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The Zimbabwe government consists of an elected head of state, the president, and a legislature. The presidential term lasts for 5 years, and is elected by majority, with a second round if no candidate receives a majority in the first round.[1] The Parliament is bicameral, consisting of the House of Assembly and Senate. Following the 2013 constitution, the House of Assembly has 270 members. 210 are elected for five-year terms by single-member constituencies. Furthermore, the constitution specifies that for the two first parliaments, there are 60 additional seats reserved for women, 6 seats per province, which are filled based on the votes for in the single-member constituencies, using party-list proportional representation, distributed using the largest remainder method and the hare quota.[2][3] The Senate has 80 members: 60 are elected for five-year terms in 6-member constituencies representing one of the 10 provinces, elected based on the votes in the lower house election, using party-list proportional representation, distributed using the hare quota. Additionally the senate consists of 2 seats for each non-metropolitan district of Zimbabwe elected by each provincial assembly of chiefs using SNTV,[4] 1 seat each for the president and deputy president of the National Council of Chiefs and 1 male and 1 female seat for people with disabilities elected on separate ballots using FPTP by an electoral college designated by the National Disability Board.[2][3]
Zimbabwe is a one party dominant state, the dominant party being the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front. Opposition parties are permitted, including the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa and the MDC–T led by Thokozani Khuphe, both formations of the original Movement for Democratic Change created in 1999. Recent elections (March 2008) have witnessed former ruling party finance minister Simba Makoni standing as an independent presidential candidate.
- ^ "Part XVII, Section 110". ELECTORAL ACT. Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. p. 63. Archived from the original (pdf) on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
- ^ a b "3, 4". Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) (PDF). pp. 52–54. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ a b "Electoral Amendment Act 2014 [Act 6-2014]" (doc). Veritas Zimbabwe. pp. 52–55. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
- ^ "Part X, Section 44". ELECTORAL ACT. Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. p. 35. Archived from the original (pdf) on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.