Mahamadou Issoufou facts for kids
Mahamadou Issoufou (born 1 January 1952) is a politician from Niger. He served as the president of Niger from 2011 to 2021. Before becoming president, he was the prime minister of Niger from 1993 to 1994. He also led the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS-Tarayya) from its start in 1990 until he became president.
Issoufou was a candidate in every presidential election from 1993 to 2016. During the time of President Mamadou Tandja (1999–2010), Issoufou was a main leader of the opposition. He left power peacefully after two terms, following the country's rules. In 2021, he received the Ibrahim Prize for good leadership and respecting term limits. This was the first time power changed hands democratically in Niger.
Quick facts for kids
Mahamadou Issoufou
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Issoufou in 2012
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| 9th President of Niger | |
| In office 7 April 2011 – 2 April 2021 |
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| Prime Minister | Brigi Rafini |
| Preceded by | Salou Djibo (Chairman of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy) |
| Succeeded by | Mohamed Bazoum |
| 5th Prime Minister of Niger | |
| In office 17 April 1993 – 28 September 1994 |
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| President | Mahamane Ousmane |
| Preceded by | Amadou Cheiffou |
| Succeeded by | Souley Abdoulaye |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 January 1952 Dandaji, French West Africa (now Niger) |
| Political party | Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism |
| Spouses | Aïssata Issoufou Mahamadou Lalla Malika Issoufou |
| Children | Mariam Kamara Sani Issoufou Mahamadou |
Contents
Early Life and Career
Mahamadou Issoufou was born on 1 January 1952. His birthplace was Dandaji in the Tahoua region of Niger. He belongs to the Hausa ethnic group.
Issoufou trained as an engineer. From 1980 to 1985, he was the National Director of Mines. After that, he became the Secretary-General of the Mining Company of Niger (SOMAIR). He is married to Aïssata Issoufou Mahamadou, who is a chemist. His second wife is Dr. Lalla Malika Issoufou, a doctor.
Becoming Prime Minister in 1993
In February 1993, Niger held its first elections with many political parties. Issoufou's party, the PNDS, won 13 seats in the National Assembly. Issoufou himself won a seat representing Tahoua.
The PNDS joined other opposition parties to form a group called the Alliance of the Forces of Change (AFC). This group had the most seats in the National Assembly. In the presidential election that same month, Issoufou came in third place.
The AFC then supported Mahamane Ousmane for president in the second round of the election. Ousmane won, and because the AFC had the most power in parliament, Issoufou became Prime Minister on 17 April 1993.
Political Challenges and Changes (1994–1999)
On 28 September 1994, Issoufou resigned as Prime Minister. This happened after President Ousmane made a rule that reduced the Prime Minister's powers. The PNDS then left the ruling group, and the President called for new elections in January 1995.
Issoufou's party, the PNDS, then teamed up with their former rivals, the MNSD. This new alliance won a small majority in the January 1995 election. Issoufou was then chosen as the President of the National Assembly.
This situation led to a period where the President and the Parliament were controlled by opposing groups. This caused many disagreements and made it hard for the government to work. On 26 January 1996, Issoufou asked the Supreme Court to remove President Ousmane from office. The next day, on 27 January 1996, Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara took control of the government in a military takeover.
Issoufou, President Ousmane, and Prime Minister Hama Amadou were arrested. They were later kept at home until April 1996. The military showed them on television in February 1996. They said that the takeover was needed to fix problems in the political system.
In the presidential election held in July 1996, Issoufou came in fourth place. Many people thought this election was unfair. Issoufou and three other candidates were kept at home for two weeks during the election. He refused to meet with Maïnassara and asked the Supreme Court to cancel the election, but it did not happen. His party also organized protests. On 26 July, he was again kept at home with another PNDS member, Mohamed Bazoum. They were freed in August. Issoufou was arrested again in January 1997 after a protest and held for a few days.
