ELECTIONS
AFRICA VOTES 2026
Every election on the continent in 2026 — the dates, the parties, and the manifestos shaping each vote. The archive grows as parties publish, and as records reach us.
2026
ELECTION DATES
Concluded
January 2026
Benin
National Assembly & Local · 11 January 2026
Benin is a West African presidential republic. Since constitutional reforms in 2019, the political system has been criticised by opposition voices for limiting candidate eligibility, and the 2023 legislative elections were contested largely between parties aligned with President Patrice Talon’s coalition. The 2026 legislative and local elections were held under the same framework.
Currently in Parliament
Bloc Républicain, BR
Ideology: Liberal, pro-government coalition vehicle.
Founded: 2018, in the lead-up to the 2019 legislative elections, through a merger of pro-Talon factions from existing parties.
Leadership: Abdoulaye Bio Tchané has been a senior figure; the party operates more as a coalition platform than around a single charismatic leader.
Position: One of two parties permitted to contest the controversial 2019 legislative elections, alongside the Progressive Union. Has been the largest pro-Talon force in the National Assembly. Frequently characterised by opposition voices as a vehicle for the executive rather than an independent political formation.
Track record: Won 47 of 83 seats in 2019 (when only pro-government parties were certified). Retained a parliamentary majority alongside its coalition partner UPR
Union Progressiste le Renouveau ,UPR
Ideology: Liberal, social-democratic in declared positioning, pro-government in practice.
Founded: 2022, through a merger of the Progressive Union (UP) and other pro-Talon formations.
Leadership: Joseph Djogbénou — former Minister of Justice and former president of the Constitutional Court — has been a prominent figure.
Position: The second pillar of the pro-Talon legislative coalition, alongside the Republican Bloc. Together with BR, it has held a parliamentary majority since 2019.
Track record: Inherited the parliamentary seats and infrastructure of its predecessor parties. The merger consolidated pro-government legislative strength into a more streamlined formation.
Les Démocrates ,LD
Ideology: Centrist, opposition-oriented.
Founded: 2019, by supporters of former President Boni Yayi after his political vehicle was excluded from that year’s legislative elections.
Leadership: Boni Yayi serves as honorary president; Eric Houndété has held senior roles.
Position: The principal opposition force in Benin’s parliament since the 2023 legislative elections, when the party was permitted to contest after years of legal disputes over its eligibility.
Track record: Won 28 seats in the 2023 legislative elections, ending the period in which the National Assembly had no organised opposition presence.
Forces Cauris for an Emerging Benin (FCBE)
Ideology: Centre-left, social-democratic.
Founded: 2007, as the political vehicle of then-President Boni Yayi.
Leadership: Has had multiple presidents over the years; Paul Hounkpè has been a senior figure in recent cycles.
Position: Once Benin’s dominant party under Yayi (2006–2016), the FCBE was effectively excluded from electoral competition during the Talon presidency under the new candidate-eligibility rules. Many of its former leaders moved to The Democrats.
Track record: Held a parliamentary majority during the Yayi years. Has not held parliamentary seats since 2019.
Uganda
President & Parliamentary · 15 January 2026
Uganda is a presidential republic in East Africa with a unicameral parliament. President Yoweri Museveni and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) have held power since 1986, when the NRM took Kampala at the end of the Ugandan Bush War. Multi-party politics was reintroduced in 2005 after a referendum. Constitutional amendments removing presidential term limits (2005) and the presidential age limit (2017) have allowed Museveni to remain in office. The 2021 elections saw the National Unity Platform (NUP) under Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) emerge as the largest opposition force, displacing the long-dominant Forum for Democratic Change.
Currently in Parliament
National Resistance Movement (NRM)
Ideology: Originally socialist-revolutionary; now broadly pro-state-development with a nationalist orientation.
Founded: 1981 as the political wing of the National Resistance Army during the Ugandan Bush War; transitioned to a political party in 1986 after taking power.
Leadership: President Yoweri Museveni has led the NRM since its founding.
Position: Uganda’s ruling party for nearly four decades. Holds a substantial parliamentary majority.
Track record: Has won every national election since 1996 under the multi-party system that NRM itself reintroduced in 2005. The 2021 elections were marked by significant disputes over the conduct of the vote.
National Unity Platform (NUP)
Ideology: Centre-left, pro-democratic-reform, generational-change platform.
Founded: 2020, when Robert Kyagulanyi — known publicly as Bobi Wine — assumed leadership of an existing party (the National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party) and rebranded it.
