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'{{Infobox Officeholder |name = Mahamadou Issoufou |image = Mahamadou Issoufou-IMG 3648 (cropped).jpg |office = [[List of heads of state of Niger|President of Niger]] |primeminister = [[Brigi Rafini]] |term_start = 7 April 2011 |term_end = |predecessor = [[Salou Djibo]] {{small|(Chairperson of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy)}} |successor = |office1 = [[List of heads of government of Niger|Prime Minister of Niger]] |president1 = [[Mahamane Ousmane]] |term_start1 = 17 April 1993 |term_end1 = 28 September 1994 |predecessor1 = [[Amadou Cheiffou]] |successor1 = [[Souley Abdoulaye]] |birth_date = {{birth year and age|1951}} |birth_place = [[Tahoua Department|Dandaji]], [[French West Africa]] {{small|(now [[Niger]])}} |death_date = |death_place = |party = [[Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism]] |spouse = Aïssata Issoufou<br>Malika Issoufou Mahamadou }} '''Mahamadou Issoufou''' (born 1951) is a [[Niger]]ien politician who has been [[President of Niger]] since 7 April 2011. Issoufou was [[Heads of Government of Niger|Prime Minister of Niger]] from 1993 to 1994, [[President of the National Assembly of Niger|President of the National Assembly]] from 1995 to 1996, and he has been a candidate in each presidential election since 1993. He led the [[Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism]] (PNDS-Tarayya), a social democratic party, from its foundation in 1990 until his election as President of Niger in 2011. During the Presidency of [[Mamadou Tandja]] (1999&ndash;2010), Issoufou was the main opposition leader. ==Background== Issoufou, an ethnic [[Hausa people|Hausa]], was born in the town of [[Tahoua Department|Dandaji]] in [[Tahoua (department)|Tahoua Department]]. An engineer by trade (Ingénieur Civil des Mines de St Etienne), he served as National Director of Mines from 1980 to 1985 before becoming Secretary-General of the Mining Company of Niger ([[SOMAIR]]). He is married to Aïssata Issoufou, and to second wife Dr Malika Issoufou Mahamadou.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lesahel.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7825:fin-de-la-visite-damitie-et-de-travail-du-president-de-la-republique-chef-de-letat-sem-issoufou-mahamadou-a-paris-france--le-chef-de-letat-a-regagne-niamey-vendredi-dernier&catid=34:actualites&Itemid=53 |title=Fin de la visite d'amitié et de travail du Président de la République, Chef de l'Etat, SEM. Issoufou Mahamadou, à Paris (France) : le Chef de l'Etat a regagné Niamey, vendredi dernier |publisher=Lesahel.org |date= |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref> ==1993 presidential election and appointment as Prime Minister== In February 1993, the country's first multiparty legislative and presidential elections were held. In the [[Nigerien parliamentary election, 1993|parliamentary election]], Issoufou's party, the PNDS, won 13 seats in the [[National Assembly of Niger|National Assembly]],<ref name="Elections">{{cite web|url=http://africanelections.tripod.com/ne.html |title=Elections in Niger |publisher=Africanelections.tripod.com |date= |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref><ref name="MNSD">{{cite web|url=http://www.unisa.ac.za/default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=11625 |title=Unisa Online - niger_republic |publisher=Unisa.ac.za |date= |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref> and Issoufou himself won a seat<ref>http://droit.francophonie.org/df-web/publication.do?publicationId=548</ref> as a PNDS candidate in Tahoua constituency.<ref>http://droit.francophonie.org/df-web/publication.do?publicationId=1024</ref> Together with other opposition parties, the PNDS then joined a coalition, the [[Alliance of the Forces of Change (Niger)|Alliance of the Forces of Change]] (AFC). This coalition held the majority of the newly elected seats in the National Assembly.<ref name="MNSD"/> Later in February 1993, Issoufou ran as the PNDS candidate in the [[Nigerien presidential election, 1993|presidential election]]. He placed third, winning 15.92 percent of the vote.<ref name="Elections"/> The AFC then supported second-place finisher [[Mahamane Ousmane]] for president in the second round of the election, held on March 27.