Centrist Democratic Party (Rwanda)

The Centrist Democratic Party (Kinyarwanda: Ishyaka riharanira Demokarasi ihuza Abanyarwanda; French: Parti Démocrate Centriste, PDC) is a political party in Rwanda. It is supportive of the government of Paul Kagame.

Centrist Democratic Party
Parti Démocrate Centriste
PresidentMukabaranga Agnès
HeadquartersKigali
IdeologyChristian democracy
Political positionCentre-right
Chamber of Deputies
1 / 80
Website
http://www.pdc-rwanda.rw/

History

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The party was established as the Christian Democratic Party (Parti Démocratique Chrêtien) in 1991 by Jean-Népomuscène Nayinzira.[1] It joined the government in December 1991 and was given a single ministerial post.[2]

In the run-up to the August 2003 presidential elections the party was banned as a result of a constitutional prohibition on religious-based parties. The party was reconstituted as the Centrist Democratic Party in time to contest the September parliamentary 2003 elections, in which it allied itself with the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front, winning three seats.[2] PDC leader Alfred Mukezamfura was elected Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.

The party continued its alliance with the RPF for the 2008 parliamentary elections, but was reduced to one seat. In 2009 Agnès Mukabaranga was elected leader of the party after Mukezamfura stepped down.[2] It was again part of the RPF-led alliance for the 2013 parliamentary elections, in which it retained its single seat.

Election results

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Chamber of Deputies elections

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Election Party leader Votes % Seats +/– Government
2003[a] Alfred Mukezamfura 2,774,661 73.78%
3 / 80
New Government coalition
2008[a] 3,655,956 78.76%
1 / 80
  2 Government coalition
2013[a] Agnès Mukabaranga 76.22%
1 / 80
  0 Government coalition
2018[a] 4,926,366 73.95%
1 / 80
  0 Government coalition
2024[a] 6,126,433 68.83%
0 / 80
  1 Extra-parliamentary
  1. ^ a b c d e Run as part of the RPF Coalition.

References

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  1. ^ Aimable Twagilimana (2007) Historical Dictionary of Rwanda, Scarecrow Press, p135
  2. ^ a b c Tom Lansford (2014) Political Handbook of the World 2014, CQ Press, p1204
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