Leadership: Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), musician-turned-politician.
Position: Uganda’s largest opposition party in parliament, having displaced the FDC in that role at the 2021 elections.
Track record: Won 57 parliamentary seats in 2021 — a dramatic entry into the legislature. Bobi Wine finished second in the presidential vote with roughly 35% to Museveni’s 58%, though both figures and the conduct of the election were disputed.
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)
Ideology: Centre-left, social-democratic.
Founded: 2004, formed by reform-minded politicians who had broken from the NRM.
Leadership: Patrick Amuriat has served as party president; Kizza Besigye remains the party’s most prominent historical figure.
Position: The dominant Ugandan opposition party from 2005 to 2021, when NUP overtook it. Has experienced internal divisions in recent years, including disputes over whether to engage with state institutions or maintain a posture of permanent opposition.
Track record: Kizza Besigye contested four presidential elections against Museveni between 2001 and 2016, finishing second each time.
Democratic Party (DP)
Ideology: Christian-democratic, centrist. Founded: 1954 — Uganda’s oldest political party.
Leadership: Norbert Mao has served as DP president; in 2022 he controversially accepted a cabinet appointment under Museveni, splitting the party.
Position: A historic party that has lost much of its parliamentary weight to newer opposition formations. Holds a small number of seats.
Track record: Was a major force in pre-Independence and early post-Independence Ugandan politics. Has rarely formed government since the multi-party era resumed.
Uganda People's Congress (UPC)
Ideology: Centre-left, pan-Africanist roots, social-democratic.
Founded: 1960, by Milton Obote, who served as Prime Minister and twice as President.
Leadership: Jimmy Akena, son of Milton Obote.
Position: A historically significant party with a small contemporary parliamentary presence.
Track record: Held power under Obote (1962–1971 and 1980–1985). Has not been a major electoral force since the multi-party era resumed in 2005
Concluded
march 2026
Republic of the Congo
Presidential · 15 March 2026
The Republic of the Congo is a presidential republic in Central Africa, distinct from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo. President Denis Sassou Nguesso has dominated political life for most of the period since 1979, returning to power in 1997 after the country’s civil war. The Congolese Labour Party (PCT) — originally a Marxist-Leninist single party — has been the central political vehicle of his government for decades. Opposition parties exist and contest elections but operate within an environment that international observers have repeatedly described as constrained..
Currently in Parliament
Parti Congolais du Travail · PCT
Ideology: Originally Marxist-Leninist; since 1990 reformulated as social-democratic and developmentalist.
Founded: 1969.
Leadership: President Denis Sassou Nguesso.
Position: Dominant force in Congolese politics for most of the period since 1979. Holds a substantial majority in the National Assembly.
Track record: Governed the People’s Republic of the Congo as a single-party Marxist state until 1990. Returned to power in 1997 after the civil war and has retained the presidency since.
Union Panafricaine pour la Démocratie Sociale · UPADS
Ideology: Social-democratic, pan-Africanist.
Founded: 1991.
Leadership: Pascal Tsaty-Mabiala.
Position: Historically the country’s principal opposition party; has had a fractious relationship with successive Sassou Nguesso governments.
Track record: Held the presidency under Pascal Lissouba (1992–1997) before being overthrown in the civil war. Has not held national executive office since.
Mouvement Congolais pour la Démocratie et le Développement Intégral · MCDDI
Ideology: Centre-right, regionalist (historically associated with the Pool region).
Founded: 1989.
Leadership: Has had multiple leaders since the death of founder Bernard Kolélas in 2009.
Position: A smaller but historically significant opposition party. Has occasionally entered into governing coalitions.
Track record: Bernard Kolélas served as Prime Minister briefly in 1997. The party retains a presence in the National Assembly.
concluded
april 2026
Benin
Presidential · 12 April 2026
The presidential election was contested under the post-2019 candidate-eligibility framework, requiring sponsorship from elected officials. Profile of the dominant coalition is covered above (Republican Bloc, UPR). Other contesting candidates and their political vehicles will be added to the archive as their materials are confirmed.
Currently in Parliament
Bloc Républicain, BR
Ideology: Liberal, pro-government coalition vehicle.
Founded: 2018, in the lead-up to the 2019 legislative elections, through a merger of pro-Talon factions from existing parties.
Leadership: Abdoulaye Bio Tchané has been a senior figure; the party operates more as a coalition platform than around a single charismatic leader.
Position: One of two parties permitted to contest the controversial 2019 legislative elections, alongside the Progressive Union. Has been the largest pro-Talon force in the National Assembly. Frequently characterised by opposition voices as a vehicle for the executive rather than an independent political formation.
Track record: Won 47 of 83 seats in 2019 (when only pro-government parties were certified). Retained a parliamentary majority alongside its coalition partner UPR
Union Progressiste le Renouveau ,UPR
Ideology: Liberal, social-democratic in declared positioning, pro-government in practice.
Founded: 2022, through a merger of the Progressive Union (UP) and other pro-Talon formations.
Leadership: Joseph Djogbénou — former Minister of Justice and former president of the Constitutional Court — has been a prominent figure.
Position: The second pillar of the pro-Talon legislative coalition, alongside the Republican Bloc. Together with BR, it has held a parliamentary majority since 2019.
Track record: Inherited the parliamentary seats and infrastructure of its predecessor parties. The merger consolidated pro-government legislative strength into a more streamlined formation.
Les Démocrates ,LD
Ideology: Centrist, opposition-oriented.
Founded: 2019, by supporters of former President Boni Yayi after his political vehicle was excluded from that year’s legislative elections.
Leadership: Boni Yayi serves as honorary president; Eric Houndété has held senior roles.
Position: The principal opposition force in Benin’s parliament since the 2023 legislative elections, when the party was permitted to contest after years of legal disputes over its eligibility.
Track record: Won 28 seats in the 2023 legislative elections, ending the period in which the National Assembly had no organised opposition presence.
Forces Cauris for an Emerging Benin (FCBE)
Ideology: Centre-left, social-democratic.
Founded: 2007, as the political vehicle of then-President Boni Yayi.
Leadership: Has had multiple presidents over the years; Paul Hounkpè has been a senior figure in recent cycles.
Position: Once Benin’s dominant party under Yayi (2006–2016), the FCBE was effectively excluded from electoral competition during the Talon presidency under the new candidate-eligibility rules. Many of its former leaders moved to The Democrats.
Track record: Held a parliamentary majority during the Yayi years. Has not held parliamentary seats since 2019.
Cape Verde
National Assembly · April 2026
Cape Verde is a parliamentary republic and archipelago off the West African coast. It is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most stable democracies. Power has alternated peacefully and constitutionally between two main parties the Movement for Democracy (MpD) and the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) — since multi-party democracy was introduced in 1991. The presidency, while largely ceremonial, has historically reflected shifts in the political mood. Voter turnout, civil liberties, and judicial independence consistently rank among the highest on the continent.
Currently in Parliament
Movimento para a Democracia · MpD
Ideology: Liberal-conservative, centre-right.
Founded: 1990, leading the campaign for multi-party democracy.
Leadership: Ulisses Correia e Silva is Prime Minister and party president.
Position: Cape Verde’s ruling party since 2016.
Track record: Held government from 1991 to 2001 and again since 2016. Cape Verde’s democratic transitions between MpD and PAICV have been peaceful and constitutional.
Partido Africano da Independência de Cabo Verde · PAICV
Ideology: Social-democratic, centre-left.
Founded: 1981, when the joint Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau independence party (PAIGC) split into separate national parties.
Leadership: Janira Hopffer Almada is currently party president.
Position: Currently the main opposition. Held the presidency through the 2021 election of José Maria Neves.
Track record: Was the sole legal party from independence in 1975 until 1990. Returned to government democratically from 2001 to 2016.
Independent Democratic Cape Verdean Union (UCID)
Ideology: Christian-democratic, centrist.
Founded: 1974, in exile, as part of the independence movement.
Leadership: António Monteiro.
Position: The country’s persistent third party — small but consistently present in parliament.
Djibouti
Presidential · April 2026
Djibouti is a small presidential republic in the Horn of Africa, strategically positioned at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh has been in office since 1999, succeeding his uncle, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, who led the country from independence in 1977. The Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP), a coalition led by the People’s Rally for Progress (RPP), has dominated political life throughout. Opposition parties have historically faced significant restrictions and have at times boycotted elections in protest at the conditions of competition.
Currently in Parliament
Union for the Presidential Majority, UMP
Type: A ruling coalition rather than a single party.
Founded: 2003.
Lead party: People’s Rally for Progress (RPP), founded 1979 by Hassan Gouled Aptidon. Since 1999 the RPP has been the political vehicle of President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh.
Position: Dominates the Djiboutian parliament and has held the presidency continuously since independence in 1977.
Union for Democracy and Justice, UDJ
Ideology: Social-democratic, opposition-oriented.
