List of political parties in Namibia

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Namibia is a dominant-party state with the South-West Africa People's Organisation in power. Opposition parties are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power. In Namibian politics, ethnicity plays a significant role in party affiliation and voting behaviour. Some parties are dominated by single ethnic groups; SWAPO itself, its government, and administration, is pre-dominantly Ovambo. [1]

Contents

Parties with parliamentary seats

Parties with seats in the National Assembly of Namibia after the 2019 elections:

Party [2] Abbr.LeaderPolitical positionIdeology Council Assembly
South West Africa People’s Organisation
Afrikaans : Suidwes-Afrikaanse Volks Organisasie
German : Südwestafrikanische Volksorganisation
SWAPO
SWAVO
Vacant Centre-left Socialism with Namibian characteristics [3]
28 / 42
63 / 104
Popular Democratic Movement
Afrikaans : Populêre Demokratiese Beweging
PDM McHenry Venaani Centre-right Conservatism
Economic liberalism
2 / 42
16 / 104
Landless People's Movement LPM Bernadus Swartbooi Centre-left
to left-wing
Social democracy
Progressivism
Land reform
Environmentalism
6 / 42
4 / 104
United Democratic Front UDF Apius Auchab Damara interests
2 / 42
2 / 104
National Unity Democratic Organisation NUDO Esther Muinjangue Centre-right Herero interests
1 / 42
2 / 104
Independent Patriots for Change IPC Panduleni Itula Grassroots democracy
2 / 42
0 / 104
All People's Party APP Ignatius Shixwameni Centre-left Social democracy
0 / 42
2 / 104
Republican Party
German : Republikanische Partei
RP Henk Mudge Right-wing Conservatism
Christian democracy
0 / 42
2 / 104
Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters NEFF Epafras Mukwiilongo Far-left Marxism–Leninism
Pan-Africanism
Anti-capitalism
0 / 42
2 / 104
Rally for Democracy and Progress RDPFaustus Thomas Centre-left Liberalism
African nationalism
0 / 42
1 / 104
Christian Democratic Voice CDV Mike Kavekotora Far-right Christian fundamentalism
Neo-Pentecostalism
0 / 42
1 / 104
South West Africa National Union SWANU Tangeni Iiyambo Left-wing Democratic socialism
Left-wing nationalism
0 / 42
1 / 104

Unrepresented parties

The following parties contested the 2019 parliamentary elections but did not gain a seat, in the order of votes obtained: [2]

New parties

The following parties were established after the last parliamentary elections in 2019: [5]

Parties of local relevance

The following parties did not contest the 2019 general elections but took part in the 2020 local authority election, and gained seats: [8]

Defunct parties

National parties
Local parties
Banned parties

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References

  1. Düsing, Sandra (2002). Traditional Leadership and Democratisation in Southern Africa: A Comparative Study of Botswana, Namibia, and Southern Africa. Studien zur Politikwissenschaft. LIT Verlag Münster. pp. 125–126. ISBN   9783825850654.
  2. 1 2 Iikela, Sakeus (2 December 2019). "Reduced victory ... Swapo, Geingob drop votes". The Namibian . p. 1.
  3. "Socialism with Namibian characteristics". Namibian Sun. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  4. "Publication of results and particulars in respect of general elections for local authority councils: Electoral Act, 2014" (PDF). Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia . No. 7497. Government of Namibia. 1 April 2021. p. 21.
  5. 1 2 Iikela, Sakeus (23 September 2020). "ECN registers 22 associations". The Namibian .
  6. "2020 Local Authority Elections Results and Allocation of Seats" (PDF). Electoral Commission of Namibia. 29 November 2020. p. 6. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  7. Eliaser Ndeyanale (29 November 2020): Swapo loses 29 local council seats in the north. The Namibian
  8. "2020 Local Authority Elections Results and Allocation of Seats" (PDF). Electoral Commission of Namibia. 29 November 2020. p. 2. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  9. Staff writer (11 September 2006). "Caprivi Political Party Declared Illegal". IRIN (via afrol News). Retrieved 25 March 2011.