Angola's Governance: Control Mechanisms Explored

Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country in west-central Southern Africa. It is a multiparty democracy with an executive presidency composed of the President of the Republic, the National Assembly, the Government, and the Courts. The current president, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, has made fighting corruption a priority since taking office in 2017, resulting in the jailing or indictment of numerous members of the previous administration.

Angola's government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch is made up of the President, the vice-presidents, and the Council of Ministers, which advises the President. The legislative branch consists of a 220-seat unicameral legislature, the National Assembly, which is responsible for creating laws. The judiciary includes the Court of Auditors and the Supreme Military Court, with the Supreme Court serving as the appellate tribunal. The President, together with the parliament, appoints the majority of the members of the two highest judicial bodies, the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court.

The President of Angola holds significant power and is both the head of state and the head of government. The President is elected as the leader of the party that receives the most votes in the National Assembly elections, and they have the authority to appoint the vice president, cabinet ministers, and members of various governmental bodies. The President also defines the country's policies and promulgates laws.

The National Assembly, with 220 members elected through a closed-list proportional representation system, is responsible for creating laws. The members of the National Assembly are elected for a four-year term, with 130 members elected by proportional representation and 90 members representing provincial districts.

The 2010 constitution, which replaced the direct election of the president, established term limits, and clarified land rights, significantly altered the political landscape of Angola. This constitution eliminated the position of prime minister and added the post of vice president, further centralising power in the presidency.

The President of Angola

Angola is a multiparty democracy with an executive presidency. The President of the Republic is the head of state and government and is advised by a Council of Ministers, which together with the President form the national executive power. The current president is João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, who has been in power since 26 September 2017. He is the third president of Angola since its independence from Portugal in 1975.

João Lourenço was born in 1954 and grew up in a politically engaged family. He received a Portuguese-language education and studied at the Industrial Institute of Luanda before participating in the liberation struggle in Ponta Negra in 1974. He began his military career fighting against the Portuguese in the Angolan War of Independence and later fought as a member of the MPLA in the Angolan Civil War. He was appointed as Minister of Defence in 2014 and became the Chairman of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in 2018.

Lourenço has been praised for his regional diplomatic efforts, particularly in promoting peace in eastern DRC through the Luanda Process. He has also been recognised for his efforts to fight corruption, although some skeptics view these actions as politically motivated. In addition, he has made significant reforms in Angola, including the legalisation of LGBT rights and the decriminalisation of abortion in certain cases.

The National Assembly

The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) has held a majority in the Assembly since the country's independence in 1975. However, the 2010 constitution increased the power of the President while diminishing that of the National Assembly and the judiciary.

The Council of Ministers

In addition to policy discussions and judicial matters, the Council of Ministers is involved in other aspects of governance. They contribute to the implementation of the President's policies and ensure coordination among the various ministries and government departments. The Council of Ministers also plays a role in overseeing the activities of government agencies and may be involved in approving regulations and policies proposed by these agencies.

Overall, the Council of Ministers is an important body in the Angolan government, providing advice and support to the President and contributing to the country's governance and policy-making process.

The Judiciary

Angola's judiciary is made up of the Court of Auditors and the Supreme Military Court. The country's legal system is based on Portuguese civil law and customary law, with recent modifications to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets.

The 1991 constitution was amended to guarantee an independent judiciary, but in practice, the president appoints the 16 Supreme Court judges for life upon the recommendation of an association of magistrates, and he also appoints the attorney general.

In 2017, the president was given the power to nominate all judges in the constitutional, supreme, and audit courts. The judiciary is subject to political interference by the government, president, and other politically powerful individuals affiliated with the ruling party. Judges are often rewarded with paid posts as chairs of committees, and bribery and influence-peddling are commonplace in the courts.

In 2018, the Angolan judiciary, along with the judiciary of Mozambique and Zimbabwe, was ranked as the least independent in Southern Africa and fared well below the world median.

The Constitution

The Republic of Angola is a country on the west-central coast of Southern Africa. It is a multiparty democracy with an executive presidency composed of the President of the Republic, the National Assembly, the Government, and the Courts. The current constitution was adopted in 2010 and establishes a presidential republic framework, whereby the President is both head of state and government.

The 2010 constitution grants the President almost absolute power. The President is elected as the leader of the party that receives the most votes in the National Assembly elections, and they appoint all members of the government, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Court of Auditors, the Military Supreme Court, the Governor and Vice-Governors of the National Angolan Bank, the General-Attorney, the Vice-General-Attorneys, the Governors of the provinces, the members of the Republic Council, the National Security Council, the Superior Magistrates Councils, the General Chief of the Armed Forces and their deputy, all command posts in the military and police, and the chiefs and directors of the intelligence and security organs. The President also defines the policy of the country.

The 2010 constitution eliminated the position of Prime Minister and introduced a system of term limits. The President is limited to two five-year terms. Legislative power is vested in the National Assembly, whose 220 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system for four-year terms. The National Assembly is responsible for creating laws as the legislating body of the Angolan government.

The judiciary is made up of the Court of Auditors, the Supreme Military Court, and the Supreme Court, which serves as the appellate tribunal. The President, together with the parliament, appoints the majority of the members of the two highest bodies of the judiciary: the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court. The 2010 constitution also introduced the post of Vice President, who is appointed by the President and serves as the deputy head of state.

Frequently asked questions