Founded: 2002.
Leadership: Has had multiple leaders; the party has historically operated under significant restrictions.
Position: The country’s most prominent opposition formation. Has frequently boycotted elections it has considered uncompetitive.
Libya
Presidential & House of Representatives · April 2026
Libya is a North African state in prolonged political transition following the 2011 civil war that ended Muammar Gaddafi’s 42-year rule. Since 2014, the country has been divided between rival national governments — the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) and the eastern administration aligned with the House of Representatives in Tobruk. Multiple internationally mediated peace processes have produced incomplete agreements. The 2026 elections, if they proceed, will be the first national vote since 2014. The political environment remains highly fluid, and the registration and operating status of political parties is subject to ongoing change.
Currently in Parliament
The Libyan party system is in flux following the 2011 civil war and the 2014 split between rival national governments. Political parties exist but operate in an environment without a stable national legislative or electoral framework. Detailed profiles of contesting parties will be added to the archive as their materials and registration status are confirmed.
Somalia
Regional & Local · April 2026
Somalia is a federal parliamentary republic in the Horn of Africa, organised across five federal member states alongside the capital territory of Mogadishu. The political system features an indirect electoral process for national-level positions based on clan representation, with member states holding their own subnational elections. Al-Shabaab, an armed Islamist group, continues to hold territory in parts of the country and disrupts electoral processes in affected regions. The 2026 regional and local elections will take place across federal member states with widely varying political dynamics — including Puntland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, South West, and Jubaland.
Currently in Parliament
Somalia’s federal political system features parties primarily organised at the federal-member-state level rather than nationally. National-level parties exist but operate alongside the country’s complex clan-based representation system. Profiles of parties contesting regional and local elections will be added on a per-state basis.
coming up
june 2026
Ethiopia
General Election · 1 June 2026
Ethiopia is a federal parliamentary republic and Africa’s second-most populous country. Its political system is built on ethnic federalism, with regional states organised primarily along ethnic lines. The political landscape was reshaped in 2018 with the appointment of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and again in 2019 with the formation of the Prosperity Party — a merger of three of the four constituent parties of the former EPRDF coalition. The 2020–2022 Tigray war, which concluded with the Pretoria Agreement, deeply affected the country’s political fabric. The 2026 election will be the first scheduled national vote held in peacetime since the conflict.
Currently in Parliament
Prosperity Party (PP)
Ideology: Centrist developmentalist; positioning itself as post-ethnic-federalism while operating within Ethiopia’s federal-ethnic structure.
Founded: 2019, when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed merged three of the four constituent parties of the former EPRDF coalition (excluding the TPLF) into a single national party.
Leadership: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, recipient of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.
Position: Ethiopia’s ruling party. Holds a dominant majority in the federal parliament following the 2021 elections.
Track record: Won the 2021 elections, which were partially conducted (some constituencies could not vote due to conflict). The 2026 election is the first scheduled national vote since the conclusion of the Tigray war in 2022.
Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (Ezema)
Ideology: Social-democratic, centre-left.
Founded: 1972 (as MLSTP, the independence movement); reorganised as MLSTP–PSD after multi-party democracy.
Leadership: Has had multiple leaders since the multi-party era began.
Position: The historical ruling party of independence; now alternates with ADI as the country’s main opposition or governing force.
Enat Party
Ideology: Civic-nationalist, advocating for non-ethnic Ethiopian identity.
Founded: 2014.
Leadership: Multiple leadership transitions in recent years.
Position: A smaller but persistent voice for civic nationalism in Ethiopian politics, often allied with Ezema.
National Movement of Amhara (NaMA)
Ideology: Amhara ethnic-nationalist.
Founded: 2018.
Leadership: Has had multiple leaders since founding.
Position: Advocates for the political and territorial interests of the Amhara people. Operates primarily in the Amhara Region and federal-level politics. Tensions between NaMA’s constituency and the federal government have intensified in recent years.
Basta Movement (Movimento Basta)
Ideology: Centrist, anti-establishment, reform-oriented.
Founded: 2018.
Leadership: Helder Lima.
Position: A newer party that has gained parliamentary representation in recent cycles.
- Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) and Oromo Liberation Front (OLF): Oromo ethnic-nationalist parties. Both faced significant restrictions during the 2021 cycle.
- Afar National Regional State Party and similar regional formations contest at federal level alongside their regional electoral activity.