<ref name="MNSD"/> Ousmane won the election, defeating [[Tandja Mamadou]], the candidate of the [[National Movement of the Development Society]] (MNSD); with the AFC holding a parliamentary majority, Issoufou became Prime Minister on 17 April 1993. ==Conflict, cohabitation, and arrest: 1994&ndash;1999== On 28 September 1994, Issoufou resigned in response to a decree from Ousmane a week earlier that weakened the powers of the prime minister, and the PNDS withdrew from the governing coalition. As a result, the coalition lost its parliamentary majority and Ousmane called a [[Nigerien parliamentary election, 1995|new parliamentary election]] to be held in January 1995. Issoufou and the PNDS forged an alliance with their old opponents, the MNSD, and in the January 1995 election that alliance won a slight majority of seats; Issoufou was then elected as President of the National Assembly. The opposition's victory in the election led to [[cohabitation (government)|cohabitation]] between President Ousmane and a government, backed by a parliamentary majority, that opposed him; the result was political deadlock. With the dispute between President Ousmane and the government deepening, on 26 January 1996 Issoufou requested that the Supreme Court remove Ousmane from office for alleged incapacity to govern. A day later, on 27 January 1996, [[Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara]] seized power in a military coup.<ref name=MNSD/> Issoufou, along with President Ousmane and Prime Minister [[Hama Amadou]], was arrested and subsequently placed under house arrest until April 1996.<ref name="AI">[http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR430021996?open&of=ENG-NER ] {{wayback|url=http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR430021996?open&of=ENG-NER |date=20070905104524 }}</ref> They were all put on television by the military regime in February 1996 to endorse the official view that the coup was caused by flaws in the political system and that changes in the system were needed.<ref name=MNSD/> Issoufou placed fourth (receiving only 7.60% of the vote) in the flawed and controversial [[Nigerien presidential election, 1996|7&ndash;8 July 1996 presidential election]] that gave Maïnassara an outright victory.<ref name="Elections"/> Along with the three other opposition candidates, Issoufou was placed under house arrest on the second day of polling and held for two weeks.<ref name="AI"/> Afterward, he refused to meet with Maïnassara, unsuccessfully appealed to the Supreme Court for the election to be annulled, and the PNDS called for demonstrations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afrique-express.com/archive/OUEST/niger/pol/criseniger.htm |title=criseniger |language=French |publisher=Afrique-express.com |date= |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref> On July 26, he was again placed under house arrest, along with another leading PNDS member, [[Mohamed Bazoum]]; they were freed on the order of a judge on 12 August.<ref name=AI/> Following a pro-democracy demonstration on 11 January 1997, Issoufou was arrested along with Ousmane and Tandja and held until 23 January.<ref>[https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr43/003/1997/en/ "Niger: Harassment of government opponents has become systematic"], ''Amnesty International'', 30 April 1997.</ref> ==Opposition leader: 1999&ndash;2010== Maïnassara was killed in another military coup in April 1999, and new elections were held in late in the year. In the first round of [[Nigerien presidential election, 1999|the presidential election]], held in October, Issoufou placed second, winning 22.79% of the vote. He was later defeated by Tandja Mamadou in the November run-off, capturing 40.11% of the vote compared to Tandja's 59.89%.<ref name="Elections"/><ref name=Rapport>{{PDFlink|[http://democratie.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/RAPPORT_DE_LA_MISSION_D_OBSERVATION_DES_ELECTIONS_PRESIDENTIELLES_ET_LEGISLATIVES_DES_17_OCTOBRE_ET_24_NOVEMBRE_1999_.pdf "Rapport de la Mission d’Observation des Élections Présidentielles et Législatives des 17 octobre et 24 novembre 1999"]|1.06&nbsp;MB}}, democratie.francophonie.org {{fr icon}}</ref> He was backed in the second round by the unsuccessful first round candidates [[Hamid Algabid]], [[Moumouni Adamou Djermakoye]], and [[Ali Djibo]], while Tandja received Ousmane's support. After the announcement of the provisional results showing Tandja's victory, Issoufou accepted them and congratulated Tandja.<ref name=Rapport/> In the [[Nigerien parliamentary election, 1999|November 1999 parliamentary election]], Issoufou was again elected to the National Assembly as a PNDS candidate in Tahoua constituency.