Politics of Angola

Angola

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Angola

Constitution President (List) José Eduardo dos Santos Vice President Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos Cabinet National Assembly Speaker Paulo Kassoma Political Parties Elections: 2008 legislative Provinces Municipalities Communes Civil war Foreign relations

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Since the adoption of a new constitution, early in 2010, the politics of Angola takes place in a framework of a presidential republic, whereby the President of Angola is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in the President, the government and parliament.

Angola changed from a one-party Marxist-Leninist system ruled by the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), in place since independence in 1975, to a multiparty democracy based on a new constitution adopted in 1992. That same year, first parliamentary and presidential elections were held. In the former, the MPLA won an absolute majority. In the latter, President José Eduardo dos Santos won the first round election with more than 49% of the vote to Jonas Savimbi's 40%, so that a runoff would have been necessary, but never took place. The renewal of civil war immediately after the elections, which were considered as fraudulent by UNITA, and the collapse of the Lusaka Protocol, created a split situation. On the one hand, the new democratic institutions worked, notably the National Assembly, with the active participation of UNITA's and the FNLA's elected MPs - while José Eduardo dos Santos continued to exercise his functions without democratic legitimation. An the other hand, the armed forces of the MPLA (now the official armed forces of the Angolan state) and of UNITA fought each other until the leader of UNITA, Jonas Savimbi, was killed in action, in 2002.

From 2002 to 2010, the system as defined by the constitution of 1992 functioned in a relatively normal way. The executive branch of the government was composed of the President, the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers, composed of all ministers and vice ministers, met regularly to discuss policy issues. Governors of the 18 provinces were appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the president. The Constitutional Law of 1992 established the broad outlines of government structure and the rights and duties of citizens. The legal system was based on Portuguese and customary law but was weak and fragmented. Courts operated in only 12 of more than 140 municipalities. A Supreme Court served as the appellate tribunal; a Constitutional Court with powers of judicial review was never constituted despite statutory authorization. In practice, power was more and more concentrated in the hands of the President who, supported by an ever increasing staff, largely controlled parliament, government, and the judiciary.

The 26-year long civil war has ravaged the country's political and social institutions. The UN estimates of 1.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), while generally the accepted figure for war-affected people is 4 million. Daily conditions of life throughout the country and specifically Luanda (population approximately 4 million) mirror the collapse of administrative infrastructure as well as many social institutions. The ongoing grave economic situation largely prevents any government support for social institutions. Hospitals are without medicines or basic equipment, schools are without books, and public employees often lack the basic supplies for their day-to-day work.

The 2010 constitution grants the President almost absolute power. Elections for the National assembly are to take place every five years, and the President is automatically the leader of the winning party or coalition. It is for the President to appoint (and dismiss) all of the following:

• The members of the government (state ministers, ministers, state secretaries and vice-ministers);
• The members of the Constitutional Court;
• The members of the Supreme Court;
• The members of the Court of Auditors;
• The members of the Military Supreme Court;
• The Governor and Vice-Governors of the Nacional Angolan Bank;
• The General-Attorney, the Vice-General-Attorneys and their deputies (as well as the military homologous);
• The Governors of the provinces;
• The members of the Republic Council;
• The members of the National Security Council;
• The members of the Superior Magistrates Councils;
• The General Chief of the Armed Forces and his deputy;
• All other command posts in the military;
• The Police General Commander, and the 2nd in command;
• All other command posts in the police;
• The chiefs and directors of the intelligence and security organs.

The President is also provided a variety of powers, like defining the policy of the country. Even though it's not up to him/her to make laws (only to promulgate them and make edicts), the President is the leader of the winning party. The only "relevant" post that is not directly appointed by the President is the Vice-President, which is the second in the winning party.

Executive branch

Main office holders

Office	Name	Party	Since

Legislative branch

The National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional) has 223 members, elected for a four year term, 130 members by proportional representation, 90 members in provincial districts, and 3 members to represent Angolans abroad. The next general elections, due for 1997, have been rescheduled for 5 September 2008. The ruling party MPLA won 82% (191 seats in the National Assembly) and the main opposition party won only 10% (16 seats). The elections however have been described as only partly free but certainly not fair. A White Book on the elections in 2008 lists up all irregularities surrounding the Parliamentary elections of 2008.

Political parties and elections

For other political parties see List of political parties in Angola. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Angola.

Parliamentary elections were held in September 2008. These elections were the first since 1992. Presidential elections are planned for 2009.

