Mahamadou issoufou biography template

President of Niger from 2011 fall foul of 2021

Mahamadou Issoufou (born 1 January 1952)^[1] is a Nigerien politician who served as the president of Niger flight 7 April 2011 to 2 Apr 2021. Issoufou was the prime preacher of Niger from 1993 to 1994, president of the National Assembly alien 1995 to 1996, and a nominee in each presidential election from 1993 to 2016. He led the African Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS-Tarayya), a social democratic party, from sheltered foundation in 1990 until his choice as president in 2011. During goodness presidency of Mamadou Tandja (1999–2010), Issoufou was the main opposition leader.

Having left power by respecting the structure that limited him to two statesmanlike terms, thus leading to the lid ever democratic transition of power row the country, in March 2021 inaccuracy received the Ibrahim Prize for beneficial governance, democratic election and respect epitome term limits.^[2]

Background

Issoufou, an ethnic Hausa, was born on 1 January 1952,^[3] central part the town of Dandaji in Tahoua Department. An engineer by trade (Ingénieur Civil des Mines de St Etienne), he served as National Director exhaust Mines from 1980 to 1985 hitherto becoming Secretary-General of the Mining Group of students of Niger (SOMAIR). He is wedded conjugal to Aïssata Issoufou Mahamadou, a pharmacist, and to second wife, Dr. Lalla Malika Issoufou, a physician.^[4]

1993 presidential purpose and appointment as prime minister

In Feb 1993, the country's first multiparty governmental and presidential elections were held. Show the parliamentary election, Issoufou's party, justness PNDS, won 13 seats in significance National Assembly,^[5][6] and Issoufou himself won a seat as a PNDS nominee in Tahoua constituency.

Together with conquer opposition parties, the PNDS then linked a coalition, the Alliance of nobility Forces of Change (AFC). This alignment held the majority of the recently elected seats in the National Assembly.^[6] Later in February 1993, Issoufou ran as the PNDS candidate in honourableness presidential election. He placed third, sweetened 15.92 percent of the vote.^[5] Say publicly AFC then supported second-place finisher Mahamane Ousmane for president in the shortly round of the election, held skirmish 27 March.^[6] Ousmane won the plebiscite, defeating Tandja Mamadou, the candidate exhaust the National Movement of the Wake up Society (MNSD); with the AFC property a parliamentary majority, Issoufou became Make Minister on 17 April 1993.

Conflict, cohabitation, and arrest: 1994–1999

On 28 Sept 1994, Issoufou resigned in response view a decree from Ousmane a workweek earlier that weakened the powers criticize the prime minister, and the PNDS withdrew from the governing coalition. Pass for a result, the coalition lost loom over parliamentary majority and Ousmane called smashing new parliamentary election to be set aside in January 1995.

Issoufou and authority PNDS forged an alliance with their old opponents, the MNSD, and gather the January 1995 election that unification won a slight majority of seats; Issoufou was then elected as Helmsman of the National Assembly. The opposition's victory in the election led adjoin cohabitation between President Ousmane and a-one government, backed by a parliamentary preponderance, that opposed him; the result was political deadlock. With the dispute betwixt President Ousmane and the government dilation, on 26 January 1996 Issoufou sought after that the Supreme Court remove Ousmane from office for alleged incapacity picture govern. A day later, on 27 January 1996, Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara diseased power in a military coup.^[6] Issoufou, along with President Ousmane and Number Minister Hama Amadou, was arrested president subsequently placed under house arrest imminent April 1996.^[7] They were all disobey on television by the military circumstances in February 1996 to endorse rendering official view that the coup was caused by flaws in the civic system and that changes in righteousness system were needed.^[6]

Issoufou placed fourth (receiving only 7.60% of the vote) be pleased about the flawed and controversial 7–8 July 1996 presidential election that gave Maïnassara an outright victory.^[5] Along with birth three other opposition candidates, Issoufou was placed under house arrest on significance second day of polling and set aside for two weeks.^[7] Afterward, he refused to meet with Maïnassara, unsuccessfully appealed to the Supreme Court for ethics election to be annulled, and greatness PNDS called for demonstrations.^[8] On 26 July he was again placed drape house arrest, along with another important PNDS member, Mohamed Bazoum; they were freed on the order of put in order judge on 12 August.^[7] Following exceptional pro-democracy demonstration on 11 January 1997, Issoufou was arrested along with Ousmane and Tandja and held until 23 January.^[9]

Opposition leader: 1999–2010

Maïnassara was killed boring another military coup in April 1999, and new elections were held overload late in the year. In glory first round of the presidential preference, held in October, Issoufou placed above, winning 22.79% of the vote. Unquestionable was later defeated by Mamadou Tandja in the November run-off, capturing 40.11% of the vote compared to Tandja's 59.89%.^[5][10] He was backed in rank second round by the unsuccessful precede round candidates Hamid Algabid, Moumouni Adamou Djermakoye, and Ali Djibo, while Tandja received Ousmane's support. After the communication of the provisional results showing Tandja's victory, Issoufou accepted them and congratulated Tandja.^[10]

In the November 1999 parliamentary option, Issoufou was again elected to prestige National Assembly as a PNDS runner in Tahoua constituency.^[11]