Leading the Opposition (1999–2010)
In April 1999, there was another military takeover in Niger. New elections were held later that year. In the first round of the presidential election in October, Issoufou came in second. He then lost to Mamadou Tandja in the second round in November. Issoufou accepted the results and congratulated Tandja.
In the parliamentary election in November 1999, Issoufou was again elected to the National Assembly for Tahoua.
In the 2004 presidential election, Issoufou again came in second behind President Tandja. He lost in the second round, but he gained more votes than before. During his campaign, Issoufou spoke out against corruption. He claimed that President Tandja used government money for his own campaign and that the election was not as fair as the one in 1999.
In the December 2004 parliamentary election, Issoufou was re-elected to the National Assembly.
Political Challenges in 2009
In 2009, Issoufou's party strongly opposed President Tandja's plan to change the constitution. Tandja wanted to hold a public vote to create a new constitution that would let him stay in power for an unlimited time.
At a protest in Niamey on 9 May 2009, Issoufou said that Tandja wanted to "stay in power forever" and create a "dictatorship." As the leader of the opposition group, the Front for the Defence of Democracy (FDD), he announced that a protest would happen on 7 June, even though it was banned.
On 27 June, President Tandja took special emergency powers. Issoufou accused Tandja of a "coup d'état" (a sudden takeover of power). He asked the military to ignore Tandja's orders and urged other countries to help. Issoufou was briefly held at his home by military police on 30 June. A nationwide strike called by the FDD on 1 July was partly successful.
The public vote on the new constitution happened on 4 August 2009, despite strong opposition. It was approved. Issoufou said on 8 August that the opposition would "fight against this coup d'etat" by President Tandja.
On 14 September 2009, Issoufou was accused of misusing money and then released on bail. He said the charges were for political reasons. He left the country. On 29 October 2009, Niger issued international arrest warrants for Issoufou and Hama Amadou. Issoufou returned to Niamey from Nigeria on 30 October to work with the legal system.
President Tandja was removed from power in a military takeover in February 2010. A new temporary military government allowed opposition leaders to return to politics. They prepared for elections in 2011. In November 2010, the PNDS chose Issoufou as their candidate for the January 2011 presidential election. Issoufou said it was the right time to turn their efforts into votes. Many people thought Issoufou was a very strong candidate.
Presidency (2011–2021)
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Issoufou won the presidential election in March 2011. He defeated Seyni Oumarou in the second round of voting. He became president on 7 April 2011, taking over from Salou Djibo. Issoufou then appointed Brigi Rafini as the Prime Minister.
In July 2011, a plan to harm Issoufou was reportedly discovered. Several soldiers were arrested.
On 7 November 2015, the PNDS chose Issoufou as their candidate for the 2016 presidential election. In February 2016, Issoufou won 48% of the votes in the first round. Since no one got more than half the votes, a second round was needed. A group of opposition parties decided not to take part in the second round. They said that Issoufou had become too powerful. Issoufou then won with 92.5% of the votes. He is seen as a strong friend of Western countries.
In 2020, he announced that he would not run for a third term. This meant he would respect the country's two-term limit.
On 31 March 2021, just two days before his term ended, his government stopped an attempt by some military officers to take over. They were believed to be trying to prevent his chosen successor, Mohamed Bazoum, from becoming president.
After His Presidency
After President Bazoum was removed and held during a military takeover in July 2023, Issoufou was reportedly involved in talks to help release him. In August, during the ongoing situation in Niger, he again asked for Bazoum to be released and returned to his position. Issoufou's son, Mahamane Sani Mahamadou, who was Bazoum's oil minister, was among several officials arrested by the military group that took power.
Other Activities
- International Crisis Group (ICG), Board of Trustees (since 2023)
Honours and Awards
Niger:
Grand Cross of the National Order of Niger- Grand Cross of the Merit Order of Niger.
- Grand Cross of the Order of Legion d'Honor of France.
- Grand Cross of the Republic Order of Tunisia.
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Images for kids
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Narendra Modi with Issoufou in October 2015
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See also
In Spanish: Mahamadou Issoufu para niños
