 5-year terms.

Elections

2022-10-07 | Status: Held
Lesotho National Assembly
Votes -
Registered -
Turnout -

2017-06-03 | Status: Held
Lesotho National Assembly
Votes 581,692
Registered 1,253,540
Turnout 46.4

2015-02-28 | Status: Held
Lesotho National Assembly
Votes 563,972
Registered 1,210,079
Turnout 46.61

2012-05-26 | Status: Held
Lesotho National Assembly
Votes 564,451
Registered 1,127,980
Turnout 50.04

2007-02-17 | Status: Held
Lesotho National Assembly
Votes 457,941
Registered 916,230
Turnout 49.98

2002-05-25 | Status: Held
Lesotho National Assembly
Votes 600,827
Registered 831,315
Turnout 72.27

1998-05-23 | Status: Held
Lesotho National Assembly
Votes 595,955
Registered 837,610
Turnout 71.15

Election For	Date	Status	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Lesotho National Assembly	2022-10-07	Held	-	-	-
Lesotho National Assembly	2017-06-03	Held	581,692	1,253,540	46.4
Lesotho National Assembly	2015-02-28	Held	563,972	1,210,079	46.61
Lesotho National Assembly	2012-05-26	Held	564,451	1,127,980	50.04
Lesotho National Assembly	2007-02-17	Held	457,941	916,230	49.98
Lesotho National Assembly	2002-05-25	Held	600,827	831,315	72.27
Lesotho National Assembly	1998-05-23	Held	595,955	837,610	71.15

Voter Turnout

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