United Arab Emirates
unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or
Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; 20 members appointed by the
rulers of the constituent states, 20 members elected to serve
two-year terms)
elections: elections for one half of the FNC (the other half remains
appointed) held in the UAE on 18-20 December 2006; the new electoral
college - a body of 6,689 Emiratis (including 1,189 women) appointed
by the rulers of the seven emirates - were the only eligible voters
and candidates; 456 candidates including 65 women ran for 20
contested FNC seats; one female from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi won a
seat and 8 women were among the 20 appointed members
note: reviews legislation but cannot change or veto
United Kingdom
bicameral Parliament consists of House of Lords (618
seats; consisting of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary
peers, and 26 clergy) and House of Commons (646 seats since 2005
elections; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms unless the House is dissolved earlier)
elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as
provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House
of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain
there; elections are held only as vacancies in the hereditary
peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 5 May 2005 (next to be
held by June 2010)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
Labor 35.2%, Conservative 32.3%, Liberal Democrats 22%, other 10.5%;
seats by party - Labor 355, Conservative 198, Liberal Democrat 62,
other 31; seats by party in the House of Commons as of 21 November
2008 - Labor 350, Conservative 192, Liberal Democrat 63, Scottish
National Party/Plaid Cymru 10, Democratic Unionist 9, Sinn Fein 5,
other 17
note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly
(because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer
of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of
1999 and has been suspended four times, the latest occurring in
October 2002 and lasting until 8 May 2007); in 1999, the UK held the
first elections for a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly, the
most recent of which were held in May 2007
United States
bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats,
2 members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve
six-year terms; one-third are elected every two years) and the House
of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by
popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held
November 2010); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008
(next to be held in November 2010)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - Democratic Party 57, Republican Party 41, independent 2;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - Democratic Party 257, Republican Party 178
Uruguay
bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of
Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; vice president has
one vote in the Senate) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de
Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 25 October 2009 (next to
be held in October 2014); Chamber of Representatives - last held 25
October 2009 (next to be held in October 2014)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - Frente Amplio 16, Blanco 9, Colorado Party 5;
Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - Frente Amplio 50, Blanco 30, Colorado Party 17, Independent
Party 2
Uzbekistan
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an
upper house or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional
governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; to serve
five-year terms) and a lower house or Legislative Chamber (120
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be
held in December 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9,
unaffiliated 10
note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV
Vanuatu
unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2 September 2008 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - VP
11, NUP 8, UMP 7, VRP 7, PPP 4, GC 2, MPP 1, NA 1, NAG 1, PAP 1,
Shepherds Alliance 1, VFFP 1, VLP 1, VNP 1, VPRFP 1, and independent
4; note - political party associations are fluid
note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture
and language
Venezuela
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (167
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms;
three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
elections: last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
pro-government 167 (MVR 114, PODEMOS 15, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other
25), opposition 0; total seats by party as of 1 January 2008 -
pro-government 152 (PSUV 114, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other 25),
PODEMOS 15
Vietnam
unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi (500 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
CPV 450, non-party CPV-approved 42, self-nominated 1; note - 493
candidates were elected; CPV and non-party CPV-approved delegates
were members of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front
Virgin Islands
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November
2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3
note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the
US House of Representatives; election last held 4 November 2008
(next to be held in November 2010)
Wallis and Futuna
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 April 2007 (next to be held April 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
UMP 13, other 7
note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and
one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -
elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held by September
2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP 1;
French National Assembly - elections last held 17 June 2007 (next to
be held by 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats -
PS 1