Editing Namibia (section)

== Government and politics ==
[[File:Tintenpalast-Windhoek.jpg|thumb|{{center|[[Tintenpalast]], the centre of Namibia's government}}]]
{{Main|Politics of Namibia|Elections in Namibia}}

Namibia is a [[Unitary state|unitary]] [[Semi-presidential system|semi-presidential]] [[Representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]].<ref name="Dual">{{cite journal|last=Shugart|first=Matthew Søberg|date=December 2005|title=Semi-Presidential Systems: Dual Executive And Mixed Authority Patterns|url=https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1057%2Fpalgrave.fp.8200087.pdf|journal=French Politics|volume=3|issue=3|pages=323–351|doi=10.1057/palgrave.fp.8200087|s2cid=73642272|access-date=4 September 2016|quote=Of the contemporary cases, only four provide the assembly majority an unrestricted right to vote no confidence, and of these, only two allow the president unrestricted authority to appoint the prime minister. These two, Mozambique and Namibia, as well as the Weimar Republic, thus resemble most closely the structure of authority depicted in the right panel of Figure 3, whereby the dual accountability of the cabinet to both the president and the assembly is maximized. (...) Namibia allows the president to dissolve ''[the assembly]'' at any time but places a novel negative incentive on his exercise of the right: He must stand for a new election at the same time as the new assembly elections.|doi-access=free|archive-date=31 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831003208/https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1057/palgrave.fp.8200087.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[President of Namibia]] is elected to a five-year term and is both the [[head of state]] and the [[head of government]].<ref name=CN>{{cite web|year=1992|url=http://209.88.21.55/opencms/export/sites/default/grnnet/AboutNamibia/constitution/constitution1.pdf|title=Constitution of the Republic of Namibia|access-date=10 July 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119205953/http://209.88.21.55/opencms/export/sites/default/grnnet/AboutNamibia/constitution/constitution1.pdf|archive-date=19 January 2010}} {{cite web|url=http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/nam5.htm|title=Namibia: Constitution|website=EISA|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604121733/http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/nam5.htm|archive-date=4 June 2012}}</ref> All members of the government are individually and collectively responsible to the legislature.{{refn|Article 41 of the Constitution of the Republic of Namibia.<ref name=CN/>}}<ref name="ECN">{{cite web|url=http://www.ecn.na/web/ecn/elections|title=How to Register as a Voter|publisher=Electoral Commission of Namibia|access-date=22 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180721014311/http://www.ecn.na/web/ecn/elections|archive-date=21 July 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Constitution of Namibia]] outlines the following as the organs of the country's government:<ref name="Bösl">{{Cite book|last1=Shivute|first1=Peter|author-link1=Peter Shivute|editor1-last=Bösl|editor1-first=Anton|editor2-last=Horn|editor2-first=Nico|chapter-url=http://www.kas.de/wf/doc/kas_15058-544-2-30.pdf|chapter=Foreword|page=10|title=The Independence of the Judiciary in Namibia|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers|Macmillan Education Namibia]]|series=Publications sponsored by [[Konrad Adenauer Stiftung]]|isbn=978-99916-0-807-5|year=2008|access-date=13 July 2010|archive-date=23 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023162102/http://www.kas.de/wf/doc/kas_15058-544-2-30.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
*Executive: executive power is exercised by the President and the [[Cabinet of Namibia|Government]].
*Legislature: Namibia has a [[Bicameralism|bicameral]] [[Parliament of Namibia|Parliament]] with the [[National Assembly of Namibia|National Assembly]] as [[lower house]], and the [[National Council of Namibia|National Council]] as the [[upper house]].<ref name="parliament153">{{cite web|title=National Council|url=http://www.parliament.gov.na/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=153&Itemid=1264|website=Parliament.gov.na|access-date=21 August 2020|archive-date=24 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224154420/http://www.parliament.gov.na/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=153&Itemid=1264|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Judiciary]]: Namibia has a system of courts that interpret and apply the law in the name of the state.