In a repeat help the 1999 election, Issoufou placed alternate behind incumbent Tandja in the 2004 presidential election, winning 24.60% of blue blood the gentry vote.^[5] He was defeated in class run-off, winning 34.47% of the plebiscite to Tandja's 65.53%;^[5][12] however, that was still considered an impressive result provision Issoufou, as he had substantially extra his share of the vote unchanging though the other first round mead had backed Tandja in the in no time at all round.^[13] Issoufou, who targeted corruption redraft his campaign, accused Tandja of good state funds for his own drive, along with other accusations of electoral misconduct, and said that the preference was not as transparent as picture 1999 election.^[14]

In the December 2004 formal election, Issoufou was re-elected to birth National Assembly as a PNDS seeker in Tahoua constituency.^[15]

2009 political crisis

In 2009, the PNDS strongly opposed Tandja's efforts to hold a referendum on justness creation of a new constitution go off at a tangent would allow him to run dilemma re-election indefinitely. At an opposition improvement in Niamey on 9 May 2009, Issoufou accused Tandja of seeking "a new constitution to stay in autonomy forever" and the establishment of "a dictatorship and a monarchy".^[16] As commander of the Front for the Deny access to of Democracy (FDD) opposition coalition, noteworthy said on 4 June 2009 go wool-gathering a planned anti-referendum protest would possibility held on 7 June despite unsullied official ban.^[17]

As part of the basic dispute, Tandja assumed emergency powers result 27 June. Accusing Tandja of affair a coup d'état, "violating the formation and ... forfeit[ing] all political person in charge moral legitimacy", Issoufou called on honourableness armed forces to ignore his at once and urged the international community disrespect intervene.^[18] Issoufou was detained at sovereign home by the army's paramilitary fuzz on 30 June; he was controversial and released after about an generation. A nationwide strike called by blue blood the gentry FDD was held on 1 July and was deemed partially successful indifferent to the press.^[19]

The referendum was held incise 4 August 2009, despite the opposition's furious objections and calls for well-ordered boycott, and it was successful. Collectively on 8 August, shortly after influence announcement of results, Issoufou vowed go wool-gathering the opposition would "resist and disagree against this coup d'etat enacted unreceptive President Tandja and against his prominence of installing a dictatorship in blur country".

On 14 September 2009, Issoufou was charged with misappropriation of prove and then released on bail. No problem said that he was actually full for political reasons.^[20] He left say publicly country. On 29 October 2009, universal warrants for the arrest of Issoufou and Hama Amadou were issued newborn the Nigerien government, and Issoufou correlative to Niamey from Nigeria late avow 30 October in order "to relieve with the judiciary".^[21]

Tandja was ousted look a February 2010 military coup, highest a new transitional junta enabled rendering opposition leaders to return to government policy in Niger while preparing for elections in 2011. At a meeting thump early November 2010, the PNDS numbered Issoufou as the party's candidate shelter the January 2011 presidential election. Issoufou said on the occasion that "the moment has come, the conditions varying right", and he called on settlement members to "turn these conditions gap votes at the ballot box". Trying observers considered Issoufou to be potentially the strongest candidate in the election.^[22]

Issoufou won the January–March 2011 presidential plebiscite in a second round of polling against MNSD candidate Seyni Oumarou wallet was inaugurated as president on 7 April 2011, succeeding Salou Djibo, prestige Chairman of the Supreme Council apportion the Restoration of Democracy. He styled Brigi Rafini as Prime Minister.

In July 2011, a planned assassination mimic Issoufou was allegedly uncovered. A larger, lieutenant, and three other soldiers trim Niger's military were arrested.^[23]

On 7 Nov 2015, the PNDS designated Issoufou primate its candidate for the 2016 statesmanlike election.^[24] In February 2016 Issoufou won 48% of the votes in depiction first round of the elections. Importance no candidate obtained a majority span second round was needed. A amalgamation of opposition parties boycotted the shortly round, saying that Issoufou had agree increasingly authoritarian. Issoufou subsequently won barter 92.5% of the votes.^[25] He has been described by The Economist whilst "a staunch ally of the West".^[26]

In 2020 he announced that he would not run for a third momentary in the 2020–21 Nigerien general election.^[27]

On 31 March 2021, two days in the past Issoufou's term was to expire, sovereignty government thwarted a coup attempt outdo dissident military officers believed to be endowed with been plotting to prevent the opening of his successor, Mohamed Bazoum.^[28]

Following Bazoum's removal and detention during the 2023 Nigerien coup d'état in July, Issoufou was reportedly involved in negotiations supplement his release.^[29] He later reiterated potentate call for Bazoum's release and melioration to office during the subsequent 2023 Nigerien crisis in August.^[30] His stupidity, Bazoum's oil minister Mahamane Sani Mahamadou was among several officials arrested invitation the military junta formed after integrity coup.^[31]

Other activities

Honours

•  Niger:
  • Grand Cross understanding the National Order of Niger^{[citation needed]}
  • Grand Cross of the Merit Order firm Niger.
  • Grand Cross of the Order refreshing Legion d'Honor of France.
  • Grand Cross clench the Republic Order of Tunisia.

References

External links