Apartheid ends in South Africa, after two thirds of white voters vote for its abolition in a referendum

Guinea's first democratic election is won by the incumbent president, Lansana Conté

The separatist Bloc Québecois becomes (until losing seats in the next election) the official Opposition in the Canadian parliament

Media magnate Silvio Berlusconi founds Forza Italia as a new centre-right political party in Italy

South Africa's first non-racial election is won by the ANC with 63% of the vote

Hastings Banda, president since independence in 1964, is defeated in Malawi's first multiparty elections

President Clinton's bill to provide health insurance for all US citizens is defeated in Congress

Tony Blair wins the leadership of the Labour party, and sets about establishing what he calls New Labour

Ethiopians have their first experience of democracy in a free presidential election, won by Meles Zenawi

Mugabe is elected unopposed for a new six-year term as president

The guerrilla groups in Guatemala sign a treaty which provides for them to become a recognized political party

In Canada's general election the Bloc Québecois lose their position as official opposition to the Liberal government

Mexico's ruling party, the PRI, loses control of the lower house for the first time in nearly seventy years

In referenda held by the new Labour government, Scotland votes conclusively for devolution but Wales is lukewarm

A proposed referendum on northern Irish issues is accepted by all the relevant political parties in what becomes known as the Good Friday Agreement

In the referendum to endorse the Good Friday Agreement, the terms are accepted by majorities in both the republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

The Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble becomes First Minister of the newly convened Northern Ireland Assembly

The Scottish parliament and the Welsh assembly hold their first elections, both narrowly won by Labour

A plebiscite in East Timor delivers a vote for independence from Indonesia

Trade unionist Morgan Tsvangirai leads a newly formed party in Zimbabwe, the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change)

The voters in Zimbabwe reject a new constitution enabling the government to acquire land compulsorily without compensation

In Zimbabwe's elections, marred by intimidation and violence, Mugabe's party wins 62 and Tsvangirai's 57 seats in the assembly

Angry crowds drive Slobodan Milosevic from power after he denies defeat in the Serbian election

In Zimbabwe's presidential election, again characterized by violence and apparent vote-rigging, Mugabe defeats Tsvangirai

The 'Rose Revolution' in Georgia forces the resignation of president Eduard Shevardnadze after rigged elections