While the constitution envisaged a [[multi-party system]] for Namibia's government, the [[SWAPO]] party has been [[Dominant-party system|dominant]] since independence in 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.swapoparty.org/throw_out_nyamu_motion.html|title=SWAPO:Dominant party?|publisher=Swapoparty.org|access-date=26 August 2017|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222946/http://www.swapoparty.org/throw_out_nyamu_motion.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to 2023 [[V-Dem Democracy indices]] Namibia is ranked 66th electoral democracy worldwide and 8th [[democracy in Africa|electoral democracy in Africa]].<ref name="vdem_dataset">{{cite web|last=V-Dem Institute|year=2023|title=The V-Dem Dataset|url=https://www.v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/|access-date=14 October 2023|archive-date=8 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208183458/https://www.v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Foreign relations===
{{Main|Foreign relations of Namibia}}
[[File:Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi (2019-10-24).jpg|thumb|Former President [[Hage Geingob]] (second row, first from the right) with other African leaders and Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] at the [[Russia–Africa Summit 2019|Russia–Africa Summit]] in Sochi, 24 October 2019]]
Namibia has a largely independent [[foreign policy]], with persisting affiliations with states that aided the independence struggle, including [[Cuba]]. With a small army and a fragile economy, the Namibian government's principal foreign policy concern is developing strengthened ties within the Southern African region. A member of the [[Southern African Development Community]], Namibia is a vocal advocate for greater regional integration. It became the 160th member of the UN on 23 April 1990. On its independence it became the 50th member of the [[Commonwealth of Nations]].
===Military===
{{Main|Namibian Defence Force}}
In 2023, The Global Firepower Index (GFP) reported that Namibia's [[Namibia/Military|military]] is ranked as one of the weakest in the world, at 123rd out of 145 countries. Among 34 African countries, Namibia is also poorly ranked at the 28th position.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Namibia ranked weak in military strength – Government – Namibian Sun|url=https://www.namibiansun.com/news/namibia-ranked-weak-in-military-strength2020-01-14|last=Marketing|first=Intouch Interactive|website=namibiansun.com|date=14 January 2020|access-date=6 May 2020|archive-date=27 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527012238/https://www.namibiansun.com/news/namibia-ranked-weak-in-military-strength2020-01-14|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite this, government spending for the [[Ministry of Defence (Namibia)|Ministry of Defence]] stood at N$5,885 million (a 1.2% decrease from the previous financial year).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Namibia Budget on a Plate|url=https://www.pwc.com/na/en/assets/pdf/2019-budget-tabloid.pdf|date=6 May 2020|website=PWC Namibia|access-date=6 May 2020|archive-date=27 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527010729/https://www.pwc.com/na/en/assets/pdf/2019-budget-tabloid.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> With close to 6 billion Namibian dollars (US$411 million in 2021) the Ministry of Defence receives the fourth highest amount of money from government per ministry.

Namibia does not have any enemies in [[Southern African Development Community|the region]], though it has been involved in various disputes regarding borders and construction plans.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Moser|first=Jana|title=Border Contracts – Border Conflicts: Examples from Northern Namibia|url=https://history.icaci.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Moser.pdf|journal=Symposium on "Shifting Boundaries": Cartography of the 19th and 20th Centuries. ICA Commission on the History of Cartography|access-date=6 August 2019|archive-date=2 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302110005/https://history.icaci.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Moser.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Namibian [[Constitution of Namibia|constitution]] defines the role of the military as "''defending the territory and national interests.''" Namibia formed the [[Namibian Defence Force]] (NDF), comprising former enemies in a 23-year bush war: the [[People's Liberation Army of Namibia]] (PLAN) and [[South West Africa]]n ''Territorial Force'' ([[SWATF]]). The [[British government]] formulated the plan for integrating these forces and began training the NDF, which consists of a small headquarters and five battalions.

The [[United Nations Transitional Assistance Group]] (UNTAG)'s Kenyan infantry battalion remained in Namibia for three months after independence to help train the NDF and to stabilise the north. According to the Namibian Defence Ministry, enlistments of both men and women will number no more than 7,500.

The chief of the Namibian Defence Force is Air Vice Marshal [[Martin Pinehas|Martin Kambulu Pinehas]] (with effect from 1 April 2020).

