Elections in the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic are regularly held by the government-in-exile at a national, regional and local level.
Elections are considered to be held under a non-partisan participatory democratic regime, as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and the Polisario Front (the sole legally recognised political movement in the SADR, which leads to a de-facto one-party state) structures are parallel.
The political system established has been described as a participatory democracy,[1] where the main space of political participation was open discussion meetings organised for all citizens to attend voluntarily, and in which they are free to express their opinions and put questions to the government representatives running the meeting, who are responsible to pass on the views and suggestions of the local population.
[2] Legislative elections are held for the Sahrawi National Council, legally considered the successor of the colonial Yema'a.
Members come from constituencies based either on the districts of the refugee camps or the military regions of the SADR; while mass organisations and the Consultative Council get seats reserved.