South Africa’s Opposition Parties Plan Talks to Challenge ANC in Upcoming Elections.
South Africa’s main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), along with six other parties, has announced their intention to hold talks and form a coalition in an effort to unseat the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in the upcoming elections. Notably, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the country’s third-largest political force, is not part of this coalition, as it holds a more left-wing position compared to the ANC.
Over the years, the ANC, which played a significant role in the fight against apartheid and has been in power for nearly three decades, has experienced a decline in its support. In the most recent municipal elections in 2021, the party received less than 50% of the total vote share.
The seven opposition parties involved in the talks aim to present a united and formidable front to challenge the ANC’s majority in the upcoming elections. In a joint statement, they expressed their belief that “the incumbent governing party is set to lose its majority when voters go to the polls next year.”
The parties plan to convene for a two-day meeting next month to negotiate and finalize the terms of their alliance. However, the absence of the EFF, which secured a 10% share in the 2019 general election, may pose a significant challenge in their quest to win a majority of votes in the upcoming elections.