Elections 2024 in South Africa: results and consequences

The article analyses the preparation and results of the parliamentary elections held in South Africa on May 29, 2024. The ruling party, namely the African National Congress, failed to win the majority of votes, for the first time in 30 years that democratic South Africa exists. This outcome marks a significant turning point in the country's political landscape, indicating that the ANC's leadership may be facing challenges in the future. However, the study shows that the change in the number of supporters is a problem not only for the ANC, but also for other political players in the country. The paper aims to identify the reasons why the ANC lost the support of voters. The author carefully examines the main stages of the vote preparation. She analyses the election campaigns of various parties, including the ANC and opposition party like the Democratic Alliance, as well as new political movements that took part in the elections for the first time. Special attention is given to party financing, organizing political events, and strategies for voter mobilization. Other factors that may have influenced the voting outcome are taken into account, including the sudden emergence of the party led by former South African president (2009–2018) Jacob Zuma. As a result, the article identifies several factors that contributed to the voting outcome, that are economic challenges, including high unemployment rate among young people, corruption and ineffective local government, the changing demographics, including the growing number of young people unrelated to the apartheid era. The paper speculates how this new political landscape may shape the country's domestic and foreign policies. Additionally, the article explores the initial actions taken by the newly formed government, namely the "Government of National Unity." One of the primary concerns raised in the paper is how changes in domestic policies will impact South Africa's foreign policy as a member of BRICS and one of the leading countries of the Global South after the appointment of the new government and the new Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. In conclusion, the 2024 elections have become an important event in the political life of South Africa. They showed that the country is going through significant changes that can greatly affect its domestic and foreign policy.

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