Angola abolishes direct presidential elections

Angola\'s parliament has approved a new constitution which abolishes direct presidential elections.



The Head of State will now automatically be the leader of the party with the parliamentary majority.



The main opposition, Unita, boycotted the vote, accusing the government of trying to destroy democracy.



The change was approved by 186 out of the 220 members of parliament.



President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has been in power for more than three decades and the next polls are not expected until 2012.



The oil-rich nation is recovering from a long civil war which ended in 2002.