Dominant-party system

A dominant-party system, or one-party dominant system, is a political occurrence in which a single political party continuously dominates election results over running opposition groups or parties. Any ruling party staying in power for more than one consecutive term may be considered a dominant party. Some dominant parties were called the natural governing party, given their length of time in power.
Dominant parties, and their domination of a state, develop out of one-sided electoral and party constellations within a multi-party system, and as such differ from states under a one-party system, which are intricately organized around a specific party. Sometimes the term "de facto one-party state" is used to describe dominant-party systems which, unlike a one-party system, allows democratic multiparty elections, but the existing practices or balance of political power effectively prevent the opposition from winning power, thus resembling a one-party state. Dominant-party systems differ from the political dynamics of other dominant multi-party constellations such as consociationalism, grand coalitions and two-party systems, which are characterized and sustained by narrow or balanced competition and cooperation.
In political literature, more than 130 dominant party systems between 1950 and 2017 were included in a list by A. A. Ostroverkhov. For example, in the post-Soviet states, researchers classify parties such as United Russia and Amanat as dominant parties on the basis that these parties have long held the majority of seats in parliament. In Russian political science literature, such associations are often called "parties of power".
It is believed that a system with a dominant party can be either authoritarian or democratic. However, since there is no consensus in the global political science community on a set of mandatory features of democracy, it is difficult to separate the two types of one-party dominance.

Theory

Dominant-party systems are commonly based on majority rule for proportional representation or majority boosting in semi-proportional representation. Plurality voting systems can result in large majorities for a party with a lower percentage of the vote than in proportional representation systems due to a fractured opposition and gerrymandering.
Critics of the "dominant party" theory argue that it views the meaning of democracy as given, and that it assumes that only a particular conception of representative democracy is valid. Raymond Suttner, himself a former leader in the African National Congress, argues that "the dominant party 'system' is deeply flawed as a mode of analysis and lacks explanatory capacity. But it is also a very conservative approach to politics. Its fundamental political assumptions are restricted to one form of democracy, namely electoral politics, and display hostility towards popular politics. This is manifest in the obsession with the quality of electoral opposition, and its sidelining or ignoring of popular political activity organised in other ways. The assumption in this approach is that other forms of organisation and opposition are of limited importance or a separate matter from the consolidation of their version of democracy."
One of the dangers of dominant parties is "the tendency of dominant parties to conflate party and state and to appoint party officials to senior positions irrespective of their having the required qualities." However, in some countries this is common practice even when there is no dominant party. In contrast to one-party systems, dominant-party systems can occur within a context of a democratic system as well as an authoritarian one. In a one-party system other parties are banned, but in dominant-party systems other political parties are tolerated, and operate without overt legal impediment, but do not have a realistic chance of winning; the dominant party genuinely wins the votes of the vast majority of voters every time. Under authoritarian dominant-party systems, which may be referred to as "electoralism" or "soft authoritarianism", opposition parties are legally allowed to operate, but are too weak or ineffective to seriously challenge power, perhaps through various forms of corruption, constitutional quirks that intentionally undermine the ability for an effective opposition to thrive, institutional and/or organizational conventions that support the status quo, occasional but not omnipresent political repression, or inherent cultural values averse to change.
In some states opposition parties are subject to varying degrees of official harassment and most often deal with restrictions on free speech, lawsuits against the opposition, and rules or electoral systems designed to put them at a disadvantage. In some cases outright electoral fraud keeps the opposition from power. However, some dominant-party systems occur, at least temporarily, in countries that are widely seen, both by their citizens and outside observers, to be textbook examples of democracy. An example of a genuine democratic dominant-party system would be the pre-Emergency India, which was almost universally viewed by all as being a democratic state, even though the only major national party at that time was the Indian National Congress. The reasons why a dominant-party system may form in such a country are often debated: supporters of the dominant party tend to argue that their party is simply doing a good job in government and the opposition continuously proposes unrealistic or unpopular changes, while supporters of the opposition tend to argue that the electoral system disfavors them, or that the dominant party receives a disproportionate amount of funding from various sources and is therefore able to mount more persuasive campaigns. In states with ethnic issues, one party may be seen as being the party for an ethnicity or race with the party for the majority ethnic, racial or religious group dominating, e.g., the African National Congress in South Africa has strong support amongst Bantu peoples of South Africa and the Ulster Unionist Party governed Northern Ireland from its creation in 1921 until 1972 with the support of the Protestant majority. Similarly, the Apartheid-era National Party in South Africa had the support of Afrikaners who make up the majority of White South Africans while English-speaking white South Africans tended towards more liberal and reform-oriented parties like the Progressive Federal Party.
Sub-national entities are often dominated by one party due to the area's demographic being on one end of the spectrum or espousing a unique local identity. For example, the current elected government of the District of Columbia has been governed by Democrats since its creation in the 1970s, Bavaria by the Christian Social Union since 1957, Madeira by the Social Democrats since 1976, and Alberta by the Progressive Conservatives from 1971 to 2015. On the other hand, where the dominant party rules nationally on a genuinely democratic basis, the opposition may be strong in one or more subnational areas, possibly even constituting a dominant party locally; an example is South Africa, where although the African National Congress is dominant at the national level, the opposition Democratic Alliance is strong to dominant in the Province of Western Cape.

