What's happened
Peter Mutharika, 85, has won Malawi's September 16 presidential election with 56.8% of the vote, defeating incumbent Lazarus Chakwera, who conceded defeat. Malawi faces ongoing economic challenges, including high inflation, food shortages, and climate disasters, amid a closely contested election process. Results were announced on September 24, 2025.
What's behind the headline?
Mutharika's return signals a shift towards experienced leadership amid Malawi’s economic turmoil. His campaign focused on restoring stability and economic growth, leveraging his previous tenure's relative success in controlling inflation. The election underscores persistent voter dissatisfaction with Chakwera's handling of inflation, food shortages, and climate disasters. The deep-rooted economic issues—such as foreign exchange shortages, aid reductions, and climate impacts—are unlikely to be resolved quickly, regardless of who is in power. Mutharika's victory may prolong political polarization, but it also reflects a desire for proven leadership in a crisis-ridden environment. The country's reliance on agriculture and vulnerability to climate shocks will continue to challenge policymakers, making economic recovery a long-term struggle. The election outcome highlights the importance of addressing climate resilience and economic diversification to stabilize Malawi's future.
What the papers say
The Bloomberg articles provide detailed election results and background, emphasizing Mutharika's decisive win and Malawi's economic struggles. AP News offers insights into the election process and voter sentiment, highlighting the political context and allegations of irregularities. The Guardian contextualizes the election within Malawi's ongoing economic crisis, climate disasters, and political history, illustrating the deep-rooted challenges faced by the country. The contrasting perspectives underscore the complexity of Malawi's political landscape, with Bloomberg focusing on the electoral outcome, AP on the process, and The Guardian on the broader socio-economic environment.
How we got here
Malawi's recent elections followed a period of political instability and economic hardship. The 2019 election was nullified due to irregularities, leading to a rerun in 2020, which Chakwera won. Mutharika, a former president, returned to power after a tightly contested vote amid high inflation, climate shocks, and aid cuts, with voters seeking experienced leadership to address the country's crises.
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More on these topics
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Arthur Peter Mutharika is a Malawian politician and lawyer who was President of Malawi from May 2014 to June 2020. Mutharika has worked in the field of international justice, specialising in international economic law, international law and comparative co
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Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera is a Malawian theologian and politician who has served as President of Malawi since June 2020. In addition to the Presidency, he also gave himself a cabinet portfolio as Minister of Defence.
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Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland.