South Africa is in the midst of negotiations for the formation of a new government as the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority in the recent elections. With parliament set to convene soon, discussions are ongoing about the structure of a government of national unity. The ANC has hinted at a breakthrough in the talks, but details remain sparse.
Despite the lack of a finalized coalition deal, Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to be re-elected president. The ANC’s loss of a parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years has necessitated cooperation with other parties to maintain power.
While some progress has been made with parties like the Democratic Alliance (DA) agreeing to a government of national unity, specific cooperation details are still being ironed out. The inclusion of more right-leaning parties like the DA has raised concerns among some ANC supporters.
Efforts to form a broad coalition have faced obstacles from parties like the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) due to ideological differences and demands for constitutional changes.