Africa Monitor

Africa Monitor Intelligence

Angola: Municipal Elections Instill Increased Fears

JOÃO LOURENÇO (JL) is not recognized as having enough will to promote the holding of municipal (municipal) elections in the country, provided for in the 2010 constitution, but never held. The awareness, extended to the regime, that the MPLA would be exposed to losses that, due to their estimated extent, would constitute a new political-electoral setback, is pointed out in competent analyzes as the main reason for JL's attitude.

The lack of propensity to hold the first municipal elections in the country that JL internally denotes, follows a similar sentiment of his predecessor, JOSÉ EDUARDO dos SANTOS (JES). With a dissimilarity: JES always maintained such a position, although disguised; JL, in the initial phase of his mandate, presented himself as a “paladin” of the process, which is why his current attitude represents a change. READ MORE