South Africa’s parliament has re-elected Cyril Ramaphosa as president after a landmark coalition deal between the governing African National Congress (ANC) and opposition parties.
Ramaphosa won the late Friday vote against Julius Malema, leader of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters, securing 283 votes to Malema’s 44.
71-year-old Ramaphosa secured his second term with the help of lawmakers from the country’s second-biggest party, the Democratic Alliance, and some smaller parties.
In his victory speech, Mr. Ramaphosa hailed the new coalition and said voters expected the leaders “to act and to work together for the good of everyone in our country.”
Earlier, a deal was struck following weeks of speculation about whom the ANC would partner with after losing its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years in last month’s elections.
The ANC received 40% of the vote, while the DA came second with 22%.
The ANC’s vote share collapsed in large part due to the new uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, named for the ANC’s armed wing during apartheid. It came as a surprise third in the election with 14.6% of the vote, just six months after it was launched by former president Jacob Zuma.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula called the coalition deal a “remarkable step.”
It meant Mr. Ramaphosa, who replaced Jacob Zuma as both president and ANC leader following a bitter power struggle in 2018, was able to retain power.
The next step is for Mr. Ramaphosa to allocate cabinet positions, which will include members of the DA.
A “statement of intent” signed by the ANC and DA includes a commitment to a “merit-based, nonpartisan and professional civil service.” The DA has long criticized the ANC’s appointment of its supporters to public sector positions, known in South Africa as “cadre deployment,” claiming it fosters corruption.
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