Comoros: Freedom in the World 2021 Country Report | Freedom House https://freedomhouse.org/country/comoros/freedom-world/2021 A1 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts Was the current head of government or other chief national authority 1.001 elected through free and fair elections? 4.004 Under the 2001 constitution, the president was directly elected for a single five-year term, with eligibility rotating among the main islands of Grande Comore (Ngazidja), Anjouan, and Mohéli. However, a new constitution, approved in a controversial 2018 referendum that was boycotted by the opposition, allows the president to run for two consecutive five-year terms, and abolished the system of rotating power among the islands. The referendum allowed President Azali Assoumani of the CRC to contest the March 2019 presidential election. The Supreme Court barred seven contestants from participating ahead of election day, including former president Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi. On election day, the 12 opposition candidates reported that some polling stations opened several hours early, with full ballot boxes. Acts of violence and intimidation were also reported in some regions. The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) initially reported that Azali won the election in the first round with 60.8 percent of the vote, while Ahamada Mahamoudou of the Juwa Party won 14.6 percent; in early April, the Supreme Court validated results stating that Azali earned 59 percent of the vote. The 12 opposition candidates immediately rejected the results. Observers from the African Union (AU), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the East Africa Standby Force, an AU-backed regional defense organization, said the contest was marred by irregularities. A2 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts Were the current national legislative representatives elected through 2.002 free and fair elections? 4.004 The unicameral Assembly of the Union consists of 24 directly elected members who serve five-year terms. Another 9 members were previously selected by the three islands’ assemblies, but those seats were eliminated via a 2019 ordinance. The 2020 legislative elections, held in two rounds in January and February, were boycotted by the major opposition parties. Progovernment candidates won every seat; the CRC won 20, the allied Orange Party won 2, and progovernment independent candidates won the remaining 2. AU monitors who observed the January round called the contest generally peaceful, but noted a lack of public interest due to the opposition boycott. Opposition groups claimed that first-round turnout stood at 10 percent, rejecting the CENI figure of 61.5 percent. Members of the Comorian diaspora were unable to participate, with the government denying the opposition’s calls to ensure their inclusion. 1 of 4 5/18/2021, 8:33 AM Comoros: Freedom in the World 2021 Country Report | Freedom House https://freedomhouse.org/country/comoros/freedom-world/2021 Score Change: The score declined from 3 to 2 because the January and February legislative elections were marred by disagreements over voter turnout and an opposition boycott, leaving Comorians effectively unable to vote for the candidates of their choice. A3 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts Are the electoral laws and framework fair, and are they implemented 2.002 impartially by the relevant election management bodies? 4.004 The CENI, while historically able to run credible elections, has faced more recent accusations of bias and corruption. The 2018 constitutional referendum, which the CENI said passed with 93 percent of the vote, was marred by an opposition boycott. Opposition groups denounced it as an unconstitutional power grab by Azali, and said Azali’s dismissal of the Constitutional Court ahead of the vote rendered it illegal. There were also allegations of voter intimidation and fraud. Later, upon facing growing dissent in the parliament, Azali dismissed the CENI’s top opposition representative. The new constitution allows the president to run for two consecutive terms, abolished the system of rotating power among the islands, abolished the three vice- presidential posts (one representing each island), and declared Sunni Islam the national religion. It also transferred the competencies of the Constitutional Court, which was considered impartial in deciding electoral matters, to a new Supreme Court chamber. B1 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts Do the people have the right to organize in different political parties or 2.002 other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the system 4.004 free of undue obstacles to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings? Political parties are mainly formed around specific leaders and draw on island or ethnic bases of support. In the past, parties have generally operated freely, though the government occasionally disrupted opposition parties’ activities by denying them meeting and assembly space. The authorities systematically cracked down on opposition figures who publicly criticized the 2018 constitutional referendum. That December, two dozen opposition figures received prison sentences for opposing the referendum or the president, including former vice president Djaffar Said Ahmed Hassane and Juwa secretary general Ahmed el-Barwane. El-Barwane was among 17 opposition figures pardoned by Azali in 2019. Despite those pardons, his government has maintained pressure on the opposition in the aftermath of the 2019 presidential election. Presidential candidates Achmet Said Mohamed and Soilihi Mohamed were briefly detained that March, though both were later released. Soilihi, who led a National Transitional Council (CNT) that 2 of 4 5/18/2021, 8:33 AM Comoros: Freedom in the World 2021 Country Report | Freedom House https://freedomhouse.org/country/comoros/freedom-world/2021 unsuccessfully attempted to force Azali from office through civil disobedience and industrial action, agreed to refrain from further involvement after his release that April. B2 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts Is there a realistic opportunity for the opposition to increase its 1.001 support or gain power through elections? 4.004 In the past, numerous opposition parties had a realistic chance of gaining power through elections, though they were impeded by occasional government interference. Allegations of misuse of state resources by incumbents were not uncommon. However, the arrests, convictions, and harsh sentences against opposition leaders who spoke out against the 2018 constitutional referendum hampered the ability of opposition parties to compete in elections. The 2020 legislative elections, which were marred by an opposition boycott, ended with progovernment candidates winning every seat. Score Change: The score declined from 2 to 1 because progovernment candidates won every legislative seat in the January and February elections after an opposition boycott, leaving no opposition presence in the body. B3 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts Are the people’s political choices free from domination by forces that 2.002 are external to the political sphere, or by political forces that employ 4.004 extrapolitical means? While individuals are generally free to exercise their political choices, the influence of Comoros’s powerful army—which cracked down on dissent during the 2018 constitutional referendum—as well as of religious authorities can place pressure on voters and candidates. The army was used to intimidate and detain opposition figures during and after the 2019 presidential campaign. Gendarmes arrested Soilihi after he announced his CNT involvement that March. Gendarmes also interrogated the spouse of presidential candidate Achmet, who served as a CNT spokesperson, that April. B4 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts Do various segments of the population (including ethnic, racial, 2.002 religious, gender, LGBT+, and other relevant groups) have full political 4.004 rights and electoral opportunities? There are no laws preventing various segments of the population from enjoying full political rights and electoral opportunities. However, traditional attitudes discourage women from participating in politics. Only four women won legislative seats in the 2020 polls. Legal and societal discrimination against LGBT+ people makes political advocacy for LGBT+ rights difficult. 3 of 4 5/18/2021, 8:33 AM Comoros: Freedom in the World 2021 Country Report | Freedom House https://freedomhouse.org/country/comoros/freedom-world/2021 C1 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts Do the freely elected head of government and national legislative 2.002 representatives determine the policies of the government? 4.004 According to the constitution, the president decides on the policies of the state, which are executed by the government. However, irregular legislative activity hampered representative policymaking in previous years. C2 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts Are safeguards against official corruption strong and effective? 1.001 4.004 There are reports of corruption at all levels, including within the judiciary, civil service, and security forces. The Azali administration dissolved the National Commission for Preventing and Fighting Corruption in 2016. In 2018, former president Sambi was arrested for corruption, embezzlement, and forgery in connection with a passport-sales scheme. A parliamentary report revealed that the scheme cost Comoros as much as $971 million. Sambi remained under house arrest at the end of 2020. C3 1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts Does the government operate with openness and transparency? 1.001 4.004 Government operations are characterized by opacity. Various reform initiatives have been unsuccessful. Financial asset disclosures by public officials are not released to the public. Comoros provides no opportunities for public engagement in the budget process. 4 of 4 5/18/2021, 8:33 AM.