 5 September and 6 September 2008 National Assembly of Angola election results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/-
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola)	4,414,738	81.64	191	+62
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola)	559,972	10.39	16	-54
Social Renewal Party (Partido da Renovação Social)	172,298	3.17	8	+2
New Democracy Electoral Union (Nova Democracia União Eleitoral)	64,624	1.20	2	+2
National Front for the Liberation of Angola (Frente Nacional de Libertação de Angola)	60,335	1.11	3	-2
Democratic Party for Progress – Angolan National Alliance (Partido Democrático para Progresso – Aliança Nacional Angolana)	27,552	0.51	—	-1
Liberal Democratic Party (Partido Liberal Democrático)	17,880	0.33	—	-3
Democratic Angola – Coalition (Democratic Angola – Coalition)	15,839	0.29	—	-1
Party for Democratic Support and Progress of Angola (Partido de Apoio Democrático e Progresso de Angola )	14,115	0.27	—	0
Front for Democracy (Frente para a Democracia)	14,037	0.27	—	0
Party of the Alliance of Youth, Workers and Farmers of Angola (Partido da Aliança da Juventude, Operários e Camponeses de Angola)	12,681	0.24	—	-1
Democratic Renewal Party (Partido Renovador Democrático)	11,599	0.22	—	-1
Electoral Political Platform (Plataforma Política Eleitoral)	9,840	0.19	—	0
Angolan Fraternal Forum Coalition (Fórum Fraternal Angolano Coligação)	9,468	0.17	—	0
Valid votes	6,450,407	89.42
Invalid votes	762,874	10.58
Total: (turnout 87.36%)	7,213,281	100.00	220
Source: CNE, CNE, BBC

 Summary of the 29 and 30 September 1992 Angola presidential election results

Candidate	Party	Votes	%
José Eduardo dos Santos	MPLA	1,953,335	49.57
Jonas Malheiro Savimbi	UNITA	1,579,298	40.07
Antonio Alberto Neto	Angolan Democratic Party	85,249	2.16
Holden Roberto	National Front for the Liberation of Angola	83,135	2.11
Honorato Lando	Liberal Democratic Party of Angola	75.789	1.92
Luis dos Pasos	Democratic Renewal Party	58,121	1.47
Bengui Pedro João	Social Democratic Party	38,243	0.97
Simão Cacete	Front for Democracy	26,385	0.67
Daniel Chipenda	Independent	20,845	0.52
Analia Pereira	Liberal Democratic Party	11,475	0.29
Rui Pereira	Social Renewal Party	9,208	0.23
Invalid/blank votes		460,455
Total		4,401,339	100
Source: Nohlen et al

 29 and 30 September 1992 National Assembly of Angola election results

Party	Votes	%	Seats
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola)	2,124,126	53.74	129
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola)	1,347,636	34.10	70
National Front for the Liberation of Angola (Frente Nacional de Libertação de Angola)	94,742	2.40	5
Liberal Democratic Party (Partido Liberal Democrático)	94,269	2.39	3
Social Renewal Party (Partido Renovador Social)	89,875	2.27	6
Democratic Renewal Party (Partido Renovador Democrático)	35,293	0.89	1
AD-Coalition (AD-Coligação)	34,166	0.86	1
Social Democratic Party (Partido Social-Democrata)	33,088	0.84	1
Party of the Alliance of Youth, Workers and Farmers of Angola (Partido da Aliança da Juventude, Operários e Campesinos de Angola)	13,924	0.35	1
Angolan Democratic Forum (Fórum Democrático Angolano)	12,038	0.30	1
Democratic Progress Party/Angolan National Alliance Party (Partido Democrático para Progreso/Aliança Nacional Angolano)	10,608	0.27	1
Angolan National Democratic Party (Partido Nacional Democrático Angolano)	10,281	0.26	1
National Democratic Convention of Angola (Convenção Nacional Democrática de Angola)	10,237	0.26
Social Democratic Party of Angola (Partido Social Democratico de Angola)	10,217	0.26
Independent Angolan Party (Partido Angolano Independente)	9,007	0.23
Liberal Democratic Party of Angola (Partido Democrático Liberal de Angola)	8,025	0.20
Democratic Party of Angola (Partido Democrático de Angola)	8,014	0.20
Angolan Renewal Party (Partido Renovador Angolano)	6,719	0.17
Invalid/blank votes	458,310
Total	4,410,575	100	220
Source: Nohlen et al

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (or "Tribunal da Relacao") judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the president.

Administrative divisions

Angola has eighteen provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire

Political pressure groups and leaders

Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N'zita Henriques TIAGO; Antonio Bento BEMBE]

• note: FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province

International organization participation

African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, AfDB, CEEAC, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, FAO, Group of 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, International Criminal Court (signatory), ICFTU, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, International Development Association, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, International Labour Organization, International Monetary Fund, International Maritime Organization, Interpol, IOC, International Organization for Migration, ISO (correspondent), ITU, Non-Aligned Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, World Customs Organization, World Federation of Trade Unions, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

External links

• The Chr. Michelsen Institute The largest centre for development research in Scandinavia. In particular, see their collaborative Angola Programme.

Further reading

• ANGOLA LIVRO BRANCO SOBRE AS ELEIÇÕES DE 2008. http://www.kas.de/proj/home/pub/8/2/year-2009/dokument_id-17396/index.html
• Bösl, Anton (2008). Angola's Parliamentary Elections in 2008. A Country on its Way to One-Party-Democracy, KAS Auslandsinformationen 10/2008. http://www.kas.de/wf/de/33.15186/
• Amundsen, I. (2011) Angola Party Politics: Into the African Trend. Angola Brief vol. 1 no. 9 [1]