The president of South Africa has appealed for unity after the ruling party lost its majority for the first time

The ruling African National Congress won 159 of the 400 seats in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, and lost its absolute majority for the first time, preventing it from forming a government on its own, the Independent Electoral Commission said Sunday.

It is the first time the African National Congress (ANC) has failed to win more than half of the seats in parliament since the end of apartheid and white minority rule 30 years ago. In the last election in 2019, the ANC won 230 seats.

The ANC's main rival, the pro-business, white-led Democratic Alliance, the largest opposition party, came second with 87 seats. Umkupsetting, a new political party backed by former South African President Jacob Zuma, won 58 seats, while the radical left Economic Freedom Fighters came in fourth with 39 seats, with the rest going to 14 other parties.

After the results were announced, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa called on party leaders to seek common ground and show unity for the good of the people.

The ANC has said it is open to all parties negotiating a coalition government.

South Africa's general election, the seventh since the end of apartheid, was held on May 29 to elect a new national assembly and provincial assemblies. A total of 70 political parties and 11 independent candidates participated in the national and provincial council elections.

South Africa's parliament is bicameral, consisting of the National Assembly and the National Council for Provincial Affairs (the upper house of Parliament), each serving a five-year term. The National Assembly is composed of 400 members, 200 of whom are elected at the national level and 200 at the provincial level.

According to the South African Constitution, after the new National Assembly is elected, members of the National Assembly will meet to elect a new president of South Africa.