Cyril Ramaphosa is Going to be President of South Africa Again Despite Losing the Election
In a surprising twist of South African politics, Cyril Ramaphosa is set for re-election as president despite the African National Congress (ANC) suffering its worst electoral performance since the end of apartheid. The ANC, which has dominated South African politics since 1994, saw its parliamentary majority crumble, securing only 40 percent of the vote in the May 29 elections. This significant decline forced the ANC to seek coalition partners to retain power. On Friday, Ramaphosa struck a historic deal with the opposition, including the white-led Democratic Alliance (DA) and two smaller parties—the socially conservative Inkatha Freedom Party and the right-wing Patriotic Alliance. This coalition, a government of national unity, represents a remarkable shift in the political landscape, given the long-standing opposition between the ANC and the DA. John Steenhuisen, leader of the DA, emphasized the importance of unity in his announcement of the coalition agreement: “Toda...