Methods of dominant-party governments

In dominant-party governments, they use institutional channels, rather than repression, to influence the population. Coercive distribution can control citizens and economic elites through land reform, poverty alleviation, public health, housing, education, and employment programs. Further, they distribute private goods to the winning coalition in order to stay in power. Giving the winning coalition private goods also prevents civil conflict. They also use the education system to teach and uphold compliance. The recruiting, disciplining, and training of teachers allow for authoritarian governments to control teachers into following their objective: to foster compliance from the youth. Another way that they maintain control is through hosting elections. Even though they would not be fair elections, hosting them allows citizens to feel that they have some control and a political outlet. They can also enhance rule within their own state through international collaboration, by supporting and gaining the support, especially economic support, of other similar governments.

Current dominant-party systems

Africa

* Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola : In power since independence, November 11, 1975; sole legal party, 1975–92
* Formerly led by President José Eduardo dos Santos and now led by João Lourenço.
* Presidential election, 1992: dos Santos won 49.6% of the vote. As this was not an absolute majority, a runoff against Jonas Savimbi was required, but did not take place.
* New constitution, 2010: popular election of president abolished in favour of a rule that the top candidate of the most voted party in parliamentary elections becomes president.
* Parliamentary election, 2022: MPLA 51.17% and 124 of 220 seats.
* National Council for the Defense of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy In power since 2005
* Led by President Évariste Ndayishimiye, in office since June 18, 2020
* Presidential election, 2020: Évariste Ndayishimiye 71.45%
* Parliamentary election, 2020: CNDD-FDD 70.98% and 72 of 100 seats.
* Cameroon People's Democratic Movement : Led by President Paul Biya, in office since November 6, 1982
* In power, under various names, since independence, January 1, 1960
* Presidential election, 2018: Paul Biya 71.28%
* Parliamentary election, 2020: RDPC 139 of 180 seats
:
*Patriotic Salvation Movement Founded by the former president Idriss Déby and led by President Mahamat Déby.
*In power since 1990.
*Parliamentary election, 2024: MPS 124 of 188 seats
*Presidential election, 2024: Mahamat Déby 61.00%.
Comoros
*Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros : Led by President Azali Assoumani, in office from 30 April 1999 to 21 January 2002, 26 May 2002 to 26 May 2006, and since 26 May 2016
*In power since its formation in 2002
*Parliamentary election, 2025: CRC 31 of 33 seats
*Presidential election, 2024: Azali Assoumani 57.02%
* Congolese Party of Labour : Led by President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, in office from February 8, 1979, to August 31, 1992, and since October 15, 1997
* In power, under various names, from 1969 to 1992 and since 1997
* Parliamentary election, 2022: PCT 112 of 151 seats
* Presidential election, 2021: Denis Sassou-Nguesso 88.40%
* People's Rally for Progress
* Led by President Ismail Omar Guelleh, in office since May 8, 1999
* In power since its formation in 1979
* Parliamentary election, 2023: RPP in coalition, 93.68% and 59 of 65 seats
* Presidential election, 2021: Ismail Omar Guelleh 97.30%
* Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
* Led by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, in office since August 3, 1979: In power since its formation in 1987
