At a press conference on Monday 29 August, the National Electoral Commission officially announced the final results of the 24 August legislative elections. The MPLA won with 51.17% of the vote.

In Angola, the final results of the general elections of 24 August are known. The MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola), which has been in power for more than forty years, is once again the winner with 51.17%. According to the commission, 43.95% of the votes were cast for the main opposition party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (Unita),

Performances

On the other hand, it should be noted that the MPLA recorded its lowest score in the elections since 1975. The MPLA, which had won it hands down In 2017, the party had won it hands down with 61% of the votes and in 2012, with 71.84% of the votes. Although the MPLA still has a majority in Parliament with 124 of 220 seats, it is slowly losing its autonomy among the population. At the same time, the opposition made a record figure compared to previous years. Unita has thus managed to take a few more seats in parliament, which will allow it to have a say in the adoption of laws.

Challenges and tensions

However, Adalberto Costa Junior, leader of the Unita party said he did not recognise the provisional results on Friday. According to Adalberto Costa Junior “There is no doubt that the MPLA did not win the elections”. In the past weekend, this protest generated some tensions in some areas of Luanda, such as Cacuaco or Sambizanga. Fortunately these tensions were quickly contained, thanks to the security arrangements put in place for the funeral of former president José Eduardo dos Santos. The latter, who died last month in Barcelona, had marked the country’s history with some 38 years of authoritarian rule (1979 to 2017), marked by accusations of corruption and favouritism.

For having won the legislative elections, the leader of the MPLA automatically becomes president of the republic, making Joao Lourenço the new president of Angola.