MPLA facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola
Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola
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| Abbreviation | MPLA |
| Chairman | João Lourenço |
| Secretary-General | Paulo Pombolo |
| Founders | Agostinho Neto Viriato da Cruz |
| Founded | 10 December 1956 |
| Merger of |
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| Headquarters | Luanda, Luanda Province |
| Newspaper | • Jornal de Angola |
| Youth wing | Youth of MPLA |
| Women's wing | Organization of Angolan Women |
| Paramilitary wing | People's Armed Forces of Liberation of Angola (1956–1993) |
| Membership (2022) | 3,000,000 |
| Ideology |
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| Political position |
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| International affiliation | Socialist International (since 2006) |
| African affiliation |
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| Colours | Red |
| Slogan |
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| National Assembly |
124 / 220
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| SADC PF |
0 / 5
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| Pan-African Parliament |
0 / 5
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| Election symbol | |
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| Party flag | |
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The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (Portuguese: Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola, abbr. MPLA) is a major political party in Angola. For some years, it was known as the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola – Labour Party.
The MPLA played a key role in Angola's history. It fought against the Portuguese Army during the Angolan War of Independence (1961–1974). After Angola gained independence, the MPLA also fought against other groups, UNITA and FNLA, in the Angolan Civil War. The party has been in charge of Angola since 1975, when the country became independent from Portugal.
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Forming the MPLA
On December 10, 1956, several groups joined together to create the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola. This happened in Portuguese Angola, which was then ruled by Portugal. The main groups that merged were the Angolan Communist Party (PCA) and the Party of the United Struggle for Africans in Angola (PLUAA). Viriato da Cruz, who was the leader of the PCA, became the first secretary general of the MPLA. Other groups, like the Movement for the National Independence of Angola (MINA), also joined later.
The MPLA got most of its support from the Ambundu ethnic group. It also had strong support from educated people in the capital city, Luanda. In the past, the party had connections with communist parties in Europe and the Soviet Union. Today, it is a member of the Socialist International, which is a group of social democratic parties.
The MPLA had its own armed group called the People's Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA). This group later became the official armed forces of Angola.
In 1961, the MPLA joined forces with other groups fighting for independence in Africa. These included the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). They worked together to fight against Portuguese rule in Africa.
In the early 1970s, the MPLA's fighting activities became less frequent. This was partly because the Portuguese military was fighting back strongly. Also, there were some disagreements and splits within the MPLA itself. However, these internal problems were mostly solved by 1974.
Independence and Civil War
In 1974, a revolution happened in Lisbon, Portugal. This led to a new government that decided to end the fighting in Angola. Portugal agreed to give power to three Angolan groups that wanted independence. However, these groups quickly started fighting among themselves. This led to a civil war right after Angola became independent.
The MPLA controlled Luanda and the rich oil fields along the coast. On November 11, 1975, Agostinho Neto, the leader of the MPLA, declared Angola's independence. He became the first president. The other groups, UNITA and FNLA, also declared their own independence in a different city. This started the civil war between them and the MPLA. The MPLA eventually gained the upper hand. After Agostinho Neto passed away in 1979, José Eduardo dos Santos became the new president.
During the civil war, different countries supported different sides. South Africa and Zaire helped FNLA and UNITA. The United States also gave a lot of help to these two groups. On the other hand, Cuba sent troops to help the MPLA against South Africa. The Soviet Union also supported Cuba and the MPLA government. By 1980, the MPLA had pushed UNITA back into the countryside, and South African forces left.
In 1977, at its first big meeting, the MPLA decided to follow Marxism–Leninism as its main idea. They also added "Labour Party" to their name. After a difficult internal conflict in 1977, the party decided to follow a socialist path, not a communist one. However, they still had strong ties with the Soviet Union. They set up socialist economic rules and created a one-party state, meaning only the MPLA was allowed to rule. Many Cuban troops stayed in Angola to help fight UNITA and keep the government safe.
When the Cold War ended, the MPLA changed its ideas. In December 1990, they announced that social democracy would be their new official idea.
The MPLA won the elections in Angola in 1992. However, some opposition parties said the elections were unfair. This led to more fighting, and the civil war started again. Many supporters of UNITA and FNLA were killed in events like the Halloween Massacre. The war continued until 2002, when UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi was killed. After his death, the two sides agreed to stop fighting. UNITA then became a political party. The civil war caused the deaths of many people.
Human Rights Concerns
The MPLA government in Angola has faced accusations of human rights problems. International groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have reported issues such as people being arrested without good reason and being treated badly.
Party Groups
The MPLA has several important groups connected to it. These include the Angolan Women's Organization (Organização da Mulher Angolana), the National Union of Angolan Workers (União Nacional dos Trabalhadores Angolanos), the Agostinho Neto Pioneer Organization (Organização de Pioneiros de Agostinho Neto), and the Youth of MPLA (Juventude do MPLA).
International Support
During the wars, the MPLA received help from many countries. This help included military support and humanitarian aid. Some of these countries were Algeria, Brazil, Bulgaria, East Germany, Cape Verde, Czechoslovakia, Congo, Cuba, Guinea-Bissau, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, North Korea, Poland, China, Romania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Somalia, the Soviet Union, Sudan, Tanzania, Libya, and SFR Yugoslavia. China supported the MPLA for a short time, but also helped the MPLA's enemies due to its own disagreements with the Soviet Union.
Elections in Angola
The MPLA has won many elections in Angola since the civil war ended.
Presidential Elections
| Election | Party candidate | Votes | % | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | José Eduardo dos Santos | 1,953,335 | 49.57% | Won  |
| 2012 | 4,135,503 | 71.85% | Won |
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| 2017 | João Lourenço | 4,907,057 | 61.08% | Won |
| 2022 | 3,209,429 | 51.17% | Won |
National Assembly Elections
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | José Eduardo dos Santos | Indirect election |
229 / 229
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New |  1st |
Sole legal party | |
| 1986 | Indirect election |
173 / 290
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 56 |
 1st |
Sole legal party | ||
| 1992 | 2,124,126 | 53.74% |
129 / 220
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44 |
1st |
Majority government | |
| 2008 | 5,266,216 | 81.64% |
191 / 220
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62 |
1st |
Supermajority government | |
| 2012 | 4,135,503 | 71.85% |
175 / 220
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16 |
1st |
Supermajority government | |
| 2017 | João Lourenço | 4,907,057 | 61.08% |
150 / 220
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25 |
1st |
Supermajority government |
| 2022 | 3,209,429 | 51.17% |
124 / 220
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26 |
1st |
Majority government | |
See also
In Spanish: Movimiento Popular de Liberación de Angola para niños
- African independence movements
- Cuban intervention in Angola
- History of Angola
- List of current Angolan ministers (all MPLA members)
- Mário Pinto de Andrade
- Luzia Inglês Van-Dúnem