* Senate election, 2017: PDGE 92.00% 55 of 70 seats
* Chamber of People's Representatives election, 2017: PDGE 92.00% 99 of 100 seats
* Presidential election, 2022: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo 97.00%
*Prosperity Party, previously Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front : Led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in office since April 2, 2018
* In power since May 28, 1991
* Parliamentary election, 2021: 410 of 483 seats
* Regional election, 2015: Regional partners 1987 of 1990 seats
Ivory Coast
*Rally of the Republicans
*Led by President Alassane Ouattara, in office since 4 December 2010.
*In power since 2010.
*Parliamentary election, 2021: RHDP 137 of 255 seats.
*Presidential election, 2025: Alassane Ouattara 91.23%
* Mozambican Liberation Front
* Led by President Daniel Chapo, in office since January 15, 2025
* In power since independence, June 25, 1975
* Presidential election, 2024: Daniel Chapo 65.17%
* Parliamentary election, 2024: FRELIMO 171 of 250 seats
* South West Africa People's Organisation
* Led by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, in office since March 21, 2025
* In power since independence, March 21, 1990
* Presidential election, 2024: Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah 58.07%
* Parliamentary election, 2024: SWAPO 53.37% and 51 of 96 seats
* Regional elections, 2020: SWAPO 88 of 121 seats
*Lagos State
**All Progressives Congress / Alliance for Democracy has won every election in Lagos State since the end of military rule in Nigeria in 1999.
* Rwandan Patriotic Front
* Led by President Paul Kagame, in office since March 24, 2000
* In power since July 19, 1994
* Presidential election, 2024: Paul Kagame 99.18%
* Parliamentary election, 2024: RPF 68.83% and 37 of 53 seats
* Sudan People's Liberation Movement
* Led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit, in office since July 9, 2011; and was President of Southern Sudan since July 30, 2005
* In power since independence, July 9, 2011; and in the autonomous Government of Southern Sudan since formation, July 9, 2005
* Presidential election, 2010: Salva Kiir Mayardit 92.99%
* Parliamentary election, 2010: SPLM 160 of 170 seats
*
* Seychelles People's Progressive Front/United Seychelles
* In power since the 1977 Seychelles Coup, excluding a 5 year period from 2020-2025
* Chama Cha Mapinduzi : Led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, in office since March 19, 2021
* In power, under various names, since independence, December 9, 1961
* Civic election, 2014: CCM 74.50%
* Presidential election, 2020: John Magufuli 84.40%
* Parliamentary election, 2020: CCM 350 of 393 seats
* Union for the Republic : Led by President Faure Gnassingbé, in office since February 5, 2005
* In power since its formation in 2012
* Presidential election, 2020: Faure Gnassingbé 70.78%
* Parliamentary election, 2024: UNIR 108 of 113 seats
* National Resistance Movement : Led by President Yoweri Museveni, in office since January 29, 1986.
* In power as de facto dominant party since January 29, 1986, as a "non-party Movement."
* Became de jure dominant party with the return of multi-party elections on July 28, 2005.
* Presidential election, 2021: Yoweri Museveni 58.38%
* Parliamentary election, 2021: NRM 41.60% and 336 of 529 seats
*Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front : Formerly led by President Robert Mugabe, in office from April 18, 1980, to November 21, 2017 and now led by Emmerson Mnangagwa since November 24, 2017. In power since independence, April 17, 1980
* Presidential election, 2023: Emmerson Mnangagwa 52.60%
* Parliamentary election, 2023: ZANU-PF 56.18% and 177 of 280 seats
* Senate election, 2023: ZANU-PF 33 of 80 seats