August 2009, following the success of the referendum, it was announced that the parliamentary elections would be held on 20 October 2009, with a campaign period lasting from 28 September to 18 October. The opposition indicated that it would boycott the election, officially announcing their intention to do so on 26 September. The following day, Tandja called for a massive turnout. The campaign began on 28 September, as planned. About 20 parties participated, although most of them supported Tandja and were allied with his MNSD. Conduct Despite the opposition boycott and warnings from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the elections were held as planned on 20 October. ECOWAS promptly suspended Niger "until constitutional legality is reinstated", stating that it would "not recognize the outcome" of the elections. Niger's Foreign Minister, Aichatou Mindaoudou, said on 21 October that ECOWAS had made a mistake in its "assessment of the political situation in our country" and that Niger would try to convince ECOWAS to change its position, without "cast[ing] aspersions on ECOWAS". Results The turnout for the elections was 51.27% of the six million registered voters. According to official results announced by CENI President Moumouni Hamidou on 24 October the governing MNSD won the elections by taking 76 of 113 seats in the National Assembly. The MNSD had held 47 seats in the previous assembly. Five parties considered allied to the MNSD won 25 seats: 15 for the Social Democratic Rally (RSD), seven for the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), one for the Rally of Nigerien Patriots (a party founded in June 2009 by a former cabinet minister), one for the Party of the Masses for Labour, one for the Union of Independent Nigeriens (Union des Nigériens Indépendants) and one for the Nigerien Self-Management Party. The RSD increased its number of seats by eight from the previous elections in 2004, whilst the RDP gained an extra seat. Eleven independent candidates won the remaining seats, marking first time that independents have won seats in the assembly. The Constitutional Court had 15 days to validate the elections from the date of the announcement of the results. Aftermath At the official certification of the results on 11 November, the government announced that one seat in the Tassarra constituency, which had been won by an independent candidate, had been annulled by the Constitutional Court, and a by-election for that seat would take place