Government Politics of Mozambique

Last elections: October 2014 (legislative and presidential)

Next elections: 2019

Head of state: President Filipe Nyusi

Head of government: the President

Ruling party: Frelimo

President Joaquim Chissano and his party, Frelimo (Frente de Libertaçâo de Moçambique), won the presidential and parliamentary elections in December 1999. Chissano secured 52.3% of the popular vote and Afonso Dhlakama – leader of Renamo (Resistência Nacional Moçambicana) and the candidate for 11 opposition parties – received 47.7%. In the parliamentary elections Frelimo took 133 seats (48.5%) and Renamo 117 (38.8%).

Chissano announced in mid-2001 that he would not stand for a third term in the election due in 2004 and in June 2002 Frelimo selected Armando Guebuza as its new leader and presidential candidate.

In the December 2004 elections Guebuza – with 63.7% of the votes – and Frelimo – with 160 seats – defeated Dhlakama (31.7%) and Renamo (90 seats). Renamo immediately alleged electoral fraud and threatened to boycott parliament. Commonwealth observers and experts, who attended the elections, expressed concern at the low turnout (estimated at 36%); they further concluded that conditions did exist for the free expression of the will of the people but that some degree of fraud had taken place which could conceivably have been sufficient to affect the results.

In October 2009 Guebuza and Frelimo were returned to power. In the presidential contest Guebuza received 75% of votes, Renamo leader Dhlakama 16% and Daviz Simango of the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM) 9%; the turnout was 45%. In the parliamentary elections Frelimo won 191 seats (with 75% of votes), Renamo 51 seats (18%) and MDM 8 (4%). Commonwealth observers, who were once again present, found that the election had generally been well conducted, though there were concerns about lack of transparency in the work of the National Elections Commission.

On 15 October 2014, in a turnout of less than 50 per cent, the presidential and parliamentary elections were won by Frelimo. In the presidential poll Filipe Nyusi (Frelimo) secured 57 per cent of votes, Dhlakama (Renamo) 37 per cent and Simango (MDM) six per cent. Frelimo – with 56 per cent of the vote – took 144 parliamentary seats, Renamo – with 32 per cent – 89 seats and MDM – with eight per cent – 17 seats. Some 26 other parties took part in the parliamentary elections. A Commonwealth observer group led by former Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Hubert Ingraham, was present at the elections.