A Historic Election in South Africa: Implications for Its Foreign and Economic Policies

In South Africa's parliamentary elections held recently, the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority in the national parliament for the first time since rising to power following apartheid in 1994. As a result, the ANC is forced to form a coalition government with rival parties for the first time in its history. 

We discussed how a new coalition government might impact South Africa's foreign policy and its outward-facing economic policies post-election, including its views toward the ongoing great power rivalry involving the US, China, and Russia, its international legal challenge to the war in Gaza, and US-South Africa bilateral ties. Ziyanda Stuurman, Senior Analyst for southern Africa at the Eurasia Group, and Dr. Kingsley Makhubela, a former South African ambassador, participated in the conversation. Sarang Shidore, Director of the Global South program at the Quincy Institute, moderated.