Angolan legislative election, 2012

Angolan legislative election, 2012

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Party Leader % Seats ± MPLA José Eduardo dos Santos 71.84 175 -16 UNITA Isaías Samakuva 18.66 32 +16 CASA–CE Abel Chivukuvuku 6.00 8 New PRS Eduardo Kuangana 1.70 3 -5 FLNA Ngola Kabangu 1.13 2 -1 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

President before President José Eduardo dos Santos MPLA José Eduardo dos Santos MPLA

Legislative elections were held in Angola on 31 August 2012. During campaigning, the opposition UNITA and its offshoot CASA-CE accused and criticised the government of corruption and called for greater transparency; this also led to protests and arrests the day before the election.

While UNITA accepted the result of the National Assembly elections in 1992, it rejected that of the presidential elections, alleging fraud. The party then resumed the civil war, though its MPs still took their seats in the National Assembly. As a result, the second round of the presidential elections were not held, nor were the legislative elections due at regular intervals in accordance with the 1992 constitution. The civil war came to an end in 2002, following the death of UNITA's leader Jonas Savimbi in an ambush. The MPLA still refused to hold the second round of the presidential election, but organised legislative elections in 2008. The MPLA's resultant majority allowed it to adopt a new constitution in 2010, abolishing the direct election of the president. The constitution stipulated that legislative elections would be held at intervals of four years and that the leader of the party that received the most votes would become president. The expectation of all parties was that this would lead to the endurance of the dominant party system.

At the time of the election, the National Assembly had 220 seats, of which 130 were elected from closed lists by proportional representation and the remaining 90 elected in 18 five-seat constituencies. Following the election, the leader of the largest party will become president. Voters had to be at least 18 years old and not have an undischarged bankruptcy or criminal conviction. Candidates had to be at least 35 years old.

Over 10,000 voting centres were opened from 7:00-18:00, while the day was declared a national holiday.