Algeria
National People’s Assembly · June 2026
Algeria is a semi-presidential republic in North Africa with a bicameral parliament. The political system has been reshaped by the 2019 Hirak protest movement, which forced the resignation of long-serving President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and ushered in a constitutional reform in 2020. Power remains concentrated within the executive and the military establishment, with the National Liberation Front (FLN) — Algeria’s independence-era party — and the Democratic National Rally (RND) continuing to dominate parliament. Islamist, secular-left, and Berber-nationalist opposition parties hold smaller blocs. Voter turnout has declined notably since Hirak.
Currently in Parliament
Front de Libération Nationale · FLN
Ideology: Arab nationalist, socialist roots, broadly developmentalist.
Founded: 1954, as the political-military organisation that led the Algerian War of Independence (1954–1962).
Leadership: Abdelkrim Benmbarek (Secretary-General).
Position: Algeria’s historical ruling party. Was the sole legal party from independence in 1962 until the 1989 constitutional reforms. Has been the largest party in the People’s National Assembly through most of the multi-party era.
Track record: Has held a plurality or majority in most legislative cycles since 1997.
Rassemblement National Démocratique · RND
Ideology: Nationalist, secular, broadly aligned with the FLN.
Founded: 1997, by figures close to then-President Liamine Zéroual.
Leadership: Tayeb Zitouni.
Position: The traditional second party of the Algerian governing establishment, frequently in coalition with the FLN.
Track record: Held government briefly under Ahmed Ouyahia. Maintained substantial parliamentary representation since founding.
Mouvement de la Société pour la Paix · MSP
Ideology: Moderate Islamist, drawing on the political tradition of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Founded: 1990, originally as Hamas (Islamic Society Movement); renamed in 1997.
Leadership: Abderrazak Makri.
Position: Algeria’s principal Islamist parliamentary party. Has at times participated in government coalitions and at other times held opposition status.
Track record: Has been continuously represented in the People’s National Assembly since multi-party elections began.
Front El-Mostakbal
Ideology: Nationalist, broadly pro-establishment.
Founded: 2012.
Leadership: Abdelaziz Belaïd.
Position: A newer party that has emerged as a presence in the post-Bouteflika period.
Harakat El-Binaa El-Watani
Ideology: Islamist (national-construction orientation).
Founded: 2013.
Leadership: Abdelkader Bengrina.
Position: A growing Islamist alternative to the MSP.
Parti des Travailleurs · PT
Ideology: Trotskyist, left-wing.
Founded: 1990.
Leadership: Louisa Hanoune, one of Algeria’s most prominent female political figures.
Position: The country’s principal far-left party. Has held parliamentary seats but its participation has fluctuated.
Front des Forces Socialistes · FFS
Ideology: Social-democratic, Berber-rights-oriented.
Founded: 1963 — Algeria’s oldest opposition party.
Leadership: Youcef Aouchiche.
Position: A historically significant opposition party with strong support in Kabylia. Has often boycotted elections in protest at electoral conditions.
Rassemblement pour la Culture et la Démocratie · RCD
Ideology: Secular, social-democratic, Berber-rights-oriented.
Founded: 1989.
Leadership: Mohcine Belabbas (former); subsequent leadership has rotated.
Position: A secular opposition party with a base in Kabylia, distinct from the FFS in its more confrontational secularism.
coming up
july 2026
São Tomé and Príncipe
Presidential · July 2026
São Tomé and Príncipe is a small Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, comprising two main islands off the coast of Central Africa. It is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most stable parliamentary democracies. Power has alternated regularly between the Independent Democratic Action (ADI) and the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP–PSD) since multi-party democracy was introduced in 1990. The presidency is largely ceremonial. The 2026 calendar holds two distinct national votes — presidential in July and legislative in September.
Currently in Parliament
Acção Democrática Independente · ADI
Ideology: Centre-right, liberal-conservative.
Founded: 1994.
Leadership: Patrice Trovoada (founder and dominant figure).
Position: Currently the ruling party.
Track record: Has won multiple legislative elections; Patrice Trovoada has served multiple terms as Prime Minister.
Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe / Social Democratic Party MLSTP–PSD
Ideology: Social-democratic, centre-left.
Founded: 1972 (as MLSTP, the independence movement); reorganised as MLSTP–PSD after multi-party democracy.
Leadership: Has had multiple leaders since the multi-party era began.
Position: The historical ruling party of independence; now alternates with ADI as the country’s main opposition or governing force.
Enat Party
Ideology: Civic-nationalist, advocating for non-ethnic Ethiopian identity.
Founded: 2014.
Leadership: Multiple leadership transitions in recent years.
