Constitutional law of the gambia

A constitutional crisis occurred in Gambia following presidential elections in December 2016, in which challenger Adama Barrow achieved an upset victory over longtime incumbent Yahya Jammeh.
It eventually concluded after a military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) led to Jammeh’s departure from the country.

Capital punishment remains a legal penalty for multiple crimes in The Gambia.
However, the country has taken recent steps towards abolishing the death penalty.

The Constitution of the Gambia is the supreme law of the Republic of the Gambia.

The Gambia followed a formal policy of non-alignment throughout most of former President Dawda Jawara's tenure.
It maintained close relations with the United Kingdom, Senegal, and other African countries.
The July 1994 coup strained The Gambia's relationship with Western powers, particularly the United States.
Starting in 1995, President Yahya Jammeh established diplomatic relations with several additional countries, including Libya, the Republic of China, and Cuba.
During his last years, the EU grew increasingly intolerant of Jammeh's iron-fist rule.
Consequently, Brussels withheld millions of Euros to The Gambia.
Jammeh fired back by expelling the EU's top diplomat in the country after he had accused the bloc and human rights activists of conniving to besmirch the image of his government for its stance on homosexuality.

Gambian nationality law is regulated by the Constitution of The Gambia, as amended; The Gambia Nationality and Citizenship Act, and its revisions; and various international agreements to which the country is a signatory.
These laws determine who is, or is eligible to be, a national of The Gambia.
The legal means to acquire nationality, formal legal membership in a nation, differ from the domestic relationship of rights and obligations between a national and the nation, known as citizenship.
Nationality describes the relationship of an individual to the state under international law, whereas citizenship is the domestic relationship of an individual within the nation.
Gambian nationality is typically obtained under the principle of jus sanguinis, born to parents with Gambian nationality.
It can be granted to persons with an affiliation to the country, or to a permanent resident who has lived in the country for a given period of time through naturalisation.

The Gambia Colony and Protectorate was the British colonial administration of The Gambia from 1821 to 1965, part of the British Empire in the New Imperialism era.
The colony was the immediate area surrounding Bathurst, and the protectorate was the inland territory situated around the Gambia River, which was declared in 1894.

The first written records of the region come from French traders (barbers) in the 9th and 10th centuries.
In medieval times, the region was dominated by the Trans-Saharan trade and was ruled by the Mali Empire.
In the 16th century, the region came to be ruled by the Songhai Empire.
The first Europeans to visit the Gambia River were the Portuguese in the 15th century, in 1447, who attempted to settle on the river banks, but no settlement of significant size was established.
Descendants of the Portuguese settlers remained until the 18th century.
In the late 16th century, English merchants attempted to begin a trade with the Gambia, reporting that it was a river of secret trade and riches concealed by the Portuguese.

Islam is the major religion in the Gambia, representing 97% of the 2 million population, with the first Muslim communities in the country arriving in 11th century.
Islam has therefore had an influence on the Gambia throughout history, and continues to impact its culture, society and politics.
The majority of The Gambia's Muslims are Sunni belonging to the Maliki school of jurisprudence, influenced with Sufism.
There is a smaller Shiite community, largely stemming form Lebanese and Arab migration.
The Ahmadiyya movement is also present.
Other religious societies exist in the country, including Catholics, Protestants, Hindus and Traditional African religions.

Politics of The Gambia takes place within the framework of a presidential republic, whereby the President of The Gambia is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system.
Executive power is exercised by the government.
Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliaments.