Angola – elections promised

Election Guide reports that the Angolan President, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, has officially stated that parliamentary elections will take place later this year. They will probably take place in September. Presidential elections are likely to take place in 2009.

There has been no election in Angola since 1992, the year when the country’s semi-presidential constitution was adopted. Indeed, the elections that year did not take place fully. Only the first round of voting occurred. The second round was cancelled because of violence.

Despite the absence of any electoral democracy, Angola’s freedom rating has risen in recent years following the end of the long-running civil war in 2002. Freedom House has increased its rating from 6 to 5.5 (if you see what I mean). Polity 4 has increased it from -3 to -2. In both cases, Angola is still classed as an autocracy, but clearly free and fair elections would increase its rating further.

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