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Namibia is a one party dominant 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]

Parties with parliamentary seats

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

Party[2] Abbr. Leader Political position Ideology Council Assembly
South West Africa People’s Organisation
Afrikaans: Suidwes-Afrikaanse Volks Organisasie
German: Südwestafrikanische Volksorganisation 		SWAPO
SWAVO 		Hage Geingob 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 RDP Faustus 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

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (February 2018)
National parties
Local parties
Banned parties

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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b 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.
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