In 2017, Namibia signed the UN [[treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-9&chapter=26&clang=_en|title=Chapter XXVI: Disarmament&nbsp;– No. 9 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons|publisher=United Nations Treaty Collection|date=7 July 2017|access-date=16 August 2019|archive-date=6 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806220546/https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-9&chapter=26&clang=_en|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Administrative divisions===
{{Main|Administrative divisions of Namibia}}
[[File:Namibia Population Density (2011).jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Population density in Namibia by regions (census 2011)]]
Namibia is divided into 14 regions which are subdivided into 121 constituencies. The administrative division of Namibia is tabled by ''Delimitation Commissions'' and accepted or declined by the [[National Assembly of Namibia|National Assembly]]. Since state foundation four Delimitation Commissions have delivered their work, the last one in 2013 under the chairmanship of Judge Alfred Siboleka.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newera.com.na/articles/53580/President-divides-Kavango-into-two|title=President divides Kavango into two|last=Nakale|first=Albertina Haindongo|date=9 August 2013|newspaper=[[New Era (Namibia)|New Era]]|publisher=via allafrica.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022020857/http://www.newera.com.na/articles/53580/President-divides-Kavango-into-two|archive-date=22 October 2014|access-date=14 January 2016|url-status=dead}} [http://allafrica.com/stories/201308090372.html?viewall=1 Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027122731/http://allafrica.com/stories/201308090372.html?viewall=1 |date=27 October 2014 }}</ref> The most urbanised and economically active regions are the Khomas and Erongo regions, with Khomas home to the capital, Windhoek, and Erongo home to Walvis Bay and Swakopmund.

The table below shows statistics from the 2023 Namibia Population and Housing Census:
{| class="wikitable"
!Region
!Population (2023)
!People per km<sup>2</sup>
!Average household size
|-
|[[Khomas Region|Khomas]]
|494,605
|13.4
|3.3
|-
|[[Ohangwena Region|Ohangwena]]
|337,729
|31.5
|4.8
|-
|[[Omusati Region|Omusati]]
|316,671
|11.9
|4.2
|-
|[[Oshikoto Region|Oshikoto]]
|257,302
|6.7
|4.1
|-
|[[Erongo Region|Erongo]]
|240,206
|3.8
|3.1
|-
|[[Oshana]]
|230,801
|26.7
|3.7
|-
|[[Otjozondjupa Region|Otjozondjupa]]
|220,811
|2.1
|3.6
|-
|[[Kavango East]]
|218,421
|9.1
|5.3
|-
|[[Zambezi Region|Zambezi]]
|142,373
|9.7
|3.7
|-
|[[Kavango West]]
|123,266
|5.0
|5.5
|-
|[[Kunene Region|Kunene]]
|120,762
|1.0
|3.8
|-
|[[Hardap Region|Hardap]]
|106,680
|1.0
|3.6
|-
|[[ǁKaras Region|ǁKaras]]
|109,893
|0.7
|3.1
|-
|[[Omaheke Region|Omaheke]]
|102,881
|1.2
|3.3
|}

Regional councillors are directly elected through secret ballots (regional elections) by the inhabitants of their constituencies.<ref>{{cite web|title=Namibia National Council|url=http://www.ipu.org/parline/reports/2226.htm|publisher=[[Inter-Parliamentary Union]]|access-date=14 July 2010|archive-date=10 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510002301/http://www.ipu.org/parline/reports/2226.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Local authorities in Namibia can be in the form of municipalities (either Part 1 or Part 2 municipalities), town councils or villages.<ref name=alan>{{cite web|title=Local Authorities|url=http://www.alan.org.na/?q=localauthorities/list|publisher=Association of Local Authorities in Namibia|access-date=10 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130610203011/http://www.alan.org.na/?q=localauthorities%2Flist|archive-date=10 June 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{{clear|left}}

===Human rights===
{{Main|Human rights in Namibia}}

Namibia is one of the most free and democratic countries in Africa,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2019/namibia|title=Namibia &#124; Freedom House|access-date=3 January 2020|archive-date=3 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103140009/https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2019/namibia|url-status=dead}}</ref> with a government that maintains and protects human rights and freedoms. However, significant issues include government corruption, policy inertia and prison overcrowding. Also, refugees are not permitted free movement.<ref name="USDOS"/>

