ASSESSMENTS

In Angola, an Age-Old Story of Money, Power and Family

Aug 22, 2017 | 09:00 GMT

In Angola, a supporter brandishes the flag of the opposition National Union for the Total Independence of Angola party just days before the country's general elections.

As President Jose Eduardo dos Santos prepares to step down after 38 years in power, Angola's principal opposition party is trying to turn up the heat on his children, who occupy powerful positions in the country.

(MARCO LONGARI/AFP/Getty Images)

Highlights

  • Elections slated for Aug. 23 will mark the end of the first phase of Angola's leadership transition.
  • The ruling party, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, will continue to prioritize stability and cohesion.
  • The new president may be forced to weigh in on the business positions held by the outgoing president's children while dealing with other opposition factions.

Angola is at the edge of a new era. Legislative elections Aug. 23 will formally consecrate the transfer of power from the oil-rich country's longtime ruler, President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, to Defense Minister Joao Lourenco, marking the first leadership change in Angola since 1979. The vote will close the first phase of the transition, which dos Santos and the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) have tried to conduct as smoothly as possible. But as Lourenco prepares to take the reins, the next phase of the transition could be a bumpier ride....

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