The political scene in South Africa is gaining intensity as lawmakers were expected to elect the country’s president on Friday during the first sitting of Parliament. These lawmakers were also expected to elect the new president and deputy speaker of Parliament, choices that will be determined by negotiations between the African National Congress (ANC) and opposition parties since the country’s election results were announced a year ago. is almost two weeks old.
Parties are under pressure to conclude negotiations by Thursday to meet the constitutional requirement to swear in lawmakers and elect the president within 14 days of election results being declared.
The ANC won 40% of the vote nationally in the country’s hotly contested elections, followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) with just over 21% and the new uMkhonto weSizwe party with around 15% of the vote in its first election.
Rather than forming a classic coalition with a few parties, the ANC opted for the establishment of a government of national unity which will include most of the political parties that participated in the elections.
According to the South African Constitution, only a third of Parliament’s 400 lawmakers must be present for there to be a quorum and the vote to elect the president to take place.
This political situation marks a new era for South Africa, where negotiations and collaboration between different parties will play a crucial role in the formation of government and the political direction of the country. South African citizens are eagerly waiting to see how this post-election period will develop and what decisions will be made for the future of the rainbow nation.