In the first round of the Prime Minister election, a candidate must secure the votes of a majority of the total Assembly membership — currently 169 of 336 members. If no candidate achieves this, a second round is held between the top two, and the winner needs only a majority of members present and voting. A Prime Minister can therefore be elected in round two with fewer than 169 votes — provided a majority of those present vote for them.

Why it matters for the National Assembly proceedings?

The two-round system can produce a Prime Minister elected with a narrower base than 169 members — but only if second-round turnout is low. A Prime Minister who wins with, say, 100 votes from 199 members present still has a constitutionally valid election. But their political position — commanding only a fraction of the full Assembly — is inherently fragile.

What is in it for citizens?

When news reports discuss whether a PM has a ‘majority’, citizens should understand that there are two different thresholds: the absolute majority of total membership required in round one, and the relative majority of members present required in round two. A Prime Minister who won in round two with fewer than 169 total votes may face a fragile support in the House.

Source: Rule 35, Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007

The proceedings of the National Assembly are governed by the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007. The current rules were passed on 23 February 2007 and have since been amended 22 times, most recently on 9 March 2026.

This post is part of FAFEN’s series on parliamentary literacy. Read more of this series here.