JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party has lost its outright majority for the first time in a devastating blow for the party once led by Nelson Mandela. The ANC has dominated South African politics since winning in the first post-apartheid elections 30 years ago.

The ANC was braced for a disappointing outcome, predicted by polls before Wednesday’s elections, but the final results are even more sobering. It won 40 percent of the vote, falling from 57% in 2019.

  • @cannibalkushEnglish
    5•7 months ago

    Now we’re all waiting with baited breath for some of these interminable assholes to actually form a coalition government 😕

    • @[email protected]English
      12•7 months ago

      baited breath

      “bated breath”

      https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/with_bated_breath

      From the verb bate, alteration by aphesis of the verb abate (“to reduce; lessen”). Coined by William Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice, see quotations.

      with bated breath

      1. With reduced breath.

      2. (idiomatic) Eagerly; with great anticipation.

      We are waiting with bated breath for the release of the new version.