Elections in Angola
Encyclopedia
According to the constitution of 1991, Angola elected on national level a head of state
- the president
- and a legislature
. The president was elected by the people for a five-year term (at most twice), by absolute majority - and if no candidate reached absolute majority, there had to be a second turn, with only the two most voted candidates running. The National Assembly
(Assembleia Nacional) had 220 members, elected for a four year term, 130 members by proportional representation
and 90 members in provincial districts. The parliamentary elections scheduled for 1997, according to the constitution, were delayed several times and were not conducted until September 2008, while Presidential elections were to be held at a later date. Meanwhile, a new constitution was adopted early in 2010, maintaining the rules for parliamentary elections, but stipulating that heretofore the president is no longer elected by the people, by but the National Assembly, and that as a principle he is always the president of the party that obtained the highest number of votes in the parliamentary elections.
Angola has at this stage (2011) to be classified as a one party dominant state. It is true that the "socialist" One-party state established at independence in 1975 was abandoned in 1991, and that the constitution adopted that year made all necessary provisions for a Multiparty democracy. In fact, well over 120 political parties presented themselves at the 1992 parliamentary elections, but the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola - Party of Labour (MPLA), which had been in power since independence, won the absolute majority. Moreover, its president (and then incumbent state president), José Eduardo dos Santos
, obtained a relative majority in the simultaneous presidential election; although the constitution required a second turn in this case, this turn was never held because of the civil war, so that José Eduardo dos Santos stayed on in office. President and MPLA held on to their dominant role; however, shaken by a number of setbacks in the civil war, they agreed in 1998 to the formation of a Government of unity and national reconciliation (Governo de Unidade e Reconciliação Nacional, GURN), with the participation of ministers from the FNLA as well as National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA)
. This seemed to open the way to an effective multiparty democracy. However, in the 2008 parliamentary elections the MPLA won 82% of the votes, with UNITA winning 10%, and the FNLA being reduced to 1%. The elections were characterized by several irregularities
and can be described as only partly free but certainly not fair; nevertheless, their results were accepted by the opposition parties. On this basis, the MPLA imposed the adoption of a new constitution which not only changed the rules for the election of the state president (see above), but concentrated the main powers in the president and through a number of dispositions abolished the basic democratic principle of a division of powers. After an interlude of less than two decades, Angola is thus since 2008/2010 back to a dominant-party system
which is very strongly presidentialist and does not fully obey to the fundamental tenets
of democracy.
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
- the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
- and a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. The president was elected by the people for a five-year term (at most twice), by absolute majority - and if no candidate reached absolute majority, there had to be a second turn, with only the two most voted candidates running. The National Assembly
National Assembly of Angola
The National Assembly is the legislative branch of the government of Angola.The National Assembly is a unicameral body, with 220 members: 130 members elected by proportional representation and 90 members elected by provincial districts. Theoretically, the Assembly sits for a four-year term...
(Assembleia Nacional) had 220 members, elected for a four year term, 130 members by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
and 90 members in provincial districts. The parliamentary elections scheduled for 1997, according to the constitution, were delayed several times and were not conducted until September 2008, while Presidential elections were to be held at a later date. Meanwhile, a new constitution was adopted early in 2010, maintaining the rules for parliamentary elections, but stipulating that heretofore the president is no longer elected by the people, by but the National Assembly, and that as a principle he is always the president of the party that obtained the highest number of votes in the parliamentary elections.
Angola has at this stage (2011) to be classified as a one party dominant state. It is true that the "socialist" One-party state established at independence in 1975 was abandoned in 1991, and that the constitution adopted that year made all necessary provisions for a Multiparty democracy. In fact, well over 120 political parties presented themselves at the 1992 parliamentary elections, but the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola - Party of Labour (MPLA), which had been in power since independence, won the absolute majority. Moreover, its president (and then incumbent state president), José Eduardo dos Santos
José Eduardo dos Santos
José Eduardo dos Santos is an Angolan politician who has been the second and current President of Angola since 1979. As President, José Eduardo dos Santos is also the commander in chief of the Angolan Armed Forces and president of the MPLA , the party that has been ruling Angola since...
, obtained a relative majority in the simultaneous presidential election; although the constitution required a second turn in this case, this turn was never held because of the civil war, so that José Eduardo dos Santos stayed on in office. President and MPLA held on to their dominant role; however, shaken by a number of setbacks in the civil war, they agreed in 1998 to the formation of a Government of unity and national reconciliation (Governo de Unidade e Reconciliação Nacional, GURN), with the participation of ministers from the FNLA as well as National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA)
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the Angolan War for Independence and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war .The war was one...
. This seemed to open the way to an effective multiparty democracy. However, in the 2008 parliamentary elections the MPLA won 82% of the votes, with UNITA winning 10%, and the FNLA being reduced to 1%. The elections were characterized by several irregularities
Electoral fraud
Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates or both...
and can be described as only partly free but certainly not fair; nevertheless, their results were accepted by the opposition parties. On this basis, the MPLA imposed the adoption of a new constitution which not only changed the rules for the election of the state president (see above), but concentrated the main powers in the president and through a number of dispositions abolished the basic democratic principle of a division of powers. After an interlude of less than two decades, Angola is thus since 2008/2010 back to a dominant-party system
Dominant-party system
A dominant-party system, or one-party dominant system, is a system where there is "a category of parties/political organizations that have successively won election victories and whose future defeat cannot be envisaged or is unlikely for the foreseeable future." A wide range of parties have been...
which is very strongly presidentialist and does not fully obey to the fundamental tenets
Tenet
A tenet is one of the principles on which a belief or theory is based. Tenet may also refer to:* Tenet , a Canadian heavy metal band* Tenet Healthcare, a hospital holding company* Tenet people, an ethnic group in Sudan...
of democracy.