[20211208]IN11820_冈比亚选举.pdf

CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress INSIGHTINSIGHTi i Election in The Gambia December 8, 2021 On December 4, 2021, voters in The Gambia (Gambia) reelected incumbent President Adama Barrow in the countrys first presidential poll since 2016, when Gambia shocked observers by voting out longtime autocrat Yahya Jammeh. Jammehs departure paved the way for widely lauded governance gains and a marked improvement in U.S.-Gambia relations. Congress has expressed support for Gambias post-Jammeh transition, including via legislation in the 117th Congress (S.Res. 456). Some analysts considered the 2021 election a bellwether for Gambias democracy. The U.S. Embassy assessed the polls as “free and fair,” notwithstanding “minor procedural irregularities, as well as the need for broader structural reforms to the electoral processes.” European Union observers described the process as well administered, while noting issues in the pre-election environment that contributed to an “unlevel playing field” favoring Barrow. Some candidates have rejected the results and may challenge them. Looking ahead, Gambia faces challenges related to institutionalizing reforms and managing transit