On Friday evening, representatives from South Africa elected Cyril Ramaphosa for a second term as President of the Republic. Ramaphosa, who is 71 years old, received a majority of 283 votes from the National Assembly, which is made up of 400 representatives. The election session was presided over by Judge Raymond Zondo, who declared Ramaphosa as the duly elected president after he won by a wide margin over his competitor Julius Malema from the EFF party.
The South African Parliament, which emerged from the recent legislative elections held at the end of May, met to elect a head of state. This election resulted in the formation of a coalition government between the African National Congress and the Democratic Alliance, the largest opposition party. Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Ramaphosa on his re-election, showing international recognition of the democratic process in South Africa.
Despite losing the absolute majority in the National Assembly, the African National Congress still holds a majority of 159 seats in Parliament. The Democratic Alliance, which won 87 seats, announced an agreement to form a government with the African National Congress. This coalition government is aimed at creating a national unity government that includes various political parties from different ideologies.
The new coalition government focuses on center-right and center-left parties, as well as nationalist and minority parties, in an effort to promote unity and cooperation among different political factions. This approach marks a shift towards a more inclusive government that represents the diversity of the South African population. Ramaphosa’s re-election and the formation of this coalition government signify a new chapter in South Africa’s political landscape.