President of Angola

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The President is both head of state and head of government in Angola. While the President appoints a Prime Minister, executive authority usually belongs to the President.

The position of President dates from Angola's independence from Portugal. Agostinho Neto held the position when his Marxist Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) won control of the country from the Portuguese. When Neto died in 1979, José Eduardo dos Santos succeeded him.

Under Dos Santos's leadership, Angola became a multi-party democracy. The most recent elections, held in 1992, reelected Dos Santos with 49% of the votes. Dos Santos's opponent, Jonas Savimbi of the National Union for Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) party, claimed that the elections were fraudulent.

In January 2010 the National Assembly approved a new constitution, according to which the leader of the party with the most seats in the Assmbly would become president, rather than a public vote taking place. The new constitution also limits a president to serving two terms, although it does not count terms served to date, and abolished the post of Prime Minister, the responsibilities of which will pass to the vice-president.^[1]