What’s next for LGBTQ rights in South Africa after the country’s elections?
More than 50 independent candidates and political parties participated in South Africa’s national and provincial elections that took place on May 29.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa declared the results on June 2. No independent candidate or political party managed to secure the outright parliamentary majority of more than 50 percent of the votes, which prompts the creation of a coalition government.
None of the 18 political parties that managed to win at least one seat in the National Assembly wholly represented the LGBTQ community.
Although South Africa is the only African country that constitutionally recognizes the rights of the LGBTQ community, some of the political parties that managed to secure seats in the National Assembly had signaled they would reserve these gains.