1965 Burundian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Burundi on 10 May 1965, the first since independence in 1962. Voters elected the National Assembly, which had been reduced from 64 to 33 seats.^[1] They followed the assassination of Prime Minister Pierre Ngendandumwe on 15 January 1965, and were won by the ruling Union for National Progress.

Background

On January 15, 1965, Burundian Prime Minister Pierre Ngendandumwe was assassinated.^[2][3] In response, Mwami Mwambutsa IV dissolved Parliament^[4] on March 4^[5] and called for new elections.^[4] New elections were declared on March 29^[5] and were held on May 10.^[6]

Results

National Assembly

Party		Seats	+/–
	Union for National Progress	21	–37
	Party of the People	10	+6
	Other parties	0	0
	Independents	2	New
Total		33	–31
Source: EISA, Lemarchand[7]

Senate

Following the National Assembly elections, the 16-member Senate was filled. Eight members of the Senate were elected by the members of the National Assembly—each representing one of the county's provinces. The eight Senate members elected a further four members, with a further four appointed by the King.^[8][9] UPRONA held eight of the 12 seats.^[6]

Aftermath

Despite the decisive victory by Hutu candidates in the election, King Mwambutsa IV appointed a Tutsi prince, Léopold Biha, as Prime Minister.

Tensions finally erupted into violence following an attempted coup by Hutu army officers in October 1965. The failed coup was followed by a major purge of Hutus in the armed forces. Hutu politicians and civilians were also killed. The following year Mwambutsa was overthrown by his son Ntare V, who was deposed in a military coup later in the year, ending the country's monarchy.

References

1. Elections in Burundi African Elections Database
2. "Burundi Revolt Erupts but Is Reported Quelled". The New York Times. Associated Press. 20 October 1964. pp. 2, 10.
3. Weinstein 1976, pp. 14, 212.
4. Russell 2019, p. 152.
5. Cornevin 1966, p. 13.
6. Ndayizeye, Jean Bosco (10 December 2011). "Historique". Assemblée Nationale du Burundi. (in French). National Assembly of Burundi. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
7. Lemarchand 1970, p. 412.
8. Indirect Legislative Elections in Sub-Saharan Africa: Burundi African Elections Database
9. "Senate Election, Regulations Are Announced". Daily Report : Foreign Radio Broadcasts. No. 113. United States Foreign Broadcast Information Service. 14 June 1965. p. I1.

Works cited

• Cornevin, Robert (24 August 1966). "Chance of Re-Establishing Peace In Burundi After Coup D'Etat". Translations on Sub-Saharan Africa. No. 420. United States Joint Publications Research Service. pp. 11–16.
• Lemarchand, René (1970). Rwanda and Burundi. New York: Praeger Publishers. OCLC 254366212.
• Russell, Aiden (2019). Politics and Violence in Burundi: The Language of Truth in an Emerging State. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781108499347.
• Weinstein, Warren (1976). Historical Dictionary of Burundi. Metuchen: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810809628.