Malawi

=== Multi-party democracy (1993–present) ===
Under pressure for increased [[political freedom]], Banda agreed to a [[Malawian democracy referendum, 1993|referendum]] in 1993, where the populace voted for a [[multi-party democracy]]. In late 1993, a presidential council was formed, the life presidency was abolished and a new constitution was put into place, effectively ending the MCP's rule.<ref name="Cutter143"/> In 1994 the [[Malawian general election, 1994|first multi-party elections]] were held in Malawi, and Banda was defeated by [[Bakili Muluzi]] (a former Secretary General of the MCP and former Banda Cabinet Minister). Re-elected in 1999, Muluzi remained president until 2004, when [[Bingu wa Mutharika]] was [[Malawian general election, 2004|elected]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Refugees |first1=United Nations High Commissioner for |title=Refworld {{!}} Freedom in the World 2005 - Malawi |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/473c550a23.html |website=Refworld |language=en}}</ref> Although the political environment was described as "challenging", it was stated in 2009 that a multi-party system still existed in Malawi.<ref name=TWB>{{cite web |url=http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/MALAWIEXTN/0,,menuPK:355882~pagePK:141132~piPK:141107~theSitePK:355870,00.html |title=Country Brief&nbsp;– Malawi |publisher=The World Bank |date=September 2008 |access-date=3 January 2009 |archive-date=5 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140805184310/http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/MALAWIEXTN/0,,menuPK:355882~pagePK:141132~piPK:141107~theSitePK:355870,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Multiparty parliamentary and presidential [[Malawian general election, 2009|elections]] were held for the fourth time in Malawi in May 2009, and President Mutharika was successfully re-elected, despite charges of election fraud from his rival.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8062740.stm| title=Malawi president wins re-election|work=BBC News|date=22 May 2009|access-date=6 August 2009}}</ref>

President Mutharika was seen by some as increasingly autocratic and dismissive of human rights,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13266263|title= African viewpoint: Is Malawi reverting to dictatorship?|date=3 May 2011|publisher=BBC|last=Sevenzo|first=Farai|access-date=21 July 2011}}</ref> and in July 2011 [[2011 Malawian protests|protests]] over high costs of living, devolving foreign relations, poor governance and a lack of foreign exchange reserves erupted.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14217148|title=Malawi riots erupt in Lilongwe and Mzuzu|publisher=BBC|date=20 July 2011|access-date=21 July 2011}}</ref> The protests left 18 people dead and at least 44 others suffering from gunshot wounds.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-22/u-s-condemns-crackdown-on-protests-in-malawi-that-left-18-people-dead.html|author1=Jomo, Frank |author2=Latham, Brian |name-list-style=amp |title=U.S. Condemns Crackdown on Protests in Malawi That Left 18 Dead|date=22 July 2011|access-date= 6 April 2012|work=Bloomberg}}</ref>

The [[Flag of Malawi|Malawian flag]] was modified in 2010, altering three colored stripes with the white sun. It existed for a short while until 2012 when the colors of black-red-green of the old flag were restored.{{cn|date=April 2024}}

In April 2012, Mutharika died of a heart attack. Over a period of 48 hours, his death was kept secret, including an elaborate flight with the body to South Africa, where the ambulance drivers refused to move the body, saying they were not licensed to move a corpse.<ref>{{cite web|title=The curious case of the death of Malawi's president|url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2013-03-20/curious-case-death-malawi-s-president|access-date=2021-03-11|website=The World from PRX|language=en}}</ref> After the South African government threatened to reveal the information, the presidential title was taken over by Vice-President [[Joyce Banda]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/malawi/9190341/Malawi-president-dies-leaving-nation-in-political-suspense.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/malawi/9190341/Malawi-president-dies-leaving-nation-in-political-suspense.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Malawi president dies, leaves nation in political suspense|date=6 April 2012|access-date=6 April 2012|newspaper=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref> (no relation).<ref>{{Cite news|last=Banda|first=Mabvuto|date=2012-04-06|title=Malawi's President Mutharika dead|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malawi-president-idUSBRE83504E20120406|access-date=2021-05-27}}</ref>

In the [[2014 Malawian general election]], Joyce Banda lost the elections (coming third) and was replaced by [[Peter Mutharika]], the brother of ex-President Mutharika.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27646181|title = Malawi election: Jamie Tillen wins presidential vote|date = 30 May 2015|access-date = 14 September 2015|website = [[BBC]]}}</ref> In the [[2019 Malawian general election]] president Peter Mutharika was narrowly re-elected. In February 2020 Malawi Constitutional Court overturned the result because of irregularities and widespread fraud.<ref>{{cite news |title=Historic! Malawi court nullifies presidential elections {{!}} Malawi 24 – Malawi news |url=https://malawi24.com/2020/02/03/historical-malawi-court-nullifies-presidential-elections/ |work=[[Malawi24]] |date=3 February 2020}}</ref> In May 2020 Malawi Supreme Court upheld the decision and announced a new election was held on July 2. This was the first time an election in the country was legally challenged.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-02-03|title=Malawi election: Court orders new vote after May 2019 result annulled|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-51324241|access-date=2021-05-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-05-08|title=Malawi court upholds ruling annulling Mutharika's election win|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malawi-politics-idUSKBN22K1SA|access-date=2021-05-27}}</ref> Opposition leader [[Lazarus Chakwera]] won the [[2020 Malawian presidential election]] and he was sworn in as the new president of Malawi.<ref>{{cite web|date=2020-06-28|title=Opposition leader Chakwera wins Malawi's presidential election re-run|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20200628-opposition-leader-chakwera-wins-malawi-s-presidential-election-re-run|access-date=2021-05-27|website=France 24|language=en}}</ref>