An unofficial tally exposes Angola’s dodgy election
The opposition may have won, but it won’t taste power
As sadly expected by Angolans thirsting for real change, the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (mpla), which has ruled the country since 1975, made sure by hook or by crook that the elections on August 24th would give the party and its incumbent president, João Lourenço, another five years in power. Even so, the official result—51% for the mpla against 44% for its eternal opposition, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (unita)—was closer than ever before.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “The winner loses”
Middle East & Africa September 10th 2022
More from Middle East & Africa
West African booze is becoming a luxury product
Female entrepreneurs are leading the charge
First, the ceasefire. Next the Trump effect could upend the Middle East
Will Israel and Donald Trump use the threat of annexation to secure a new grand bargain?
After 15 months of hell, Israel and Hamas sign a ceasefire deal
Donald Trump provided the X factor by putting heat on Binyamin Netanyahu, who insists the war isn’t over yet
A hidden refuge in Sudan that the internet, banks—and war—can’t reach
A visit to the Nuba mountains provides a glimpse into the future of the country
Violent jihadists are getting frustrated by the new Syria
Tipsy dancers, Christmas decorations, Shias and women’s rights are in the crosshairs
America concludes genocide has been committed in Sudan—again
The move highlights the magnitude of Sudan’s civil war but does little to end it