Angola's Compulsory Voting: Understanding The Mandate

Angola's liberation army-turned-political party, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), has held power since the country gained independence from Portugal in 1975. In the 2022 general election, the MPLA won 51% of the vote, while the main opposition party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), won 44%. While voting is not mandatory in Angola, there are strict criteria for eligibility. Voters must be at least 18 years old and cannot have an undischarged bankruptcy, criminal conviction, dual citizenship, or have been declared insane.

Voting requirements in Angola

Voting is not mandatory in Angola. However, the country has a comprehensive set of voting requirements that must be met for citizens to participate in the electoral process.

Firstly, voters must be at least 18 years old and hold Angolan citizenship exclusively. This means that dual citizens are disqualified from voting. Voters must also be free from any undischarged bankruptcy or criminal convictions and must not be declared insane. These provisions ensure that only eligible and capable citizens can participate in the electoral process.

Candidates for elected office face additional requirements. They must be at least 35 years old and hold Angolan citizenship. Members of the government, judiciary, armed forces, and chairs of boards of state-owned companies are prohibited from running for elected office. These restrictions aim to maintain the integrity of the electoral process and prevent conflicts of interest.

Angola's voting requirements also extend to the electoral system for the National Assembly. The 220 members of the assembly are elected through a combination of constituency-based and proportional representation voting. 90 members are elected from 18 five-seat constituencies, while the remaining 130 members are selected through proportional representation using closed lists based on nationwide results. This hybrid system aims to ensure that both local and national interests are represented in the National Assembly.

The voting requirements in Angola have evolved over time, reflecting the country's transition from a one-party state to a multi-party democracy. Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1975, Angola has held periodic elections, with the most recent one taking place in 2022. However, the eligibility criteria and electoral system have been adjusted over the years, with the most significant changes occurring after the introduction of multi-party democracy in 1991.

In conclusion, while voting is not mandatory in Angola, the country has established comprehensive voting requirements that govern citizen participation, candidate eligibility, and the electoral system for the National Assembly. These requirements have played a crucial role in shaping Angola's democratic process and continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of the country's political landscape.

Angola's multi-party democracy

The MPLA introduced democratic reforms in the early 1990s, including a multiparty system and a new constitution in 1992. This constitution provided for the direct election of the president and established a National Assembly with 220 members. The first parliamentary and presidential elections were held in 1992, with the MPLA winning an absolute majority in the parliamentary elections and José Eduardo dos Santos of the MPLA receiving the most votes in the first round of the presidential elections. However, the outbreak of the civil war prevented a runoff election, and José Eduardo dos Santos exercised presidential functions without a legal basis.

The civil war ended in 2002 with the death of Jonas Savimbi, the leader of the rival movement UNITA. However, elections were delayed until 2008, and in the meantime, the parliament elected in 1992 remained in place for 16 years. The MPLA received over 80% of the vote in the 2008 elections, winning a landslide victory.

In 2010, a new constitution was adopted, which scrapped direct elections for the presidency. Instead, the leader of the largest party in the National Assembly automatically becomes president. This change was made by the MPLA, who at the time had absolute control of the government.

Despite these challenges, Angola has made advances in certain areas of democracy, such as freedom of the press, absence of corruption, and personal integrity and security. The 2022 elections were also noted as an improvement, with observers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) declaring the vote peaceful, although they noted a lack of local observers.

The 2022 elections were a turning point in Angola's political landscape, as the MPLA's majority was reduced to 51%, while the main opposition party, UNITA, gained support, receiving 44% of the vote. This was the closest election in Angola's history, indicating a shift in the country's political dynamics.

The National Assembly

Voting is not mandatory in Angola. However, the country does hold democratic elections, and the National Assembly is directly elected by voters.

The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) has held a majority in the Assembly since the country's independence in 1975. Multi-party elections were delayed for decades under the quasi-dictatorial rule of Jose Eduardo dos Santos until the 1992 Angolan general election. The first legislative election was in September 2008, and the first election under a new constitution, which increased the power of the President and diminished that of the National Assembly, was held in 2012.

Angola's first post-independence elections

The next elections were due to be held in 1983, but they were delayed until 1986 due to the ongoing war. When they were held, it was under the same indirect system. The civil war ended in 2002 following Savimbi's death. However, elections were delayed until 2008. The MPLA received over 80% of the vote, winning 191 of the 220 seats in the National Assembly.

The first multi-party elections were held in 1992, with the President being elected by the public for the first time. The MPLA won 129 of the 220 seats in the National Assembly, whilst UNITA emerged as the main opposition party with 70 seats. José Eduardo dos Santos of the MPLA and Jonas Savimbi of UNITA received the most votes in the first round of the presidential elections, but Savimbi claimed the election had been rigged, despite United Nations observers stating that they had been mostly free and fair. He refused to participate in the runoff, and restarted the civil war.

In Angola, voting is not mandatory. Voters must be at least 18 years old and hold Angolan citizenship. They can be disqualified by having an undischarged bankruptcy or criminal conviction, being declared insane, or holding dual nationality.

The 2022 Angolan general election

Background

Angola has a multi-party democracy, with the National Assembly directly elected by voters. The leader of the party or coalition with the most seats in the National Assembly automatically becomes President. The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) has been in power since Angola gained independence in 1975, winning successive elections with large majorities.

In the 2017 elections, the MPLA won 61% of the vote, retaining its supermajority in the National Assembly with 150 seats. The largest opposition party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), won 51 seats with 26% of the vote.

2022 Election

The MPLA was re-elected, but with a reduced majority, winning 51% of the vote and 124 seats. UNITA, the main opposition party, won 90 seats with 44% of the vote. The election was the closest in Angolan history between the two parties.

Reaction

The elections were deemed free and peaceful by local and international observers, including from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the European Union. However, observers from the Community of Portuguese Language Countries did not initially assess the vote as fair and free, citing unequal airtime for candidates and issues with the voter roll.

UNITA rejected the results, citing a lack of transparency and discrepancies between the results and their own tallies. This led to protests and violence, with MPLA supporters attacking a UNITA office on 3 September 2022.

Aftermath

President João Lourenço pledged to continue with reforms, including privatising state assets, stopping corruption, diversifying the economy, and improving education and healthcare.

Frequently asked questions