Namibia is a dominant-party state with the South-West Africa People's Organisation in power. Opposition parties are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power. In Namibian politics, ethnicity plays a significant role in party affiliation and voting behaviour. Some parties are dominated by single ethnic groups; SWAPO itself, its government, and administration, is pre-dominantly Ovambo.
Parties with parliamentary seats
Parties with seats in the National Assembly of Namibia after the 2024 elections are:
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan=2 | Party
! Abbr.
! Leader
! Political position
! Ideology
! Council
! Assembly
|-
| bgcolor= |
| South West Africa People’s Organisation<br/><small><br/></small>
| SWAPO<br/>SWAVO
| Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
| Centre-left
| Socialism with Namibian characteristics
|
|
|-
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| Independent Patriots for Change
| IPC
| Panduleni Itula
|
| Grassroots democracy
|
|
|-
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| Affirmative Repositioning
| AR
| Job Amupanda
| Left-wing
| Marxism-leninism<br/>Pan-africanism
|
|
|-
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| Popular Democratic Movement<br/><small></small>
| PDM
| McHenry Venaani
| Centre-right
| Conservatism<br>Economic liberalism
|
|
|-
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| Landless People's Movement
| LPM
| Bernadus Swartbooi
| Centre-left<br/>to left-wing
| Social democracy<br />Progressivism<br />Land reform<br>Environmentalism
|
|
|-
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| United Democratic Front
| UDF
| Apius Auchab
|
| Damara interests
|
|
|-
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| Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters
| NEFF
| Epafras Mukwiilongo
| Far-left
| Marxism–Leninism<br>Pan-Africanism<br>Anti-capitalism
|
|
|-
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| South West Africa National Union
| SWANU
| Tangeni Iiyambo
| Left-wing
| Democratic socialism<br/>Left-wing nationalism
|
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| Republican Party<br/><small></small>
| RP
| Henk Mudge
| Right-wing
| Conservatism<br>Christian democracy
|
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| National Unity Democratic Organisation
| NUDO
| Esther Muinjangue
| Centre-right
| Herero interests
|
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| All People's Party
| APP
| Ignatius Shixwameni
| Centre-left
| Social democracy
|
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| National Democratic Party
| NDP
| Martin Lukato
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| Body of Christ Party
| BCP
| Festus Thomas
| Right-wing
| Christian democracy
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Unrepresented parties
The following parties contested the 2019 or 2024 parliamentary elections but did not gain a seat, in the order of votes obtained:
- Christian Democratic Voice (CDV)
- Congress of Democrats (CoD)
- National Empowerment Fighting Corruption (NEFC)
- National Patriotic Front (NPF)
- Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP)
- United People's Movement (UPM)
- Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP)
Parties of local relevance
The following parties did not contest the 2019 general elections but took part in the 2020 local authority election, and gained seats:
- Gobabis Residents' Association, 1 seat in Gobabis
- Karibib Ratepayers Association, 1 seat in Karibib
- Monitor Action Group, 1 seat in Outjo
- Okahandja Rate Payers Association, 1 seat in Okahandja
- Omaruru Community Development Association, 1 seat in Omaruru
- Rehoboth Independent Town Management Association, 1 seat in Rehoboth
- United People's Movement (UPM), 1 seat in Rehoboth
- Rundu Concerned Citizens Association, 1 seat in Rundu
- Rundu Urban Community Association, 1 seat in Rundu
- Swakopmund Residents Association, 2 seats in Swakopmund
- Joint Walvis Bay Residents Association, 1 seat in Walvis Bay
Defunct parties
;National parties
- Communist Party of Namibia
- Democratic Action for Namas
- Democratic Party of Namibia (DPN)
- Namibia African People's Democratic Organisation
- Namibian Democratic Movement for Change
- National Progressive Party
- Rehoboth Volksparty
- Riemvasmaak United Party
- United Nama Independence People's Party
- United Namib Independence Party
- United Namibia People's Party
;Local parties
- Civic Association of Henties Bay
;Banned parties
- United Democratic Party