Agolans started casting ballots on Wednesday in the democratic history of the oil-rich country, with incumbent president Joao Lourenco. The president is squaring up against charismatic opposition leader Adalberto Costa Junior.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party, which has held power for nearly five decades in the oil-rich nation, is facing the most serious challenge since the country’s first multiparty vote in 1992.
The previous election held in 2017 saw the ruling MPLA win a landslide re-election, obtaining 61% of the vote. Although the party lost 25 seats, the MPLA retained its supermajority in the National Assembly, securing 150 seats. The largest opposition party, UNITA, won only 51 seats but did gain 19 with a 26% vote total. CASA—CE won 16 seats, the PRS won two and the FNLA secured one.
Eight political parties are running, but the real contest lies between the MPLA and its long-standing rival and ex-rebel movement the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).
The MPLA came in to the field with the slogan of “The strength of the people” while the biggest opposition party UNITA used the slogan “The time is now”.
Opinion polls suggest that support for the MPLA — which won 61 percent of the vote in 2017 elections — will diminish, while the UNITA, which has entered an electoral pact with two other parties, will make gains.
The MPLA has also maintained its grip on the electoral process and public media in Angola, but the opposition tells its supporters not to be intimidated.
