At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Central African Republic

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Francois BOZIZE *
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Faustin-Archange TOUADERA
• Assembly: Central African Republic has a unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) with 105 seats.

* The president can be elected for a maximum of 2 terms. Francois Bozize became president after a military coup deposed Ange-Felix Patasse on March 13, 2003.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 6-year term.
• Prime Minister is elected by parliament.
• In the National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) 105 members are elected by absolute majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.***

*** If no candidate receives an absolute majority in the first round, a second round is held between the top two candidates.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Francois BOZIZE
  • Party: National Convergence / Convergence Nationale "Kwa Na Kwa" (KNK)
• Martin ZIGUELE
  • Party: Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People / Mouvement pour la Libération du Peuple Centrafricain (MLPC)
• Ange-Félix PATASSE
  • Independent(s): N/A
• Jean-Jaques DEMOFOUTH
  • Party: People's Army for the Restoration of Democracy / L’Armée Populaire pour la restauration de la république et la démocratie (APRD)
• Emile Gros Raymond NAKOMBO
  • Party: Central African Democratic Rally / Rassemblement Démocratique Centrafricain

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 4,844,927 (July 2010 est.)
• Registered Voters: 1,825,735 (January 2011 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 2,298,914 (2011)

·         Is Central African Republic a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Central African Republic ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (21 June 1991)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 13 (following the 2011 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 187 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Central African Republic a signatory to CRPD: Yes (9 May 2007)

·         Has Central African Republic ratified CRPD: No 

·         Population with a disability: 726,739 (est.)