South Africa Braces for Coalition Era Following IEC’s Declaration of Election Results

South Africa’s election results have confirmed that no party won a majority, leaving the center-left ANC with the dilemma of whether to form a coalition with the centrist opposition party, the Democratic Alliance.

The ANC secured 159 seats in the 400-seat Parliament, a decrease from the 230 it obtained in the previous election. Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance saw a slight increase to 87 seats. Following last week’s election, there are four major political parties, with eight holding significant shares of the vote.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged South Africa’s political parties to bridge their differences and identify common ground to establish the first national coalition government in the nation’s youthful democracy.

The leader of the ANC is vying for a second term and can rely on unwavering support from his faction. There is a sense of urgency for coalition negotiations to advance and reduce uncertainty, as the new Parliament must convene for the first time and elect a president within 14 days of the election results being announced.