Parliamentary elections were held in Burundi on 10 May 1965, the first since independence in 1962. Voters elected the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...

, which had been reduced from 64 to 33 seats. They followed the assassination of

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

Pierre Ngendandumwe Pierre Ngendandumwe (1930 – 15 January 1965) was a Burundian politician. He was a member of the Union for National Progress and was an ethnic Hutu. On 18 June 1963, about a year after Burundi gained independence and amidst efforts to bring abou ...

on 15 January 1965, and were won by the ruling

Union for National Progress The Union for National Progress (french: Union pour le Progrès national, UPRONA) is a nationalist political party in Burundi. It initially emerged as a nationalist united front in opposition to Belgian colonial rule but subsequently became an i ...

Results

National Assembly

Senate

Following the National Assembly elections, the 16-member Senate was filled. Eight members of the Senate were elected by the members of the National Assembly, all of which were UPRONA members. The eight Senate members elected a further four members, with a further four appointed by the King.Indirect Legislative Elections in Sub-Saharan Africa: Burundi
African Elections Database

Aftermath

Despite the decisive victory by Hutu candidates in the election, King Mwambutsa IV appointed a Tutsi prince,

Léopold Biha Léopold Bihumugani or Biha (1919–2003) was a Burundian politician who served as Prime Minister of Burundi from 13 September 1965 until 8 July 1966. A Ganwa born to a chief in Ruanda-Urundi, he became a close confidant of Mwami Mwambutsa IV i ...

, as Prime Minister. Tensions finally erupted into violence following an attempted coup by Hutu army officers in October 1965. The failed coup was followed by a major purge of Hutus in the armed forces. Hutu politicians and civilians were also killed. The following year Mwambutsa was overthrown by his son, Ntare V, who was deposed in a

military coup A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

later in the year, ending the country's monarchy.

References

{{Burundian elections Elections in Burundi Burundi 1965 in Burundi Election and referendum articles with incomplete results