parties represented at the Senate remained at 7 although the distribution of seats changed96. The number of female Senators increased from 21 in 2013 to 26 in 2018, representing 26%. 150- During the double legislative and municipal polls of 2013, 25 political parties took part with a participation rate of 76.79%. 151- At the National Assembly, the number of political parties increased from 5 to 7 in comparison to the previous legislative period. The MDR, MRC, and UPC97 sat in the National Assembly for the first time with 1 member each for MDR and MRC, and 3 members for the UPC, together with the CPDM (148 member as against 153 in the previous legislative period), SDF (18 as against 16), NUDP (5 as against 6), and CDU (4 as against 4). The number of women increased from 20 in the previous legislative period to 56, representing 31.12%. 152- In the councils, 22 political parties obtained 10,632 Councillors with a renewal rate of Councillors of 68.33%, representing 246 out of 360 Mayors. §3: Deepening the Decentralization Process 153- The process of transferring powers to councils that started in 2010 ended in 2016 with the transfer of powers in 63 areas98. In a bid to support the exercise of such powers, resources were also transferred99. The Global Decentralization Allocation earmarked since 2010100 made it possible to avail councils of an annual amount that increased from CFAF7,500,000,000101 to CFAF10,000,000,000102 and to CFAF10,500,000,000103, representing an average of 0.28% of the State budget for needs evaluated at more than double104. In addition, financial resources to the tune of CFAF238,635,360,000105 were transferred by Ministries from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2016, including CFAF600,000,000,000106 worth of the local taxes collected in 5 years by State services and the Special Council Support Fund (FEICOM) and transferred to the councils. 154-As at the end of 2017, a total of 1,105 out of 1,305 files were processed while 200 other files were pending. Thus, 11,805 Municipal Councillors received a total of CFAF2,225,400,000107 representing their emoluments for the 2017 financial year. 155- In addition to financial resources, focus was on the training108 on the technical capacities of decentralization stakeholders. Besides, a Study on the Impact of the Decentralization Policy 96 The progression in the number of seats won by political parties at the Senate in 2013 and 2018 is as follows: CPDM: 87 as against 82; SDF: 7 as against 14;NUDP: 2; UPC: 1; ANDP: 1; MDR: 1;and FSNC: 1. 97 The MDR and UPC were returning to the National Assembly while the CRM a political party legalised in 2012 was sitting at the National Assembly for the first time. 98 The last powers transferred in 2016 concerned the local organisation of literary and art contests, opening and management of libraries or public reading rooms; electrification of needy areas; sanitary inspection in food products manufacturing, processing, storage, and distribution establishments; land development, and literacy skills. 99 It includes the windscreen licence, land tax, a quota of the additional council tax, a quota of the annual Timber Royalty. 100 In 2010, the first year of the Allocation, the amount stood at CFAF9,694,000,000 of which CFAF5,000,000,000 for current budget votes and CFAF4,694,000,000 for investment. It increased to CFAF7,000,000,000 in 2011, representing CFAF5,000,000,000 for current budget votes and CFAF2,000,000,000 for investment; CFAF7,500,000,000 in 2012, representing 5,000,000,000 for current budget votes and CFAF2,500,000,000 for investment. 101 In 2013 102 In 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 103 In 2015 104 In 2010, the needs expressed stood at CFAF23,155,813,000 and in 2011, atCFAF22,065,721,500. 105 About 364 328 793,89 Euros 106 About 916,030,534.35 Euros 107 About 3.397.557 euros 108 The following can be mentioned: organization of regional training and capacity development seminars from 11 May to 16 June 2016 for 1,900 local decentralization stakeholders. The outcome of the seminars was the 32