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Ramaphosa Gets Second Term in South Africa, but Coalition Is Fragile
A new government led by the African National Congress gave Cyril Ramaphosa another term as president, though he faces challenges in Parliament.
A fragile coalition of lawmakers in South Africa elected Cyril Ramaphosa for a second term as president on Friday, marking a new era of political uncertainty in one of the continent’s most stable democracies.
After suffering a sharp decline in support in last month’s national election, Mr. Ramaphosa’s party, the African National Congress, undertook feverish negotiations to form a governing coalition with rivals, inking a deal only after Friday’s parliamentary session had begun.
The coalition deal includes the second-largest party, the Democratic Alliance — long a bitter rival of the A.N.C. — and the fifth-largest one, the Inkatha Freedom Party. Some of the 15 other parties in Parliament are also expected to join the coalition, which the A.N.C. is calling a “government of national unity.”
Many South Africans hope that this new coalition will force the parties to work together to provide better outcomes in a country with economic stagnation, high unemployment and entrenched poverty.
Addressing lawmakers after a 14-hour session, Mr. Ramaphosa said the fact that opposing parties decided to come together to elect him “has given a new birth, a new era to our country.”
“I do sincerely believe that this is an era of hope and is also an era of inclusivity,” he added.
The Democratic Alliance — which won nearly 22 percent of the vote — hailed the coalition agreement as a fresh start. “From today, the D.A. will co-govern the Republic of South Africa in a spirit of unity and collaboration,” said John Steenhuisen, the party’s leader.
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