In the aftermath of the conclusion of the peace process in Angola in 1992 the
Angolan government managed to establish formal democratic institutions.
Foremost on the agenda was the decision to allow for multiparty elections.
Yet the launch of electoral politics as part of the democratic landscape in
Angola has not led to the development of a culture of tolerance and openness
typical of democratic societies. On the contrary, the outbreak of a civil war
following the disputed elections in 1992 gave the Angolan government the
opportunity to revert to its authoritarian ways. The consequence of this
reversal was that the elections of 2008 have not led to the entrenchment or
the development of electoral democracy but rather to the reinforcement of
electoral authoritarianism. This article posits that while the foundation for
the evolution of electoral democracy has been laid, the Angolan government
can, at best, be described as an electoral authoritarian state that reinforces
its hegemony over Angolan society through electoral processes which do not
conform to democratic practices.