The National Congress Party and the “Second Republic”: Internal Dynamics and Political Hegemony

Abstract

The year 2011 marked the most critical juncture in the political course of the state in Sudan since independence in 1956. On January 9, the population of southern Sudan voted overwhelmingly for the secession of the southern region; when the separation became final, in July, Sudan lost a sizable part of its territory.¹ The move was unprecedented in the history of the African continent, and it has shaken the Sudanese state, political regime and society, as well as having significant impact on political dynamics at the regional level. In effect, the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) was forced to abandon one of its “nonnegotiable principles,” set by the regime as early as 1989, namely, the unity of Sudan.