Position: A smaller but persistent voice for civic nationalism in Ethiopian politics, often allied with Ezema.
National Movement of Amhara (NaMA)
Ideology: Amhara ethnic-nationalist.
Founded: 2018.
Leadership: Has had multiple leaders since founding.
Position: Advocates for the political and territorial interests of the Amhara people. Operates primarily in the Amhara Region and federal-level politics. Tensions between NaMA’s constituency and the federal government have intensified in recent years.
Basta Movement (Movimento Basta)
Ideology: Centrist, anti-establishment, reform-oriented.
Founded: 2018.
Leadership: Helder Lima.
Position: A newer party that has gained parliamentary representation in recent cycles.
- Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) and Oromo Liberation Front (OLF): Oromo ethnic-nationalist parties. Both faced significant restrictions during the 2021 cycle.
- Afar National Regional State Party and similar regional formations contest at federal level alongside their regional electoral activity.
coming up
AUGUST 2026
Zambia
President & National Assembly · 13 August 2026
Zambia is a presidential republic in southern Africa with a unicameral National Assembly. The country has one of the continent’s more competitive multi-party democratic traditions, having undergone three peaceful transfers of power between governing parties since the reintroduction of multi-party democracy in 1991. The 2021 election saw President Hakainde Hichilema and the United Party for National Development (UPND) defeat the incumbent Patriotic Front, ending a decade of PF rule. The 2026 election will test whether Zambia’s pattern of constitutional alternation continues, against a backdrop of significant economic challenges including a recent sovereign debt restructuring.
Currently in Parliament
United Party for National Development (UPND)
Ideology: Centre-right, liberal, pro-business.
Founded: 1998, by Anderson Mazoka.
Leadership: President Hakainde Hichilema.
Position: Zambia’s ruling party since the 2021 election, when Hichilema defeated the incumbent Edgar Lungu.
Track record: Was the principal opposition for over two decades before winning the presidency in 2021. Hichilema contested and lost five previous presidential elections before winning the sixth.
Patriotic Front (PF)
Ideology: Populist, with social-democratic and developmentalist positions.
Founded: 2001, by Michael Sata.
Leadership: Has experienced significant internal divisions since losing power in 2021. Multiple factions have claimed party leadership.
Position: Currently the main opposition.
Track record: Held the presidency from 2011 (under Sata) through 2021 (under Lungu, who succeeded Sata after his death in 2014).
Socialist Party of Zambia
Ideology: Democratic socialist, left-wing.
Founded: 2018.
Leadership: Fred M’membe, journalist and former editor of The Post newspaper.
Position: A vocal left-wing opposition formation that has not yet won parliamentary seats but has built a significant public profile.
Economic Freedom Fighters of Zambia (EFF Zambia)
Ideology: Pan-Africanist, left-wing, modelled on South Africa’s EFF.
Founded: 2019.
Leadership: Multiple leadership figures.
Position: A newer formation testing an explicitly radical pan-Africanist platform in Zambian politics.
Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD)
Ideology: Centre-right, liberal.
Founded: 1990.
Leadership: Has experienced multiple leadership transitions and internal splits.
Position: Once Zambia’s dominant party (1991–2011), now significantly diminished.
Track record: Held the presidency under Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa, and Rupiah Banda.
United National Independence Party (UNIP)
Ideology: African socialist, nationalist.
Founded: 1959, originally as the Zambian African National Congress.
Leadership: Multiple leaders since the death of founder Kenneth Kaunda.
Position: Zambia’s independence party and former sole legal party (1972–1991). Now a minor parliamentary presence.
Track record: Held power continuously from independence in 1964 until 1991.
coming up
september 2026
Morocco
House of Representatives · September 2026
Morocco is a constitutional monarchy in North Africa. King Mohammed VI, who acceded to the throne in 1999, retains significant executive authority alongside an elected parliament and prime minister. The 2011 constitutional reforms, enacted in response to the Arab Spring, expanded the prime minister’s role but preserved the monarchy’s central political position. The 2021 elections produced a substantial realignment — the National Rally of Independents (RNI) replaced the Justice and Development Party (PJD) as the largest party, ending a decade of Islamist-led government. The 2026 election will indicate whether that shift is durable.
Currently in Parliament
Rassemblement National des Indépendants · RNI
Ideology: Liberal-conservative, pro-monarchy, business-oriented.
Founded: 1978.
Leadership: Aziz Akhannouch — Prime Minister and one of Morocco’s wealthiest businessmen.
