Eleanor Finch
Omar al-Bashir, a Sudanese military officer, came to power in 1989 through a coup d'etat. He was elected president in 1996 and, in 1998, he and the Presidential Committee put a new constitution into effect, allowing limited political associations to form in opposition to his National Congress Party. This constitution was an attempt to consolidate power, which marked the beginning of the NCP's transformation from an ideologically driven party into a patronage-based party that placed few checks on Bashir.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of new constitution | 1998 |
| Date of coup | 12 December 1999 |
| Reason for coup | Al-Bashir believed al-Turabi was plotting against him |
| Result of coup | Al-Bashir ousted al-Turabi and consolidated power |
| Effect of new constitution | Allowed limited political associations in opposition to al-Bashir's National Congress Party |
| Al-Bashir's influence | Influenced by al-Turabi to register legalised political parties in 1999 |
| Al-Bashir's election results | Re-elected in 2000 with 86.5% of the popular vote |
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What You'll Learn
To allow the registration of legalised political parties
In 1996, Omar al-Bashir was elected president of Sudan. He had previously led a revolt that overthrew the elected government of Sudan in 1989, and he served as president from 1993 until 2019. During his presidency, al-Bashir was accused of implementing strategies for personalising the regime and subduing civil society. In 1998, al-Bashir and the Presidential Committee put into effect a new constitution, allowing limited political associations in opposition to his National Congress Party.
In 1999, al-Bashir issued the registration of legalised political parties. This allowed rival parties such as the Liberal Democrats of Sudan and the Alliance of the Peoples' Working Forces, headed by former Sudanese President Gaafar Nimeiry, to be established and to run for election against al-Bashir's National Congress Party. However, these rival parties failed to achieve significant support, and al-Bashir was re-elected president in 2000 with 86.5% of the popular vote.
The registration of legalised political parties was part of al-Bashir's strategy to consolidate power and transform the National Congress Party. By allowing limited political opposition, al-Bashir was able to maintain his hold on power and manage competing threats from political elites, the security sector, and civil society. This period also marked the beginning of the National Congress Party's shift from an ideologically driven, institutionalised party to a patronage-based party that placed few checks on al-Bashir.
Despite the presence of rival parties, al-Bashir's regime continued to be criticised for its harsh tactics in attempting to quell public displays of dissent and curb the media. As the 2015 elections approached, al-Bashir once again faced opposition boycotts and protests calling for him to step down. However, he was able to maintain his position through a combination of support from within the military and the flow of resources from oil exports.
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To oust Hassan al-Turabi
In 1999, Omar al-Bashir put in a new constitution to oust Hassan al-Turabi, the speaker of parliament, in a palace coup. Al-Bashir and al-Turabi had been allies since the 1989 coup that brought al-Bashir to power. However, in the mid-1990s, a feud developed between the two, largely due to al-Turabi's links to Islamic fundamentalist groups and his invitation to Osama bin Laden to operate out of Sudan.
Al-Bashir, who had been elected president in 1996, issued the registration of legalised political parties in 1999, influenced by al-Turabi. However, al-Bashir's National Congress Party (NCP) won 355 out of 360 seats in the legislative elections that same year, with al-Turabi as its chairman. Following this, al-Turabi introduced a bill to reduce the president's powers, prompting al-Bashir to dissolve parliament and declare a state of emergency, leading to rising tensions between the two.
On 12 December 1999, al-Bashir sent troops and tanks against parliament, ousting al-Turabi. Al-Bashir believed that al-Turabi was plotting against him. Al-Turabi's legacy is still felt in Sudanese politics, and he has been called "one of the most influential figures in modern Sudanese politics". He was a prominent Sunni Muslim who advocated for an Islamic state and introduced Sharia law in the northern part of the country. He was also instrumental in the internationalisation of the NIF's Islamist revolution, which proved problematic, as it led to Sudan being added to the US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
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To consolidate power
In 1999, Omar al-Bashir was the president of Sudan. He had come to power in 1989 through a military coup and ruled the country with an iron fist. Al-Bashir's regime was marked by war and conflict, including a 21-year civil war and ongoing battles with rebel groups.