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.assemblee.ne/organes/ldpce.htm |title=Internet Archive Wayback Machine |publisher=Web.archive.org |date=2004-07-18 |accessdate=2011-12-31 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20041204091908/http://www.assemblee.ne:80/organes/ldpce.htm |archivedate=December 4, 2004 }}</ref> In a repeat of the 1999 election, Issoufou placed second behind incumbent Tandja in the [[Niger presidential election, 2004|2004 presidential election]], winning 24.60% of the vote.<ref name=Elections/> He was defeated in the run-off, winning 34.47% of the vote to Tandja's 65.53%;<ref name=Elections/><ref>{{PDFlink|[http://democratie.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/NIGER_RMO1611_04122004.pdf "Rapport de la Mission d’Observation des Élections Présidentielles et Législatives des 16 novembre et 4 décembre 2004"]|99.5&nbsp;KB}}, democratie.francophonie.org {{fr icon}}.</ref> however, that was still considered an impressive result for Issoufou, as he had substantially increased his share of the vote even though the other first round candidates had backed Tandja in the second round.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afrol.com/articles/14943 |title=Incumbent wins Niger presidential poll |publisher=Afrol.com |date= |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref> Issoufou, who targeted corruption in his campaign, accused Tandja of using state funds for his own campaign, along with other accusations of electoral misconduct, and said that the election was not as transparent as the 1999 election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/4-12-4/24729.html|author=Nico Colombant|title=Niger Opposition Cries Foul Following Runoff Election|work=The Epoch Times|publisher=Voice of America|date=2004-12-04 |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref> In the [[Nigerien parliamentary election, 2004|December 2004 parliamentary election]], Issoufou was re-elected to the National Assembly as a PNDS candidate in Tahoua constituency.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.assemblee.ne/circons/circ_ord.htm |title=Internet Archive Wayback Machine |publisher=Web.archive.org |date=2005-02-13 |accessdate=2011-12-31 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20111227043205/http://www.assemblee.ne:80/circons/circ_ord.htm |archivedate=December 27, 2011 }}</ref> ===2009 political crisis=== In 2009, the PNDS strongly opposed Tandja's efforts to hold [[Nigerien constitutional referendum, 2009|a referendum on the creation of a new constitution]] that would allow him to run for re-election indefinitely. At an opposition rally in Niamey on 9 May 2009, Issoufou accused Tandja of seeking "a new constitution to stay in power for ever" and the establishment of "a dictatorship and a monarchy".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hw0mpI__wbx3VR4vrSa8dASlVGQA |title=AFP: Thousands protest Niger president's plans |publisher=Google News |date=2009-05-09 |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref> As leader of the Front for the Defence of Democracy (FDD) opposition coalition, he said on 4 June 2009 that a planned anti-referendum protest would be held on 7 June despite an official ban.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5it2ZhTLOZd2yXd8klJlFhT7DMUyQ |title=AFP: Niger protesters vow to defy anti-referendum demo ban |publisher=Google News |date=2009-06-04 |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref> As part of the [[2009 Nigerien constitutional crisis|constitutional dispute]], Tandja assumed emergency powers on 27 June. Accusing Tandja of undertaking a ''coup d'état'', "violating the constitution and ... forfeit[ing] all political and moral legitimacy", Issoufou called on the armed forces to ignore his orders and urged the international community to intervene.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gFm1Rnwbt-LtTGBhCt902pixrjQg |title=AFP: Niger opposition slams presidential 'coup' |publisher=Google News|date=2009-06-27 |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref> Issoufou was detained at his home by the army's paramilitary police on 30 June; he was questioned and released after about an hour. A nationwide strike called by the FDD was held on 1 July and was deemed partially successful by the press.