Position: Currently the lead party in the governing coalition.
Track record: Won the most seats in the 2021 elections, displacing the PJD as the largest party.
Parti Authenticité et Modernité · PAM
Ideology:
Liberal-conservative, secular, pro-monarchy.
Founded: 2008, by Fouad Ali El Himma, a close associate of King Mohammed VI.
Leadership: Multiple leadership figures.
Position: A core member of the current governing coalition.
Istiqlal Party (Independence Party)
Ideology: Conservative, nationalist (originally led the independence movement from France).
Founded: 1944.
Leadership: Nizar Baraka.
Position: Member of the current governing coalition. One of Morocco’s oldest political parties.
Parti de la Justice et du Développement · PJD
Ideology: Moderate Islamist, conservative.
Founded: 1998 (in current form; predecessor formations from the 1960s).
Leadership: Abdelilah Benkirane (former Prime Minister, returned to party leadership).
Position: Currently in opposition. Led the government from 2011 to 2021.
Track record: Won the 2011 and 2016 elections in the wake of the Arab Spring and constitutional reform. Suffered a dramatic defeat in 2021, dropping from 125 seats to 13.
Union Socialiste des Forces Populaires · USFP
Ideology: Social-democratic, centre-left.
Founded: 1975.
Leadership: Driss Lachgar.
Position: A historically significant left-wing party, now smaller in parliamentary terms.
Mouvement Populaire · MP
Ideology: Liberal, with a Berber/Amazigh-rights orientation.
Founded: 1957.
Leadership: Mohand Laenser.
Position: A long-established party with sustained but modest parliamentary representation.
Union Constitutionnelle · UC
Ideology: Centre-right, liberal-conservative, pro-monarchy.
Founded: 1983.
Leadership: Mohamed Sajid.
Position: A long-running establishment party with consistent parliamentary representation.
coming up
October 2026
Cape Verde
Presidential · October 2026
Cape Verde’s presidential election traditionally features candidates aligned with — though not always officially endorsed by — the two main parties. The current president, José Maria Neves, was elected in 2021 with PAICV backing.
Currently in Parliament
PAICV-aligned candidate
Manifesto pending
MpD-aligned candidate
Manifesto pending
Independent candidates
Manifesto pending
coming up
nOVEMBER 2026
South Africa
Local & District Councils · November 2026 – January 2027
South Africa is a parliamentary democracy at the southern tip of the continent, with a system of proportional representation across national, provincial, and local government. The 2024 national election produced the most fragmented parliament since 1994, ending the African National Congress’s outright majority for the first time in three decades. The result led to the formation of a Government of National Unity coalition led by the ANC, with the Democratic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, Patriotic Alliance, and others as partners. The 2026 local government elections will be the first major electoral test of the new coalition’s performance.
Currently in Parliament
African National Congress (ANC)
Ideology: Social-democratic, with developmental-state and historical national-liberation orientations.
Founded: 1912 — the oldest political party in Africa.
Leadership: President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Position: Lead party in the Government of National Unity coalition formed after the 2024 election. The 2024 election ended the ANC’s parliamentary majority for the first time since 1994.
Track record: Held an outright majority for 30 years. Currently transitioning to a new role as the largest party in a coalition rather than a single-party government.
Democratic Alliance (DA)
Ideology: Liberal, centre-right.
Founded: 2000, through the merger of the Democratic Party, the New National Party, and the Federal Alliance.
Leadership: John Steenhuisen.
Position: The DA is currently the second-largest party in parliament and a senior partner in the Government of National Unity.
Track record: The DA has consistently grown its national vote share since 2000. It has governed the Western Cape province since 2009 and the City of Cape Town since 2006.
uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MK Party)
Ideology: Left-wing, populist, Zulu-nationalist elements, ANC-traditionalist.
Founded: 2023, taking its name from the historical armed wing of the ANC.
Leadership: Former President Jacob Zuma.
Position: Currently the third-largest party in the National Assembly. Did not join the Government of National Unity.
Track record: Made an unprecedented electoral debut in 2024, winning 58 parliamentary seats and becoming the largest party in KwaZulu-Natal.
View MK Manifesto
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)
Ideology: Pan-Africanist, Marxist-Leninist-Fanonian, left-wing.
Founded: 2013, by Julius Malema after his expulsion from the ANC Youth League. Leadership: Julius Malema.
Position: Currently in opposition. Did not join the Government of National Unity.
Track record: Has grown steadily since founding, though its 2024 result was below its previous high. Has been consistently the third or fourth largest party in parliament since 2014.
