After thirty years in power, the ANC loses its absolute majority

After thirty years of rule in South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC), in power since the advent of democracy and the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994, has lost its absolute majority in the National Assembly. According to The official results were announced on Sunday, June 2. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s party won 159 of the 400 seats and registered a landslide with 40.2% of the votes cast at the ballot box on Wednesday. He expressed his desire Discussion with other political parties to form a coalition government.

The largest opposition party (Democratic Alliance, DA) recorded nearly 22% of the vote and won 87 seats. Former President Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, born just months before the election, fared well with 14.6% of the vote, while the left-wing extremists of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) came in at 9.5. %

The final results of the most contested election in the country’s democratic history are being contested by some candidates, notably Jacob Zuma, whose party boycotted the electoral commission’s official ceremony and denounced irregularities in the vote count. “No one should declare [les résultats] Tomorrow. If that happens, you will provoke us.”, warned the 82-year-old former president on Saturday. His jailing in July 2021 for contempt sparked unrest that killed more than 350 people.

So far, the all-powerful ANC has won every national election with huge majorities. But this time the disillusionment of 62 million South Africans overturned their long-standing loyalty to the movement that freed the country from the yoke of apartheid. It was welcomed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who appeared cheerful and relaxed during the ceremony “Victory for Democracy” With these assembly elections he described as “Independent, fair, reliable and peaceful”.