Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos
| Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos | |
|---|---|
| Vice President of Angola | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 18 February 2010 |
|
| President | José Eduardo dos Santos |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 March 1950 Luanda, Angola (then a colony of Portugal) |
| Political party | MPLA |
Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos (born March 5, 1950), known as Nandó, is an Angolan politician who has been Vice-President of Angola since February 2010. He was the Prime Minister of Angola from 2002 to 2008 and President of the National Assembly of Angola from 2008 to 2010.
[edit] Background
Piedade is related to President Jose Eduardo dos Santos by blood (cousin), also a son of immigrants from São Tomé and Príncipe. He obtained a BA in Law in 2009 at Agostinho Neto University.
In 1971, Piedade joined the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). Following Angola's independence from Portugal in 1975 he began a career in the People's Police Corps of Angola, becoming a division head in 1978. In 1981 he moved to the Ministry of the Interior, becoming Deputy Minister in 1984. The following year he was elected as a member of the MPLA-Workers' Party congress and given the rank of colonel in the Angolan military. He later became a member of the People's Assembly, beginning a succession of appointments to government ministerial posts.
After serving as Interior Minister, Piedade was appointed as Prime Minister in November 2002 and took office on December 6, 2002. The office of Prime Minister had previously been unoccupied since 1999.
Piadade was the 14th candidate on the MPLA's national list in the September 2008 parliamentary election.[1][2] In the election, the MPLA won an overwhelming majority, and Piedade was elected to a seat in the National Assembly.[2]
Following the 2008 election, the MPLA Political Bureau chose Piedade to become the President of the National Assembly on September 26, 2008. It also chose Paulo Kassoma to replace Piedade as Prime Minister.[3][4] On September 30, the newly-elected members of the National Assembly met and were sworn in; Piedade was elected as President of the National Assembly on this occasion, receiving 211 votes in favor and three opposed.[5]
On January 21, 2010, the National Assembly approved a new constitution that would increase presidential powers, eliminate the office of Prime Minister, and eliminate popular elections for the office of President. Piedade described the National Assembly's adoption of the constitution as a "historic moment".[6] President dos Santos then appointed Piedade to the newly established office of Vice-President of Angola on February 3, 2010. Having long served as a close and powerful associate of dos Santos, his appointment as Vice-President made it appear more likely that he was being envisioned as the eventual successor to dos Santos. However, dos Santos had already been designated as the MPLA candidate for President in 2012, suggesting that he had no intention of retiring.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ "Eleições: Lista integral dos candidatos do MPLA, antigo PM Marcolino Moco fora, nova cara Akwá", Angola Xyami, July 5, 2008 (Portuguese).
- ^ a b List of deputies elected in the 2008 election, CNE website (Portuguese).
- ^ "MPLA indica Fernando da Piedade para presidente da Assembleia Nacional", Angola Press, September 26, 2008 (Portuguese).
- ^ "Angola: Paulo Kassoma confirmado como primeiro-ministro do próximo governo angolano", Lusa, 26 September 2008 (Portuguese).
- ^ "Eleito novo presidente da Assembleia Nacional", AngolaPress, September 30, 2008 (Portuguese).
- ^ Henrique Almeida, "Angolan president seen stronger in new constitution", Reuters, January 21, 2010.
- ^ "Angolan president reshuffles govt after new charter", Reuters, 4 February 2010.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Position established |
Vice President of Angola 2010–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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