Angola

March 2007 | Ratings Update

President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who has been in power since 1979, recently announced that legislative elections will be held in 2008, followed by presidential polls in 2009. But the fact that polls have already been delayed twice since the 27-year civil conflict ended in 2002 is likely to keep a lid on hopes. A key practical hurdle is the registration of the country's around 7mn eligible voters, a process which began in November 2006 and is scheduled to be completed by mid-June of 2007. At any rate, going forward, a failure of the dos Santos administration to push back still high levels of poverty - especially in the face of the current oil-fuelled economic boom - will remain a source of public dissatisfaction.

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