Анголаның Бірпалаталық Парламенті

Unicameral legislature of Angola

The National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional) is the legislative branch of the government of Angola. Angola is a unicameral country so the National Assembly is the only legislative chamber at the national level. The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) has held a majority in the Assembly since Angolan independence in 1975. Multi party elections were delayed under Jose Eduardo dos Santos quasi dictatorial rule for decades until the Angolan general election, 1992. The first Angolan legislative election was in September 2008. After a new constitution was adopted in 2010, the first election under this new constitution was held in 2012, increasing considerably the power of the President, and diminishing that of the National Assembly as well as that of the judiciary.

The 220 members of the National Assembly are elected by two methods: Ninety are elected in 18 five seat constituencies, by party list proportional representation using the d'Hondt method. The other 130 are selected by party list proportional representation using closed lists, allocated proportionally to the nationwide vote tallies.

As of 2015, the Angolan government was composed of three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch of the government is composed of the President, the Vice Presidents and the Council of Ministers. The legislative branch comprises a 220 seat unicameral legislature elected from both provincial and nationwide constituencies. On account of civil wars from independence, political power has been concentrated in the presidency. There are various temporary and permanent committees in the Assembly that help in the operational and administrative functions of the Assembly.

The Unicameral Parliament of Angola was scheduled originally in 1980 to be constituted of 229 elected members. for a period of three years after the elections. All Angolan citizens with 18 years of age were eligible to cast their vote. Citizens who were members of factional groups, had a criminal record and who had not been rehabilitated were barred from exercising their voting rights. The representatives of the provincial assemblies formed a college and they elected the representatives of the House of Parliament. The candidates were expected to be answerable to the citizens in public meetings, with their candidature approved by a majority in the province where they were getting nominated. A constitutional amendment on 19 August 1980 indicated that the Council formed during interim would be replaced by a national people's assembly and there would be 18 elected assemblies.

The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) has held a majority in the Assembly since Angolan independence in 1975. Jose Eduardo dos Santos won the 1980 and 1986 "elections" and became the first elected President of the country, when it was a one party state known as the Angolan People's Republic, with the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola Party of Labour (MPLA PT) as the sole legal party. As a result, most candidates were members of the party, and two thirds were re nominated from 1980 elections in the 1986 elections. The Angolan Civil War (1975 2002) continued with UNITA fighting against the MLPA, with both parties taking international support. During 1989, there was a cease fire agreement with the leader of UNITA, Jonas Savimbi, but it collapsed soon. As part of its peace efforts, MLPA dropped its theme of Marxism–Leninism and moved over to democratic socialism. In May 1991, Dos Santos and Savimbi signed a multiparty democracy agreement in Lisbon. Dos Santos won the 1992, 2008 and 2012 elections as well in the Presidency elections, but since 1992 multiple parties started performing. During the 1992 election, the first multi party election, UNITA secured 34 per cent vote in the assembly and won 70 seats. But during the 2008 and 2012, their win was reduced to 16 and 32 seats respectively, while the ruling MPLA won 191 and 175 seats respectively. After a new constitution was adopted in 2010, the first elections under this new constitution were held in 2012, increasing considerably the power of the President, and diminishing that of the National Assembly as well as that of the judiciary.