View EFF Manifesto
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)
Ideology: Conservative, Zulu-nationalist, traditionalist.
Founded: 1975, as Inkatha; relaunched as a political party in 1990.
Leadership: Velenkosini Hlabisa.
Position: A junior partner in the Government of National Unity.
Track record: Was a major force in KwaZulu-Natal through the 1990s. Has experienced fluctuating electoral fortunes since.
Patriotic Alliance (PA)
Ideology: Right-wing populist, with strong pro-deportation and law-and-order positions.
Founded: 2013, by Gayton McKenzie and Kenny Kunene.
Leadership: Gayton McKenzie.
Position: A junior partner in the Government of National Unity.
Freedom Front Plus (Vryheidsfront Plus · VF+)
Ideology: Right-wing, Afrikaner-nationalist, federalist.
Founded: 1994, succeeding the Conservative Party and other Afrikaner-nationalist formations.
Leadership: Pieter Groenewald.
Position: A junior partner in the Government of National Unity.
ActionSA
Ideology: Centre-right, anti-corruption, populist.
Founded: 2020, by former Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba.
Leadership: Herman Mashaba.
Position: Currently in opposition.
Rise Mzansi
Ideology: Centrist, social-democratic, post-liberation.
Founded: 2023.
Leadership: Songezo Zibi.
Position: A small new party that won parliamentary seats in 2024.
Build One South Africa (BOSA)
Ideology: Centrist, civic, post-liberation.
Founded: 2022, by Mmusi Maimane.
Leadership: Mmusi Maimane (former DA leader).
Position: A small new party with parliamentary representation since 2024.
coming up
december 2026
Gambia
Presidential · 5 December 2026
Ethiopia is a federal parliamentary republic and Africa’s second-most populous country. Its political system is built on ethnic federalism, with regional states organised primarily along ethnic lines. The political landscape was reshaped in 2018 with the appointment of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and again in 2019 with the formation of the Prosperity Party — a merger of three of the four constituent parties of the former EPRDF coalition. The 2020–2022 Tigray war, which concluded with the Pretoria Agreement, deeply affected the country’s political fabric. The 2026 election will be the first scheduled national vote held in peacetime since the conflict.
Currently in Parliament
National People's Party (NPP)
Ideology: Centrist, broad-based, founded around the political project of the current president.
Founded: 2019.
Leadership: President Adama Barrow.
Position: Currently the ruling party.
Track record: Founded after President Barrow’s split from the UDP. Won the largest share of seats in the 2022 legislative elections in coalition with smaller parties.
United Democratic Party (UDP)
Ideology: Centre-right, liberal. Founded: 1996.
Leadership: Ousainou Darboe.
Position: Currently the main opposition.
Track record: Led the opposition coalition that defeated Yahya Jammeh in 2016, with Adama Barrow as their candidate. Subsequently fell out with Barrow over leadership of the post-Jammeh political order.
Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC)
Ideology: Centre-left, populist.
Founded: 2016.
Leadership: Mamma Kandeh.
Position: A smaller opposition party with consistent parliamentary representation.
South Sudan
President & Legislative Assembly · 22 December 2026
Algeria is a semi-presidential republic in North Africa with a bicameral parliament. The political system has been reshaped by the 2019 Hirak protest movement, which forced the resignation of long-serving President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and ushered in a constitutional reform in 2020. Power remains concentrated within the executive and the military establishment, with the National Liberation Front (FLN) — Algeria’s independence-era party — and the Democratic National Rally (RND) continuing to dominate parliament. Islamist, secular-left, and Berber-nationalist opposition parties hold smaller blocs. Voter turnout has declined notably since Hirak.
Currently in Parliament
Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)
Ideology: Originally socialist liberation movement; now broadly developmentalist.
Founded: 1983, as the political wing of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army during the Second Sudanese Civil War.
Leadership: President Salva Kiir Mayardit.
Position: The dominant political force in South Sudan since independence in 2011.
Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO)
Ideology: Same liberation-era roots as the SPLM, with current focus on federalism and inclusive governance.
Founded: 2013, when Riek Machar and others split from the SPLM.Leadership:Riek Machar, currently First Vice-President under the Revitalised Peace Agreement.
Position:Junior partner in the transitional government, contesting the 2026 election as a separate political force.
Other Political Parties (OPP)
Type: A coalition of smaller parties operating within the framework of the transitional government.
Position: Holds a defined share of representation under the Revitalised Peace Agreement.
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