Homosexual acts were formerly illegal in Namibia,<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|date=30 March 2021|title=2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Namibia|url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/namibia/|access-date=24 May 2021|website=United States Department of State|archive-date=24 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524074436/https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/namibia/|url-status=live}}</ref> although the respective law was not enforced.<ref>{{cite news|first=Daniel|last=Avery|title=71 Countries Where Homosexuality is Illegal|url=https://www.newsweek.com/73-countries-where-its-illegal-be-gay-1385974|work=Newsweek|date=4 April 2019|access-date=16 August 2019|archive-date=11 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211204842/https://www.newsweek.com/73-countries-where-its-illegal-be-gay-1385974|url-status=live}}</ref> Discrimination, as well as intolerance, against [[LGBT rights in Namibia|LGBT people]] is widespread, specifically in rural areas. Urban areas are generally neutral or supportive with a few LGBT-dedicated clubs and events.<ref>{{cite news|title=Namibia's gay paraders call for legal protection|url=https://www.news24.com/Africa/News/namibias-gay-paraders-call-for-legal-protection-20170730|work=News24|date=30 July 2017|access-date=16 August 2019|archive-date=19 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719010703/https://www.news24.com/Africa/News/namibias-gay-paraders-call-for-legal-protection-20170730|url-status=dead}}</ref> Some Namibian government officials and high-profile figures, such as Namibia's [[Ombudsman]] John Walters and First Lady [[Monica Geingos]], had called for [[sodomy]] and homosexuality to be decriminalised and are in favour of [[LGBT rights]].<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Sodomy law's days numbered – Geingos|last=Beukes|first=Jemima|date=14 June 2019|newspaper=[[Namibian Sun]]|url=https://www.namibiansun.com/news/sodomy-laws-days-numbered-geingos2019-06-13|access-date=3 January 2020|archive-date=9 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109194048/https://www.namibiansun.com/news/sodomy-laws-days-numbered-geingos2019-06-13|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriages legally made outside of Namibia must be recognized by the government.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Werner Menges|date=16 May 2023|title=Supreme Court gives legal status to same-sex marriages|url=https://www.namibian.com.na/supreme-court-gives-legal-status-to-same-sex-marriages/|access-date=17 August 2024|website=The Namibian}}</ref> In 2024 the Windhoek High Court ruled the ban on homosexual acts between men to be unconstitutional.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Booty|first1=Natasha|title=Gay sex ban in Namibia ruled unconstitutional|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7220g65xllo|publisher=BBC|date=21 June 2024|access-date=21 June 2024}}</ref>

In November 2018, it was reported that 32% of women aged 15–49 experienced [[Violence against women|violence]] and [[domestic abuse]] from their spouses/partners and 29.5% of men believe that physical abuse towards their wife/partner is acceptable, although this is typically in rural areas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/gbv_web.pdf|title=Landscaping Gender Based Violence in Namibia|vauthors=Alweendo N, Andreas R, Rafla D|date=November 2018|website=Democracy Report|access-date=6 June 2019|archive-date=5 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190605153651/https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/gbv_web.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The Namibian constitution guarantees the rights, freedoms and equal treatment of women in Namibia<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.unesco.org/creativity/namibia-gender-indicator-gender-equality-objetive-outputs|title=Namibia – Gender Indicator – Gender equality {{sic|obj|etive|nolink=y}} outputs|date=9 December 2015|access-date=21 August 2020|publisher=[[UNESCO]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103145359/https://en.unesco.org/creativity/namibia-gender-indicator-gender-equality-objetive-outputs|archive-date=3 January 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> and SWAPO, the ruling party in Namibia, has adopted a "zebra system", which ensures a fair balance of both genders in government and equal representation of women in the Namibian government.<ref>{{cite news|title=Namibia's 'zebra' politics could make it stand out from the global herd|last=O'Riordan|first=Alexander|date=8 July 2014|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/jul/08/namibia-gender-equality-zebra-politics|access-date=3 January 2020|archive-date=14 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814124357/https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/jul/08/namibia-gender-equality-zebra-politics|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="USDOS">Human Rights in Namibia (November 2021). [https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/namibia/#:~:text=Significant%20human%20rights%20issues%20included,or%20elsewhere%20in%20the%20government. 2021 Country Report on Human Rights: Namibia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015012246/https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/namibia/#:~:text=Significant%20human%20rights%20issues%20included,or%20elsewhere%20in%20the%20government. |date=15 October 2022 }}. state.gov</ref>