Government, Political Parties

Before 1994 the only legal party was the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo, from Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique), which had come to power with independence in 1975. As part of the civil war peace process, the 1990 constitution provided for a multiparty system. Fourteen political parties participated in the 1994 legislative elections. Frelimo won the most seats, followed by the Mozambique National Resistance (Renamo, from Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana), which fought against Frelimo in the civil war. The coalition party Democratic Union took third place. In 1999 legislative elections, only Frelimo and Renamo received enough votes to win seats, with Frelimo taking 133 to Renamo’s 117.