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g8QvKZrbv4TN-1s2geszQFN4Z5Xw |title=AFP: Anti-referendum strike partially followed in Niger |publisher=Google News|date=2009-07-01 |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref> The referendum was held on 4 August 2009, despite the opposition's furious objections and calls for a boycott, and it was successful. Speaking on 8 August, shortly after the announcement of results, Issoufou vowed that the opposition would "resist and fight against this ''coup d'etat'' enacted by President Tandja and against his aim of installing a dictatorship in our country".<ref>http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20090808172149889C540772</ref> On 14 September 2009, Issoufou was charged with misappropriation of funds and then released on bail. He said that he was actually charged for political reasons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ia0UIDqn_7782wITFvFKA7CMC-hQ |title=AFP: Niger opposition leader charged with financial crimes |publisher=Google News|date=2009-09-14 |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref> He left the country. On 29 October 2009, international warrants for the arrest of Issoufou and Hama Amadou were issued by the Nigerien government, and Issoufou returned to Niamey from [[Nigeria]] late on 30 October in order "to cooperate with the judiciary".<ref>{{cite web|work=Independent Newspapers Online |url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20091031191237530C957439 |title=Niger opposition leader returns to face law|date=2009-10-31 |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref> Tandja was ousted in a [[2010 Nigerien coup d'etat|February 2010 military coup]], and a new transitional [[Military junta|junta]] enabled the opposition leaders to return to politics in Niger while preparing for elections in 2011. At a meeting in early November 2010, the PNDS designated Issoufou as the party's candidate for the [[Nigerien presidential election, 2011|January 2011 presidential election]]. Issoufou said on the occasion that "the moment has come, the conditions are right", and he called on party members to "turn these conditions into votes at the ballot box". Some observers considered Issoufou to be potentially the strongest candidate in the election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/Free-Tandja-Niger-junta-told-20101108 |title=Free Tandja, Niger junta told |publisher=News24 |date=2010-11-08 |accessdate=2011-12-31}}</ref> ==Presidency: 2011&ndash;present== Issoufou won the January&ndash;March 2011 presidential election in a second round of voting against MNSD candidate [[Seyni Oumarou]] and was inaugurated as President on 7 April 2011, succeeding [[Salou Djibo]], the Chairman of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy. He named [[Brigi Rafini]] as [[Prime Minister of Niger|Prime Minister]]. In July 2011, a planned assassination of Issoufou was allegedly uncovered. A major, lieutenant, and three other soldiers in Niger's military were arrested.<ref>{{cite news|title=Niger 'foils plot against President Mahamadou Issoufou'|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14295391|accessdate=27 July 2011|newspaper=BBC|date=26 July 2011}}</ref> On 7 November 2015, the PNDS designated Issoufou as its candidate for the [[Nigerien presidential election, 2016|2016 presidential election]].<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/07/us-niger-politics-idUSKCN0SW0S720151107#jFz3qOAeAxG5RiEv.97 "Niger's President Issoufou chosen to run for second term"], Reuters, 7 November 2015.</ref> ==References== {{reflist|30em}} {{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Amadou Cheiffou]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of heads of government of Niger|Prime Minister of Niger]]|years=1993–1994}} {{s-aft|after={{nowrap|[[Souley Abdoulaye]]}}}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Salou Djibo]]|as=Chairperson of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy of Niger}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of heads of state of Niger|President of Niger]]|years=2011–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}} {{NigerPresidents}} {{NigerPMs}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Issoufou, Mahamadou}} [[Category:1951 births]] [[Category:Hausa people]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Members of the National Assembly (Niger)]] [[Category:Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism politicians]] [[Category:People from Tahoua Region]] [[Category:Presidents of Niger]] [[Category:Presidents of the National Assembly (Niger)]] [[Category:Prime Ministers of Niger]]'