In the mid-1990s, a feud emerged between al-Bashir and al-Turabi, the speaker of the National Assembly. Al-Turabi had links to Islamic fundamentalist groups and had invited Osama bin Laden to the country. In 1998, al-Bashir and the Presidential Committee implemented a new constitution, allowing limited political associations and opposition parties to form. However, these parties failed to gain significant support, and al-Bashir was re-elected in 2000 with 86.5% of the vote.
On December 12, 1999, al-Bashir sent troops and tanks against parliament and ousted al-Turabi in a palace coup. This consolidation of power marked a shift in the National Congress Party (NCP) from an ideologically driven party to a patronage-based party that allowed al-Bashir to exert more control. Al-Bashir removed other party members who challenged him, personalizing the regime and cultivating patron-client ties at all levels of government.
Al-Bashir's strategies for consolidating power were enabled by Sudan's resource windfalls, particularly the country's growing oil exports. By 2007, Sudan had become one of the world's top 20 oil-producing nations, and rising global oil prices helped prop up the regime. However, the secession of South Sudan in 2011 drastically reduced Sudan's revenue stream, leading to economic fallout and increasing dissatisfaction among the public and opposition groups.
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To enable limited political associations
In 1996, Omar al-Bashir was elected president of Sudan. He had previously come to power in 1989 through a military coup and maintained military rule.
In 1998, al-Bashir and the Presidential Committee put into effect a new constitution, allowing limited political associations in opposition to his National Congress Party (NCP) and his supporters to be formed. This meant that rival parties could be established and were permitted to run for election against the NCP. These included the Liberal Democrats of Sudan and the Alliance of the Peoples' Working Forces, headed by former Sudanese President Gaafar Nimeiry.
However, these parties failed to achieve significant support, and al-Bashir was re-elected in 2000 with 86.5% of the vote. At the legislative elections that year, the NCP won 355 out of 360 seats, with al-Bashir's former ally Hassan al-Turabi as its chairman.
Al-Bashir's new constitution enabled limited political associations, but the subsequent elections showed that these associations did not have significant support among the Sudanese people. Al-Bashir's NCP maintained its dominance, and he was able to consolidate his power further by ousting al-Turabi and those loyal to him from the party and the government in December 1999. This marked the beginning of the NCP's transformation into a patronage-based party that placed few checks on al-Bashir's power.
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To reduce the president's powers
In 1996, Omar al-Bashir was elected president of Sudan. He had previously led a revolt that overthrew the elected government of Sudan in 1989 and had ruled the country with an iron fist. In 1998, al-Bashir and the Presidential Committee put into effect a new constitution, allowing limited political associations in opposition to his National Congress Party (NCP).
However, in 1999, al-Bashir's ally and chairman of the NCP, Hassan al-Turabi, introduced a bill to reduce the president's powers. This prompted al-Bashir to dissolve parliament and declare a state of emergency. Tensions had been rising between the two men since the mid-1990s, largely due to al-Turabi's links to Islamic fundamentalist groups and his attempts to use his position to restrain the president. For example, he had demanded that al-Bashir step down as head of the military.
In December 1999, al-Bashir responded to the bill by purging al-Turabi and his loyalists from the party and the government. This marked the beginning of the NCP’s transformation from an ideologically driven, institutionalized party into a patronage-based party that placed few checks on al-Bashir. Al-Bashir also removed other party stalwarts who tried to challenge him, and his regime used harsh tactics to quell public displays of dissent and curb the media.
Al-Bashir's longevity in office has been attributed to the mutual distrust between powerful rivals in the NCP, as well as the country's resource windfalls from oil exports. However, nationwide protests began in December 2018, and in April 2019, Sudan's military finally stepped in and toppled al-Bashir. He was later charged with incitement and involvement in the killing of protesters, as well as corruption.
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Frequently asked questions
Bashir put in a new constitution in 1998, which came into effect in 1999, to allow limited political associations in opposition to his National Congress Party.
The new constitution lifted the ban on political parties, allowing rival parties to be established and run for election.
The new constitution did not significantly impact the political landscape as rival parties failed to gain substantial support. Al-Bashir was re-elected in 2000 with 86.5% of the vote, and his party won 355 out of 360 seats in the legislative elections.
Al-Turabi influenced the creation of the new constitution and the registration of legalised political parties. However, tensions rose when he introduced a bill to reduce the president's powers, which led to al-Bashir dissolving parliament and declaring a state of emergency.
