Indirect elections to a National Assembly were held in the parts of Portuguese Guinea held by the rebel African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) between August and October 1972,Michael Cowen & Liisa Laakso (2002) Multi-party Elections in Africa, James Currey Publishers, p108 but not in the Portuguese-controlled areas of Bissau, Bolama, the Bijagós Islands and Bafatá.Elections in Guinea-Bissau African Elections Database
A single list of PAIGC candidates for Regional Councils was approved by 97% of voters with a 93.4% turnout.Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p466 The number of people voting was approximately 32% of the voting-age population.Cowen & Laakso, p109
Electoral system Voters elected 273 members of 11 regional councils. The elected councillors then convened to elect 91 members of the 120-seat National Assembly. The remaining 29 seats were to represent the four regions still under Portuguese control, and these members were chosen by the PAIGC.
The elections took six weeks, with ballot papers carried around the country on foot. The ballot papers had been printed in neighbouring Guinea.
Results
Aftermath The new National Assembly met for the first time in Boe on 24 September 1973.
References