Elections in Malawi


elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The president and the vice-president are elected on one ballot for a five-year term by the people. A simple plurality is required to win; there is no provision for a runoff election. The National Assembly has 193 members, elected for a five-year term in single-seat constituencies.
Malawi is a multi-party system, which means that there are multiple parties as well as a number of independent politicians who do not formally associate with any party.
Malawian citizens who are 18 or over are entitled to vote. Foreign nationals who have lived in Malawi for 7 years can also vote.

Latest elections

2014 Elections

President

National Assembly

Previous Elections

Referendums

On 3 February 2020, the Constitutional Court of Malawi's judges arrived in Lilongwe to read the disputed presidential election results judgement after travelling in a military vehicle with a heavy police escort. The judges took turns to read the 500-page decision over more than seven hours. The ruling nullified the results of the elections, concluding they had been rigged and not free and fair. The judgement cited rampant cheating, tampering of results and numerous other malpractices. Mutharika was declared not duly elected and thus no longer President. All MPs and councillors were also removed from office. The judges ordered fresh elections be held within 150 days.